“You’ve never been a good liar, and all this charm isn’t working on me.”
He quirked a dark brow. “Oh, yeah? I guarantee your heart rate is up, and I know you want to kiss me because you’re watching my lips.”
Busted.
“I’m watching your lips because I’m waiting for the truth to emerge from them.” No way would she admit that he could do so little and turn her on. “Did Bronson get too protective?”
“We simply had a misunderstanding, and now we don’t,” Stefan said. “Men don’t stay upset like women. He just wanted to discuss something, and it’s over.”
Victoria would make a special trip to Bronson’s house. No way was she going to be sheltered or coddled by her brother.
“What was Anthony there for? Peacemaker?”
Stefan smiled. “He is quite a bit more laid back, yes?”
“He wasn’t when Charlotte left him,” Victoria replied. “I’d never seen a man so relentless on keeping his family together. He would’ve walked through hell for her.”
“I’d do the same for you.”
Victoria jerked at his automatic, non-hesitant response. Surely he wasn’t developing feelings for her...not like she had for him. God, if he ever found out she’d fallen in love with him their friendship would be strained. Right now, with the playful sex and always hanging out, they had a good thing. No way would she put this relationship in jeopardy by revealing her true feelings.
“Stefan...”
“I realize their marriage is quite different from ours,” he told her, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. “But you’re the one woman in my life that I would sacrifice anything for.”
This was the point in a conversation where some women would think this was a major confession of love...Victoria was not one of those women. She knew Stefan better than any other woman did. He was a charmer, a playboy, but most of all, he did love her. In the way all best friends love each other.
But the romantic in her, the smidgen of a sparkle that hadn’t been diminished by Alex, sighed and smiled internally at the idea that her husband would sacrifice anything for her.
“I’m ready to head home,” he said, giving her a look that she knew had nothing to do with friendship and everything to do with lust. “Why don’t you finish that drink.”
“Forget the drink,” she told him with a slight grin. “I have wine at home.”
She grabbed her bag off the back of the iron chair and stood at the same time he was there to help her from her seat. When she turned, their lips were a breath apart and Stefan sealed them together briefly but firmly, loaded with promise.
“We need to leave before I really give the media something to print,” he murmured against her mouth.
She swayed slightly and his warm, strong hand came around and settled firmly against her bare back where her summer dress dipped low. The heat from his touch did nothing to help her wave of dizziness brought on by pure desire.
She’d never had even a fraction of this passion with Alex. Mercy, she was in trouble.
“I’ve got you, Victoria. Always.”
The heat in his eyes made her wish this were more than a marriage of convenience or a businesslike arrangement. But she was too afraid to explore that deeper level of emotion until she could see just where they stood at the end of the six months.
With a smile, she nodded. “I’m ready.”
He led her from the cozy outdoor restaurant to the car that was waiting for them at the curb. Victoria’s driver had been replaced with one of Stefan’s guards, and the man instantly appeared, opened the door and let them into the backseat. As she slid across, her dress rode up high on her thigh. Stefan came in beside her and placed a hand over hers before she could pull the material down.
“Leave it,” he said, hitting the button to put up the soundproof one-way window divider. “I have the best idea.”
Oh, Lord.
As the guard brought the engine to life and pulled from the curb, Stefan turned on the intercom to tell the man to take his time heading back to Hollywood Hills.
An hour in the backseat of the limo with a man as seductive and sensual as Stefan? Victoria’s body hummed and tightened in anticipation.
When he clicked the button off, he turned, sliding his other hand up her thigh and pushing both sides of the dress to her hips.
“Convenient you wore a dress,” he murmured, staring down at her bare legs and the peek of yellow satin panties that were exposed. “Hate to waste this opportunity.”