Free A Perfect Husband by Fiona Brand Page A

fol owed by the deadening effect of Howard’s company, Zane’s interest in her was fatal y seductive. “This is a bad idea. You’re with someone else.”
    In theory so was she, but Howard, with his sneaky lies and deceptions, had ceased to count.
    “Gemma works for The Atraeus Group. She just helps me out on occasion.”
    Zane’s head dipped, his breath wafted over her cheek, and suddenly, irresistibly, they were back where they’d been less than two hours ago—on the verge of…
    something.
    His lips touched hers. Heat shivered through her, she lifted up on her toes. Her palms automatical y slid over his shoulders, fingers digging into pliant muscle. His hands closed on her waist.
    The sound of the auctioneer taking bids flowed out into the night, but even that faded as she stepped closer, angled her chin and leaned into the kiss.
    Something shifted in the shadows, flashed. Zane’s head jerked up.
    A second shadow flickered. A night security officer with a flashlight in one hand nodded as he walked past.
    Confused, Lilah stepped back from Zane. For a moment she was certain someone had used a camera flash. She couldn’t stop the gossip and the sensationalized stories, but that didn’t mean she had to like the sneakiness of the reporters. “I’d better go back inside. Howard wil be missing me.”
    Zane was stil watching the shadowy figure of the security officer as he stepped into a concealed side entrance. “Are you serious about him?”
    “Not anymore.” Feeling a wrenching regret at leaving the courtyard, Lilah made her way back into the crowded room.
    Howard was stil engrossed in conversation with a knot of older men. He didn’t bother to look her way. Lilah decided that Zane was right; he looked depressingly paternal.
    Zane fel into step beside her. His fingers closed on hers.
    Pleasure and guilty heat shooting through her, Lilah jerked her fingers free. Zane’s teasing grin made her heart pound. She resisted the almost overpowering urge to smile back. “What do you think you’re doing?”

    The wicked grin faded. “Something I should have done before, checking out your date. I want to make sure Howard doesn’t have an agenda.”
    “He does. I realized tonight that he’s married.”
    Zane’s expression went from irritated to remote as he slid his cel out of his pocket and spoke briefly into it.
    He snapped the phone closed. “Go to the car with Gemma and Elena. Spiros has just pul ed up to the curb outside. I’l deal with Howard. Your boyfriend was also out in the courtyard with a phone camera.”
    Lilah stared at Howard who she noticed, was now knocking back something that looked extremely alcoholic.
    She remembered the shuffling sound, the extra flash.
    Zane inserted himself into the jovial male group with the confidence and ease that came from being a supreme predator in the business world. She saw the moment Howard realized he had been made, the automatic reach for his pocket as if he wanted to shield his cel phone.
    Howard’s wild gaze connected briefly with hers. With calm deliberation, Lilah turned her back on Howard and walked through to the museum lobby. She noted that she didn’t feel in the least shocked or depressed by the betrayal. On the contrary, there had been something highly satisfying in watching Zane go into battle for her.
    Unfortunately, along with her new ruthless streak, she seemed to have also gotten used to leading a life of notoriety.
    Gemma and Elena strol ed out directly behind her.
    Spiros held the door for them while they climbed into the limousine. Elena chatted with Spiros in Medinian, leaving Lilah with a clearly unhappy Gemma.
    Seconds later Zane joined them. Gemma beamed and patted the vacant space beside her. Instead of climbing in, Zane glanced across at a group of boys Lilah had noticed loitering a smal distance away from the limo.
    He glanced at Lilah. “I won’t be long.”
    Gemma, looking distinctly irritable as Zane walked over to the boys, extracted