had failed him and the women had left his bed very disappointed. Now though, where thoughts of Annabelle were concerned, his hormones jumped to attention and little boy soldier wouldn’t stand down.
Maybe Annabelle was what he needed. Maybe she’d help him banish the memories of finding Cassie’s body cold and lifeless in their home. He never expected the guilt to go—didn’t want it to, it was what he deserved—but to be able to make love to a woman again would be enough.
But if they were to start seeing each other, they’d have to be very careful. If the press got a whiff of their relationship it would be all over the papers and wouldn’t bode well for either one of them. Miles was certain it would be worth the risk.
Already, he’d thought of a way to save her, like she was unknowingly saving him from his grief. His assistant was on the case, trying to find out how much money Annabelle’s family owed. He wouldn’t convince her to go home when she couldn’t make ends meet. He’d make sure everything worked out for her, just like he promised her it would.
* * * *
“Fancy celebrating?” Miles asked Annabelle when he found her in her dressing room after the show. She’d blown him away on stage and devastated his libido. He’d found himself again ignoring his acts and seeking her out straight after the final performance was over.
“Miles, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said those horrible things the other week.” She stood and hurried over to him, remorse clear on her face. “I didn’t think you’d want to speak to me again.” Tears welled in her eyes and he couldn’t resist pulling her into his arms.
“Of course I want to speak to you,” he whispered against her jasmine scented hair. He always wanted to speak to her. “Come and have a drink with me. You’ve never even celebrated getting this far. I have champagne on ice at home.” He didn’t want to press her to drink alone with him, but they had to be careful not to be seen together publicly. Going out together at this stage in the competition would have the paparazzi on their tails like bloodhounds.
She smiled up at him and his chest radiated warmth. “Why not? I deserve it, don’t I?” The teasing glint in her eyes made him chuckle.
“Yes, you do.”
Chapter 8
Long Night
“Have you lived here long?” Anna asked as Miles handed her a glass of champagne. Her stomach quivered with nervous excitement, but her curiosity was getting the better of her.
He sank down beside her on the sofa. “A few years.”
Anna waited for him to elaborate, but he stayed silent. She had thought about him every day over the last few weeks and had almost hunted him down on EconEkt to give him a groveling apology for doubting his intentions. The only thing that held her back was the fact that he was so far out of her league it wasn’t even funny.
After tonight though, when she saw him watch her perform, she felt a flare of arousal skitter up her spine. His eyes, usually so bright and wide, were dark and heavy lidded. He looked at her like she expected a starving man would look at his first meal in days before devouring it. The thought of being devoured—by him anyway—filled her with nervous excitement.
So, when he offered the chance to spend some time with him, she’d been more than eager to. She missed the time they’d spent together, the way her whole body lit up like a bonfire when she was close to him, and most of all, she missed his smiles.
“Is this where you lived with your wife?” Anna asked and immediately regretted it. That was so not her business. No matter that she’d been thinking of nothing else other than the grief he still suffered over his wife’s death for weeks.
Miles turned to her and she swore the light in his eyes died.
“I’m sorry, Miles, that’s none of my business.” It was times like this, when she royally put her foot in it, that she wished she could turn back time.
He forced a painful looking
Maybe Annabelle was what he needed. Maybe she’d help him banish the memories of finding Cassie’s body cold and lifeless in their home. He never expected the guilt to go—didn’t want it to, it was what he deserved—but to be able to make love to a woman again would be enough.
But if they were to start seeing each other, they’d have to be very careful. If the press got a whiff of their relationship it would be all over the papers and wouldn’t bode well for either one of them. Miles was certain it would be worth the risk.
Already, he’d thought of a way to save her, like she was unknowingly saving him from his grief. His assistant was on the case, trying to find out how much money Annabelle’s family owed. He wouldn’t convince her to go home when she couldn’t make ends meet. He’d make sure everything worked out for her, just like he promised her it would.
* * * *
“Fancy celebrating?” Miles asked Annabelle when he found her in her dressing room after the show. She’d blown him away on stage and devastated his libido. He’d found himself again ignoring his acts and seeking her out straight after the final performance was over.
“Miles, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said those horrible things the other week.” She stood and hurried over to him, remorse clear on her face. “I didn’t think you’d want to speak to me again.” Tears welled in her eyes and he couldn’t resist pulling her into his arms.
“Of course I want to speak to you,” he whispered against her jasmine scented hair. He always wanted to speak to her. “Come and have a drink with me. You’ve never even celebrated getting this far. I have champagne on ice at home.” He didn’t want to press her to drink alone with him, but they had to be careful not to be seen together publicly. Going out together at this stage in the competition would have the paparazzi on their tails like bloodhounds.
She smiled up at him and his chest radiated warmth. “Why not? I deserve it, don’t I?” The teasing glint in her eyes made him chuckle.
“Yes, you do.”
Chapter 8
Long Night
“Have you lived here long?” Anna asked as Miles handed her a glass of champagne. Her stomach quivered with nervous excitement, but her curiosity was getting the better of her.
He sank down beside her on the sofa. “A few years.”
Anna waited for him to elaborate, but he stayed silent. She had thought about him every day over the last few weeks and had almost hunted him down on EconEkt to give him a groveling apology for doubting his intentions. The only thing that held her back was the fact that he was so far out of her league it wasn’t even funny.
After tonight though, when she saw him watch her perform, she felt a flare of arousal skitter up her spine. His eyes, usually so bright and wide, were dark and heavy lidded. He looked at her like she expected a starving man would look at his first meal in days before devouring it. The thought of being devoured—by him anyway—filled her with nervous excitement.
So, when he offered the chance to spend some time with him, she’d been more than eager to. She missed the time they’d spent together, the way her whole body lit up like a bonfire when she was close to him, and most of all, she missed his smiles.
“Is this where you lived with your wife?” Anna asked and immediately regretted it. That was so not her business. No matter that she’d been thinking of nothing else other than the grief he still suffered over his wife’s death for weeks.
Miles turned to her and she swore the light in his eyes died.
“I’m sorry, Miles, that’s none of my business.” It was times like this, when she royally put her foot in it, that she wished she could turn back time.
He forced a painful looking
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