LITMIR.BIZ

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      The thought had briefly crossed her mind, but she knew he would never miss an opportunity to charm a woman, whether young or old, beautiful or plain.

      But she had to admit she was still annoyed with Phillip. “Actually, I know Phillip meant well, but I wish he hadn’t put her in this predicament. Believe me, I know what it’s like being an ugly duckling.”

      His head went back in shock. “You? Never!”

      “It’s true. I was always very plain-looking.”

      “You’re kidding, right?”

      “I’m not. Ask my father. He was very good at telling me how plain I was.” She smiled grimly, remembering all the hurt. How many times had she looked into the mirror and wished she was beautiful? “Naturally he was delighted when I suddenly started to blossom into something resembling a female.”

      Brant’s eyes probed far too deeply. “Shouldn’t a father’s love be unconditional?”

      “Not my father,” she said, on some level surprised she was telling him so much. “He only likes being with women who are beautiful.”

      “Women?”

      She pretended not to care. “My parents are divorced. Luckily my mother settled down to a life of bliss with a man who truly loves her. Dad’s on his third marriage, to a model half his age.”

      “How do you feel about that?”

      “I’m thrilled my mother found happiness.”

      “And your father?”

      She’d suddenly had enough. Already she’d told him more than she should have about herself.

      She glanced back at the table to where the others were talking. “We were talking about Serena.”

      His eyes said she wasn’t fooling him but he’d accept the change in subject anyway. “Serena’s a nice kid.”

      “She wouldn’t appreciate being called a kid. She’s not much younger than me.”

      “But you’re so much more—”

      “Cynical?”

      He broke into a sexy half smile. “I was going to say mature.”

      Before she could stop it, she found herself smiling back at him.

      “You should smile at me more often, Kia.”

      As Serena had, she stumbled—just a little—then recovered. “But if I smile, you might think I like you,” she said with false sweetness.

      As if he realized he’d let down his guard, the smile froze on his lips. “We wouldn’t want that to happen, now would we?” he said, but his voice sounded flat and he’d withdrawn into himself.

      Thankfully the song ended. She cleared her throat and went to move away. “Thank you for the dance, Brant.”

      But he surprised her by holding on to her arm. “Say it again, Kia.”

      She blinked. “What?”

      “Say my name again.”

      In a way, she was grateful the womanizer was back. “Brant Matthews,” she said defiantly.

      Looking satisfied, he dropped her arm the way he’d drop her heart if she dared let him near it.

      Not that she would, she told herself on the way back to the table, then forced her face to maintain a calm expression when Phillip gave her an odd look. Phillip didn’t know it, but he’d taken on the role of a buffer between her and the man who was her principal employer.

      She spent the next hour listening to a couple of speeches, then talking to the other guests at the table and to the staff who stopped by to pay their respects to the top table.

      “Hello, Phillip.”

      Kia blinked as a wave of apprehension swept over her. She’d seen a picture of this woman hidden in Phillip’s desk. Lynette Kelly. Phillip’s ex-girlfriend.

      Phillip smiled coldly. “Lynette. What brings you here?”

      The other woman straightened her shoulders. “I’m here with Matthew Wright,” she said quietly, looking beautiful in a silky black evening gown, her dark hair framing a lovely oval face with high cheekbones and a dainty nose.

      “So you’ve finally found your Mr. Right, have you?” Phillip said rather nastily, and Kia turned to look at him in dismay. He and Lynette had been deeply in love until her career as a flight attendant had come between them.

      Lynette’s chin lifted with an odd dignity. “Yes, Phillip. I believe I have.”

      Kia was sure she was the only one who heard Phillip suck in a sharp breath. Thankfully the others at the table didn’t appear to realize what was going on.

      Except Brant, she noted.

      “What a coincidence,” Phillip said, recovering quickly as he picked up Kia’s hand and eyed Lynette with cold triumph. “I’ve found the right one this time, too. Kia’s agreed to marry me.”

      Two

      “Ma-marry?” Lynette stuttered just as there was a lull in conversation at the table. Then all hell seemed to break loose.

      “Marry? Who’s getting married?”

      “You and Kia are getting married?”

      “Oh, I just knew something serious was going on between you two.”

      Kia was frozen in her seat. It wasn’t often she was lost for words, but this time she was, shock causing any protest to wedge in her throat. Had Phillip just said what she thought he’d said? In front of everyone?

      He looked at Kia, brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I know we were going to wait until after Christmas, darling, but I think now’s as good a time as any.” He smiled, but his eyes implored her not to make a scene. “Forgive me for telling everyone our little secret?”

      She was going to kill him. Doing a favor for her boss was one thing, but this was going too far. But what could she do? Make him look a fool in front of everyone? In front of Lynette? The other woman had been the reason for all this pretence in the first place.

      A faint thread of hysteria rose in her throat. “I—”

      “Details,” someone cut across her, which was probably best because she had no idea what she’d been about to say.

      “Yes, give us details. We want to know everything.”

      “Yeah, like where’s your engagement ring?”

      Phillip laughed. “We don’t have any details yet. I only proposed tonight.” He smiled lovingly at her. “We’ll pick out a ring after Christmas, won’t we, darling?”

      Still in shock, Kia was trying to think what to say. “Um …”

      “How romantic,” one of the women said on a sigh.

      “Yes, isn’t it,” Brant said, a penetrating look in his eyes that made Kia feel as if he knew everything about them and didn’t like what he saw.

      Yet Phillip had been insistent when they’d started this charade that no one know about it but themselves. Not even Brant. Especially not Brant, Phillip had said, worried his business partner might think he was being irresponsible. Apparently Brant still hadn’t forgiven Phillip for some silly error he’d made with one of their clients. It hadn’t been that important, Phillip had told her, but Brant had been watching him like a hawk ever since.

      And she’d gone along with the secret for her own reasons. It had afforded her some degree of protection against the desire she saw in Brant’s eyes. Always he was around … watching … waiting … as if ready to pounce on her the minute Phillip was

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