LITMIR.BIZ

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was.

      ‘Couldn’t wait to dob on me to your sister, could you?’

      ‘I beg your pardon?’

      His dark eyes swivelled her way and she met them.

      ‘She had a go at me for being late. Then she insulted my dress.’

      He turned to survey the crowd. ‘Bunny has a habit of saying what pops into her head. You should try and ignore her.’

      ‘This family seems awfully good at that. Ignoring people. Before you came and broke up the party those two were the only ones being friendly to me.’

      ‘Those two were being friendly for one reason only.’ His voice lowered an octave and became hard.

      ‘I’m not stupid, Edward. I know exactly what type of men those two are. I’ve been rejected by enough men to know what they want. Or what they don’t want. But sometimes it’s better to have someone rather than no one.’

      ‘You’d rather be with those thickheads, who are plying you with alcohol in the hope you’ll fall over and flash your knickers at them, than be alone? You mustn’t think much of yourself.’

      ‘I’d rather laugh and talk to “those thickheads” than stand here being insulted by the biggest thickhead of all.’

      ‘Yet you remain.’

      Olivia turned to the room full of people, not seeing any of them. Edward was annoying and frustrating and rude. But he didn’t want to get in her pants. So the only reason he was standing there talking to her was because he wanted to stand there and talk to her. Somehow that put her at ease. It felt strangely comfortable, being with someone she knew she had no chance with. She didn’t have to perform; she could just be...herself. The idea was freeing.

      She breathed in deeply and let it out loudly.

      ‘I know what people think of me, Edward.’ She glanced at him, wondering what he thought of her for a second.

      Edward just stood silently next to her. Solid and strong. Not touching her, not wanting anything from her.

      ‘I’m looking for a man.’ She felt Edward stiffen beside her but still he said nothing. ‘Don’t worry, you’re not my type. Too judgy, too cold, too...’

      She looked up at him and he turned to face her. She took in his wide jaw and his very dark eyes. Like pools of dark chocolate. Deep and warm and luxuriously soft. A girl could get lost in those eyes and never find her way out. His jaw twitched as he looked down at her. His face looked as if it had been carved from stone, and he was so tall and broad and...

      ‘Too handsome.’

      He coughed and looked away.

      ‘I prefer someone less...I don’t know...’ She tried to find the right word. ‘Intimidating.’

      ‘A weak man who’ll put up with your nonsense and bend over when you tell him to?’

      ‘No. A sweet, sensitive man who’ll love me unconditionally. A kind, gentle soul who needs me.’

      ‘A pushover.’

      Olivia gave him the hardest look she could. ‘You are a cynical man, Edward Winchester. And you don’t have a romantic bone in that great big—’ surprisingly lean and muscular ‘—body of yours.’

      A waiter walked past and she reached out to grab another glass of champagne, downing it in one long sip. All the time, Edward watched her.

      ‘Life is not a romance novel, Olivia. It’s about work and responsibility and doing what you’re supposed to.’

      Olivia sighed again. She knew that. She knew it. But she wished life was like a romance novel. She wished there was someone—anyone—who would be willing to love her despite her faults. But she knew that was impossible.

      They stood silently, largely ignored by the milling crowd.

      ‘I know,’ she said suddenly. ‘Why don’t you help me?’ Another waiter wandered past and Olivia grabbed another glass. ‘You seem the type to think things through. Weigh up the alternatives. Make sensible decisions. Maybe you can figure out why everyone always leaves me.’

      SIX

      Edward looked down at the big blue eyes that were blinking up at him. They were smothered in black eye shadow. She looked like a raccoon. Lost, tipsy and desperate. Three attributes that should make him want to run a mile. Earlier she’d been hard and challenging. Now she seemed needy. It was an intoxicating combination and it brought out something primitive in him. Some protective gene he was sure was purely practical and had nothing to do with the fact that he found her big blue eyes increasingly irresistible.

      He had been drawn to her all night, his body on alert when she moved, when she laughed, and when her eyes turned to scan the room. And to be honest he wasn’t sure why. She was abrasive and unpredictable and silly, but there was a sweetness to her that, combined with her captivating sexiness, made her hard to ignore.

      And now she wanted him to be honest. To find her flaws and tell them to her. Dangerous. He knew from experience that people didn’t really want to know. People liked being in their little cocoons.

      ‘Perhaps we should discuss this outside.’ She was swaying on her feet and his uncle-with-the-wandering-hands seemed to be looking their way and licking his lips. The thought of that dirty old man’s hands on her was making him sick.

      This time she didn’t fight him. She let him lead her outside and he whisked the champagne glass out of her hands on the way out—swiftly relieving a passing waiter of a glass of water at the same time.

      On the terrace, it was cold. The blackness amplified by the new moon that hung grey and high in the sky. Edward closed the doors behind them to block out the noise of voices. When he turned Olivia was leaning over the balcony, looking up to the sky. Her short dress had risen up so high he could see the curve of her buttocks. He quickly averted his eyes and shrugged off his jacket. She must be freezing.

      ‘The saucepan is upside down.’

      Not for the first time Edward found himself intrigued by this woman. What was she talking about now? He moved closer and gently put his jacket around her shoulders, placing the glass of water on the edge of the brick terrace. He moved slowly and silently. He didn’t want to spook her.

      Those two great pillocks who’d been plying her with booze had been all over her. When he’d seen them with Olivia he’d known what they were doing. And he’d also known Olivia was in no state to be left alone with them.

      Olivia shifted and looked at him as he placed the jacket around her shoulders, but she didn’t throw it off.

      ‘Why is the saucepan upside down?’ With her strange words she pointed to the sky.

      ‘The saucepan?’

      ‘There. See the three stars in a row and the handle? It’s upside down.’

      Edward tilted his head. It did look like a saucepan. But it wasn’t. It was the constellation Orion.

      ‘That’s Orion, the great warrior. The three stars make up his belt.’

      ‘The great warrior,’ she murmured. ‘Like you.’

      Her words were a little slurred and her limbs were loose. Jet lag and champagne were a toxic combination. Prone to make you do and say things you shouldn’t. Which was why he always stopped at one drink.

      ‘I’m no warrior.’

      ‘Yes, you are. You saved me from those buffoons.’

      ‘I thought you were having fun.’ He moved closer. She looked cold. He wanted to warm her up.

      Olivia turned to him as she laughed and he held his breath. She’d smiled before, but not like this. He found himself irresistibly smiling back at her. She moved a little closer to

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