painful. It shouldn’t matter to me and I shouldn’t want to know it—I’d been with him only two days after all—but his pain scraped at the edges of my own heart and I couldn’t ignore it. I’d always been too soft, as Mr Chen had liked to say.
Damian looked at me and I moved instinctively, going to him and wrapping my arms around his lean waist, pressing myself against his hard, hot body, hungry to be close to him even though I’d been sleeping next to him all night.
He finished up his phone call and put his arms around me, holding me without speaking, as if he enjoyed the contact as much as I did. Then he lifted me up, carrying me over to the breakfast bar and setting me down on top of it. Putting his palms down on either side of my thighs, he leaned in, giving me one of his focused looks. ‘I have a question for you, Sugar.’
‘Oh?’ I touched his mouth, loving the softness of it under my finger, given it was pretty much the only thing about him that was soft, following the line of his bottom lip as it curved into a smile.
‘Naughty girl. This is serious.’
‘Uh-huh.’ I leaned forward and kissed him, indulging myself shamelessly. ‘So is kissing you.’
His smile this time was natural and full of heat. ‘Seducing me again?’
‘Just practising my skills.’ I grinned then kissed him once more, nipping at his bottom lip.
He laughed and tangled a hand in my hair, pulling me back a little. ‘Hold that thought. At least until after you’ve answered my question.’
I narrowly missed a pout. ‘More questions?’
‘Remember the launch of the non-profit I was talking about last night? And how I have to go to London for it? Well, Morgan is managing the PR, and she called me yesterday to tell me that I need to bring a date.’
I blinked. ‘A date?’
‘Yeah, that was my response.’ He twined my hair around his fingers. ‘It has to be someone who is going to impress potential sponsors so apparently I’m not allowed to bring my “usual random pick-ups or one-night stands”.’ There was a wry note in his voice that made me want to smile. ‘It seems I’m not impressive enough on my own, which I get. My reputation is not...stellar, let’s just say. Or, at least, not from a charity perspective. Too many parties and shit.’
‘Do you care about your reputation?’
‘Not really. But Morgan does. And so does Ulysses. Which means I have to too.’ His eyes glinted. ‘Fancy a trip to London, Sugar?’
A pulse of shock went through me. ‘You mean you want...me to be your date?’
That sexy smile played around his mouth. ‘Yeah, I do.’
‘But...’ I stopped, a thousand insecurities that I’d been trying not to think of suddenly bubbling to the surface.
He raised a brow. ‘But what?’
‘But I’m not...’ I stopped again, feeling my cheeks heat. You’re not pretty enough, you mean? ‘I mean, I’m kind of your usual random pick-up, aren’t I? Or a one-night stand?’
‘Technically you’re a two-night stand,’ he corrected. ‘But, seriously, you’re the perfect woman to have on my arm for this. Not only are you beautiful, but you’re smart. And observant.’ He grinned. ‘You can take a look at our potential sponsors and tell me which ones to trust.’
Being at an important function. On his arm. There would be lots of media covering it, no doubt, and lots of cameras. Lots of people wanting to know who I was and why I was there. Why I was with him.
I would lose my anonymity completely.
My expression must have given me away, because his black brows twitched in sudden concern. ‘Hey, what’s up? You don’t want to go?’
‘There’ll be media there,’ I said. ‘They’ll all want to know who I am. My face will be known and...’ I took a breath. ‘That will put Mr Chen’s business at risk.’
Damian frowned. ‘Okay, that’s a legit concern. But we don’t have to give the media your real name. We can make up any story we want for you. And as for your face...’ He lifted one of his long-fingered hands, his fingertips brushing my cheek. ‘You’ll have your fifteen minutes, Sugar. But then everyone will forget because everyone always does. The public’s memory has about the span of a goldfish’s.’
‘But you won’t forget.’ I wasn’t sure what made me say it. Maybe it was simply because I wanted the reassurance. ‘Will you?’
‘No.’ One finger drifted along my jaw. ‘Everyone will forget but me.’
It was true what he said about the public’s memory. I could go with him, be in the spotlight for a little then disappear. The next scandal would hit and no one would even remember I existed.
No one except him.
You don’t care about the party or even the anonymity. You just want more time with him.
It was true, I did. And that was probably a warning for me not to go, because I couldn’t let myself get attached to him. Couldn’t allow him to become important to me. But... I knew I was going to go all the same. Because I wasn’t ready for this to end. I wanted more time with him, more memories of heat, pleasure and laughter to last me for when I had to go back to my real life.
I had a feeling this chance would never come again, so how could I say no?
‘In that case...’ I tried not to let my voice get too emotional. ‘I’d love to come.’
A bright, quicksilver spark ignited in Damian’s eyes, making my heartbeat accelerate and my breath catch; he was pleased, I could tell.
‘Are you sure, though?’ I went on, unable to help myself. ‘You haven’t got someone else who’s more...’ I wanted to say beautiful but couldn’t bring myself to voice it. ‘I don’t know, more suitable?’
His fingers moved from my mouth down to my chin, gripping me gently. ‘Why wouldn’t you be suitable?’
‘Well, I’m...just kind of...’ I stopped again, feeling stupid.
‘Kind of what?’
You’re going to have to tell him.
Especially as I’d now made it into a big deal.
‘Ordinary,’ I said, forcing the word out. ‘I’m just kind of ordinary.’
His gaze narrowed. ‘Did you miss the bit where I said you were beautiful?’
‘I know, but I—’
‘I don’t say shit I don’t mean, Sugar.’ His thumb brushed over my bottom lip caressingly. ‘And you are beautiful. And passionate. And, given how you’ve managed to stay one step ahead of the authorities for so long, incredibly smart. All of which makes you very far from ordinary.’
My stomach did a long,
