Losing My Balance (Fenbrook Academy #1.5) by Helena Newbury Page B
Authors: Helena Newbury
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otherwise—hopefully—demure enough for a garden party.
The cab finally pulled up and we got into the back seat. “Just the two of you?” the cabbie asked.
“Yep,” I said bravely. “Let’s go.”
At that moment, there was a heavy thud on the roof. Neil kept his hand there long enough to make sure that the cabbie had seen him, and then squatted down to look in through the rear window. “Room for one more?” he asked in a rumble.
He was wearing what looked to be an expensive fawn blazer that set off his long blond hair. He’d swapped his black jeans for smart blue ones the color of a summer night sky, and his biker boots for shining black shoes. I have a good eye for clothes, and his outfit must have cost at least a thousand bucks.
In answer, I opened the door for him. As he squeezed onto the seat next to me, his eyes never left me for a second. He looked troubled…and proud. I leaned close and softly kissed his cheek.
“Thank you,” I said seriously and he nodded.
He’d stepped out onto a tightrope. Now I had to try to take the next step towards him, without sending both of us plunging to our doom.
***
The party was everything you’d expect from a millionaire. A string quartet, waiters with trays of champagne, canapés and guests with a lot of money. I hung around Clarissa and Neil long enough to check they were okay, then slowly moved Neil away. I wanted us to have some time alone together.
Moving through the crowd with his arm around my waist sent a little flutter through me. For the first time, it was like we were on a date—like we were actually a couple. With his size and presence, he cruised through the other guests like an icebreaker.
A woman suddenly put her hand on Neil’s arm. “Neil! How glorious to see you at one of these things.” Her voice dripped syrupy poison. I had an immediate aversion to her, and not just because she was touching him. It was instinctual, like shying away from a black widow.
“Carol,” said Neil. Just one word, but it was encased in a tomb of ice.
My mind was whirling. Was she an ex? She didn’t look like one of the society girls circling Darrell—too old, although she was impeccably dressed. And her accent was upper-class British. When Neil made no move to introduce me, I stepped forward. “Hi,” I said. “Clarissa.”
She air-kissed me, full of fake delight. “He’s so rude,” she said, glancing at Neil. “Don’t you think?”
She’d neatly trapped me. I had to side with her and poke fun at Neil, or side with Neil and annoy her. Easy choice. I pulled myself closer to Neil. “Only around people he doesn’t like.”
Carol’s smile tightened, while Neil’s arm muscles relaxed just a little under my grip. We were a team.
“And are the two of you…together?” she asked me. “Has someone finally tamed the wild man?”
I smiled up at Neil, waiting for him to say yes.
He kept quiet. I could feel my face going red.
“Oh,” said Carol, victorious. “Like that, is it?”
“Maybe I don’t want him tamed, ” I told her, my voice weak.
She leaned close. “You keep on kidding yourself, sweetie.” And she swept away into the crowd.
I stared after her because I didn’t trust myself to look at Neil. Then I let go of his arm and stalked off to get myself another glass of champagne. He caught up with me a few seconds later and stood behind me in silence.
“Would it have killed you?” I asked quietly.
I heard him take a deep breath. “If I’d said we were together—” He sighed. “I was just tryin’ to keep it simple.”
I nodded. I didn’t know whether to be angry at him for telling the truth or angry at myself for expecting him to lie. I stuck up for you when she insulted you, I thought, but that seemed childish.
He moved closer, bending down so that his mouth was at my ear. I tensed, because I thought he was going to growl something about wanting to fuck me against a wall or something.
Instead, he whispered,
The cab finally pulled up and we got into the back seat. “Just the two of you?” the cabbie asked.
“Yep,” I said bravely. “Let’s go.”
At that moment, there was a heavy thud on the roof. Neil kept his hand there long enough to make sure that the cabbie had seen him, and then squatted down to look in through the rear window. “Room for one more?” he asked in a rumble.
He was wearing what looked to be an expensive fawn blazer that set off his long blond hair. He’d swapped his black jeans for smart blue ones the color of a summer night sky, and his biker boots for shining black shoes. I have a good eye for clothes, and his outfit must have cost at least a thousand bucks.
In answer, I opened the door for him. As he squeezed onto the seat next to me, his eyes never left me for a second. He looked troubled…and proud. I leaned close and softly kissed his cheek.
“Thank you,” I said seriously and he nodded.
He’d stepped out onto a tightrope. Now I had to try to take the next step towards him, without sending both of us plunging to our doom.
***
The party was everything you’d expect from a millionaire. A string quartet, waiters with trays of champagne, canapés and guests with a lot of money. I hung around Clarissa and Neil long enough to check they were okay, then slowly moved Neil away. I wanted us to have some time alone together.
Moving through the crowd with his arm around my waist sent a little flutter through me. For the first time, it was like we were on a date—like we were actually a couple. With his size and presence, he cruised through the other guests like an icebreaker.
A woman suddenly put her hand on Neil’s arm. “Neil! How glorious to see you at one of these things.” Her voice dripped syrupy poison. I had an immediate aversion to her, and not just because she was touching him. It was instinctual, like shying away from a black widow.
“Carol,” said Neil. Just one word, but it was encased in a tomb of ice.
My mind was whirling. Was she an ex? She didn’t look like one of the society girls circling Darrell—too old, although she was impeccably dressed. And her accent was upper-class British. When Neil made no move to introduce me, I stepped forward. “Hi,” I said. “Clarissa.”
She air-kissed me, full of fake delight. “He’s so rude,” she said, glancing at Neil. “Don’t you think?”
She’d neatly trapped me. I had to side with her and poke fun at Neil, or side with Neil and annoy her. Easy choice. I pulled myself closer to Neil. “Only around people he doesn’t like.”
Carol’s smile tightened, while Neil’s arm muscles relaxed just a little under my grip. We were a team.
“And are the two of you…together?” she asked me. “Has someone finally tamed the wild man?”
I smiled up at Neil, waiting for him to say yes.
He kept quiet. I could feel my face going red.
“Oh,” said Carol, victorious. “Like that, is it?”
“Maybe I don’t want him tamed, ” I told her, my voice weak.
She leaned close. “You keep on kidding yourself, sweetie.” And she swept away into the crowd.
I stared after her because I didn’t trust myself to look at Neil. Then I let go of his arm and stalked off to get myself another glass of champagne. He caught up with me a few seconds later and stood behind me in silence.
“Would it have killed you?” I asked quietly.
I heard him take a deep breath. “If I’d said we were together—” He sighed. “I was just tryin’ to keep it simple.”
I nodded. I didn’t know whether to be angry at him for telling the truth or angry at myself for expecting him to lie. I stuck up for you when she insulted you, I thought, but that seemed childish.
He moved closer, bending down so that his mouth was at my ear. I tensed, because I thought he was going to growl something about wanting to fuck me against a wall or something.
Instead, he whispered,
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