Free All That Glitters by Ilana Fox

interjected as smoothly as possible, hoping to distract Bailey from the look on her husband’s face. ‘We’re just so excited about the new collection. Danny’s been telling me all about how the boots are made for support and power – although I have to admit most of what he said went over my head.’
    ‘Yeah, I don’t know much about the boots either. I used to work in music PR in the States, so this stuff is kinda new to me too. I know they have carbon fibre shanks and leather uppers – but don’t ask me what that means,’ she laughed.
    Ella grinned at her. Maybe events like these weren’t so bad. As they walked around the exquisite, pre-war ballroom, Ella kept catching the reflection of her and Danny in the black Spanish glass panels around the room. They looked perfect, every inch the glamorous power-couple at an exclusive launch party. The only downside was Danny’s dour expression.
    ‘What is wrong with you?’ Ella asked quietly, after Danny had given monosyllabic answers to a brief interview with someone from the Mirror . ‘We should be having an amazing time – you’re the star tonight, after all – but you’re really tense.’
    ‘I just want to be at home,’ Danny mumbled. ‘There’s an Inter Milan game I really wanted to watch.’
    Ella stared at him for a moment. ‘Danny,’ she began, ‘we both know that’s not true. What is it?’
    A flash of guilt swept over Danny’s face, but just as he opened his mouth to answer, a man appeared in front of them. He was wearing a beautifully cut Hugo Boss suit, and was gorgeous, with penetrating blue eyes and dark blonde hair. Ella thought he looked a little bit like Daniel Craig mixed with Ewan McGregor, but there was something about him that made him seem slightly cruel, or a little bit hard. Just as Ella was trying to work out what it was she noticed he was staring at her, and even though it was rude to check anyone out so openly, his eyes ran over every curve of Ella’s body. He was undressing her with his eyes and imagining her naked, and Ella could feel his gaze prickling her skin. It instantly turned her on, and she flushed.
    ‘Sorry to interrupt, but I absolutely had to introduce myself,’ he said charmingly, and he lifted Ella’s hand and kissed it lightly.
    ‘No need to introduce yourself,’ Danny said as cheerfully as he could. ‘You’re Johnny Cooper, aren’t you?’
    Johnny smiled. ‘That’s me. But I’m surprised you recognise me – I wouldn’t think you’d watch daytime TV.’
    Ella looked at her husband, and then to Johnny. Come to think of it, he did look familiar. As she was checking him out he caught her eye, and her face blazed again. She didn’t normally react this way when she met men. What was wrong with her?
    ‘I’m at the training ground a lot in the morning, but when I’m in I slump in front of the TV and watch Cooper’s Kingdom .’
    ‘I’m glad you do. I thought the only people who ever watched my show were housewives,’ Johnny replied. ‘And how about you, Ella Riding, do you ever watch Cooper’s Kingdom ?’ he asked lightly.
    Ella shook her head. She knew of the programme as quotes from the celebrity interviews Johnny did often appeared in magazines. But afternoon chat shows weren’t really her thing.
    ‘Oh, that’s a shame. I was hoping you’d appear on it. I’d love to have you as a guest – really get to know you better.’
    His ice-blue eyes bored into hers, and Ella began to feel unsettled. His tone suggested innuendo, but only she had picked up on it. Danny was blithely unaware.
    ‘That’s a great idea,’ Danny said enthusiastically, as he looked at his wife. ‘Ella would be the perfect fit for your show, and she’d love to do it. She could show off about the work she’s been doing at Cerise magazine.’
    For some reason Ella – who was already awkward with what she now recognised as unwanted lust – felt irrational anger rising up inside her. How dare Danny offer her up to