LITMIR.BIZ

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There was one perfect way to describe how her body was reacting to his mouthwatering beauty.

      Tuxedo libido.

      She fought down a nervous giggle. How had the room gotten so warm? Clearly, May in Los Angeles meant it was time to adjust the thermostat.

      “Hi,” she said, knowing she sounded a little breathless, but since she was breathless it was the best she could do. “I’m ready. I just need to grab my purse.”

      “I’m relieved, I have to say.”

      “That I’m ready? Is that another comment about what you think of my organizational skills?”

      “No. As I drove here, I wasn’t sure what to expect, having several scenarios that came to mind. In the first, I was afraid you’d open the door wearing sweatpants, planning to ditch me to lounge at home instead, since you hadn’t wanted to come with me tonight.”

      “I wouldn’t ditch you, even though you’d have deserved it if I did, since it was pretty sneaky of you to get Freya involved as your date planner. However, I always honor my commitments. Though I admit that lounging in sweatpants holds a certain appeal.”

      “To me as well. You would look very sexy in sweatpants.”

      “Uh-huh. Pretty sure sexy and sweatpants are mutually exclusive.”

      “Not true. I’m picturing you in them right now.” Something about the way he was looking at her had her wondering exactly what he was picturing, and her breath hitched all over again. “The other, even worse scenario I envisioned was you wearing a more casual dress because you were planning to go on a date with someone else. In which case, I’d have to fight him when he came to pick you up, and my parents rarely appreciate that kind of scene.”

      Despite the absurd words, there was something serious in the gleam of his eyes that had her laughing in surprise. “I can’t see you fighting over a woman. There are too many fish in the sea who’d fall at your feet for a date, because they don’t know what a shark you are.”

      “But you’re willing to risk a date with a shark for a good cause, hmm? And there’s only one woman as beautiful and interesting as you are. That dress is exquisite on you, by the way. My mother would be impressed with your designer.”

      She laughed. and at the same time a bubble of satisfaction and relief that she didn’t look ridiculous filled her chest. “Don’t tell anyone, but the designer is someone who works for a dress-pattern company, and I made it myself.”

      “You made it yourself?” The astonishment on his face was comical. “That’s incredible! Beautiful, compassionate, and talented as well. Every man at the ball tonight will envy my good fortune to have you on my arm.”

      It was a line, she knew, but her stomach flipped inside out anyway. “They’ll probably envy you for a lot of other reasons, like that whole prince thing that makes you think you can do whatever you want whenever you want.” Okay, she didn’t really think he was an overbearing jerk anymore, but it was probably a good idea to keep up that charade.

      She also wouldn’t add all the other reasons men would envy him. Like his incredible good looks and confidence and sense of humor and everything else about him that made every part of her body tingle a little. She turned jerkily to grab her evening bag from the chair, willing herself to act normal and calm. After all, this wasn’t a real date. The only reason he’d asked—no, manipulated—her to join him tonight was because it was good PR for the clinic, and more publicity about the ball would result in more donations.

      His grasp on her elbow was light, but Gabby still felt the warmth of it clear to her toes as he tucked her into the car. Her heart seemed to thunder as much as the car engine as it accelerated around the mountain curves. Excitement pumped through her veins, and she realized she hadn’t felt this...this alive in a very long time. Not since her life, which she’d thought had been so steady and planned out, had been obliterated with one, selfishly bad decision.

      She determinedly squelched those thoughts. No point in dwelling on something she couldn’t change when she had a few hours to enjoy what she knew would be a very special evening. She stole a look at the man sitting so very close to her and he must have felt her gaze because he glanced at her with a smile that suddenly faded.

      “There’s one thing I must warn you about,” he said, turning his attention back to the road. “I’m frequently followed by the press, looking for a juicy story. I would guess there will be photographers outside the hotel anyway, wanting to get pictures of the various stars attending this event. Some will doubtless take pictures of us too, so don’t let it worry you.”

      “Do you often give them juicy stories?”

      “If you asked my parents, they’d say yes. In fact, I’ll tell you the truth. I came to stay in L.A. for two reasons. To see James and to hide from the press after an unfortunate incident.”

      “I can’t imagine you hiding from anyone.”

      “I don’t like to. But there are times that even I have to bow to family pressures, and this was one of them. But I’ve decided I don’t care. That being out with you tonight is important to me—and I hope you won’t let any media coverage bother you either.”

      “The media won’t care who I am, so I’m not worried about it.”

      “Don’t count on that.”

      His expression looked almost grim as he pulled the car up to the front doors of the hotel. Gabby stared in shock at the swarm of people wielding cameras and standing on both sides of the huge double doors, kept back by red velvet ropes curving between golden stanchions. A valet opened her door and in mere seconds Rafael appeared by her side, reaching for her hand. The camera flashes were so bright and constant it was like being hit in the face with a strobe light, and she blinked and instinctively reeled back. Rafael’s hand dropped hers to move to the small of her back, firm and steady. He seemed unfazed by it all, leading her forward in an even, unhurried pace until they were safely inside the hotel doors held open by employees.

      “Oh, my Lord, you weren’t kidding!” She stared at him. “Is it like this wherever you go?”

      “Not always. When there’s an event they know I’ll be showing up for, yes. But sometimes, as you saw when we had dinner the other night, they’re not around. Or it can seem that way, though sometimes I’m wrong about that.”

      As they moved farther into the room, she quickly looked around, expecting cameras to be closing in on them at that very moment. Thankfully, all she saw was a room filled with beautifully dressed men and women, all smiling and talking against the gorgeous backdrop of an old-style hotel, built in the days when Hollywood had been all glitter and gold and extravagance.

      “Gabriella, there is something I need to talk to you about regarding the paparazzi,” Rafael said.

      She turned to him, wondering what was causing that crease between his brows, but whatever he’d been about to say was interrupted by the arrival of several people eager to talk to him. Then others. More as they wandered through the crowds, taking bites of amazing hors d’oeuvres and sips of champagne, and it was obvious that more than one woman admired her date for the night, and were looking at her with envy, not the other way around, as Rafael had flatteringly predicted.

      “Rafael, Gabby, I see my sister nudged you into coming tonight,” James Rothsberg said as he appeared next to them. Held in the curve of his arm was the stunning woman Gabby had recently seen photographed with him in a few tabloid spreads.

      “Does Freya ever nudge anyone into anything?” Rafael said with a grin. “Strong-armed is more like it, but I’m glad to be here for such a great cause, and I know Gabriella cares a lot about underprivileged children too.”

      “I’m so happy to be helping spread the word about the Bright Hope Clinic,” Gabby said. “Not to mention getting to eat all the wonderful food here tonight.” She stopped there, even though she would have liked to note that Rafael was pretty good at strong-arm tactics himself.

      “Freya’s

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