Page 21 of Landen
She was about to pullher hand away from Landen’s when he tightened his grip,preventing her from doing so.
“Amani, lookinglovely as usual.” Without letting go of Tessa’s hand, hekissed her cheek. “I think you already know Tessa.”
“I have nevermet her but heard great things. Hi.” The woman greeted herwarmly, putting her at ease. “My husband has a habit ofspinning these parties out of orbit.” She slid the handsome,dark-haired man an indulgent glance.
“It’sjust a couple hundred of our closest acquaintances,” Liam saidwith a grin as he greeted his friend and cast a speculative look atTessa.
“Adam and Amberare here, as well as Jackson and Jerri. Shall we?” Draping ahand around his wife’s shoulders, he led the way throughthrongs of people who greeted them every few seconds.
The place wasdazzling, with chairs scattered across the broad surface and aroundthe shimmering oval-shaped pool where people were already splashingand floating with glasses of what looked like champagne in theirhands.
Liam led the way tothe couple seated around a wrought iron table, nibbling on caviar andfoie gras. They made introductions, and chairs were put around thetable to accommodate the newcomers.
Tessa was trying hardnot to show how awed she was by the crowd. Of course, she knew whoAdam was because his stunningly handsome face was constantly splashedin the magazines.
His wife Amber was awell-known designer, and her eclectic style was featured in Romano’sstores worldwide. Not only that, but she recognized more than a fewfamous faces. A shrill laughter drifted toward them, coming from awell-known actress dating a movie star.
“You never getused to it,” Amber whispered in an aside, her dark brown eyesdancing.
“Trust me.”
“You aremarried to Adam.”
“Exactly, and Iam still trying to adjust.” Her golden-brown eyes were curious.“I met Landen when my husband and I visited the UK severalmonths ago. You two look cozy.”
“Please don’tread anything into it,” Tessa murmured as she took up her glassof champagne. “He is here for a few weeks, and I reluctantlyagreed to come to this party as his date.”
Amber grinned atthat, her eyes going to the man in question. “He is quitehot.”
“And isprobably accustomed to women making him feel that way,” shesaid dryly.
Amber’s eyesflickered to her husband, a gentle expression on her beautiful face.“My husband and I were best friends for years, and I wasdetermined not to allow it to get to any other level.
He was rich andgorgeous and I was much too valuable to be just one of his conquests.Besides, I thought he was just a friend. Also, his family were snobsand would never allow him to marry someone like me.”
“Yet here youare.”
“Here we are.”She shook her head as she reached for her glass of champagne.
“Believe mewhen I saw that I fought the attraction with everything in me, and itnever worked. I love him.”
“That’ssweet, but Landen and I are two ships passing at night. We are fromtwo different worlds. We are also from two different countries, and Ihave seen pics of his parents, and the term - English snobs come tomind.”
“I know exactlywhat you mean.” Amber laughed softly. “But I have seenhow he keeps looking at you, and it might not be that simple.”
*****
She had fun! Withinminutes, she was shown a magnificent stateroom, where she, Amber, andAmani changed into their swimwear. Tessa had scooped her hair on topof her head and secured it with pins.
When the three womencame back out, they caused quite a stir. Amani was wearing a red andgold two-piece, and Amber had on swimwear. She had designed astunning red and blue two-piece with leather straps holding the sidestogether.
Tessa had bought aswimsuit, and the deceptively simple white two-piece was a dazzlingcontrast against her caramel complexion and showed her gently curvinghips to extreme advantage.
Landen, lifting aglass of champagne to his lips, felt his body rigid and his throatdry. He was in bloody trouble, and he had not even taken her to bedyet.
Tossing back thechampagne and ignoring the two women vying for his attention, hewalked forward to meet her.
“I think I willhave to put my boxing gloves on.”