False Pretences Page 7

  “You’ll owe me!” Alexander replied, mock-grudgingly, as the blonde guide motioned for him to follow her.

  As he trudged behind her, he wondered where Lara would be.

  Chapter Eight

  Lara and Venessa followed Christian as he led them through the exhibit. Venessa was becoming more and more convinced that Christian had romantic feelings for Lara. From the way the night ended up, she suspected that Christian had something to do with them getting the passes. As a member of the board, he would have known about the meeting she and Lara had earlier.

  “And here we have the Pavillion of Gods and Goddesses!” Christian announced, putting his arm around Lara. “Direct from Mexico, we have people in authentic replica costumes and masks of the Mayan deities.”

  Vanessa glanced at Lara, who was definitely oblivious to her surroundings.

  Lara allowed Christian to lead her around, but she was utterly bored out of her mind.

  Although she loved history and mythology, she could tell that Christian lacked the same passion that flowed through her veins.

  As he droned on, Lara glanced around, wondering what Alexander would have thought of it. He was an avid fan of culture and she felt the Mayan exhibit would be a feather in his cap.

  A flash of movement caught her eye and she glanced over to see a man dressed as the Mayan Jaguar god, the Night Sun. The intricate pattern painted upon his chest was exotic and the Jaguar headpiece was the most compelling part. He took her breath away.

  Alexander posed with an older couple for a picture before moving away again.

  So far, it wasn’t bad. In costume, he was hobnobbing with the best and brightest of London. The only thing that would make it better was –

  He looked up and there she was, admiring his garb from afar. He saw Venessa talking to some smarmy looking gentleman and then focused on Lara again. The curious expression upon her face charmed him the way it did when she painted his portrait. Smiling to himself, he decided to surprise her.

  But, he soon froze as the smarmy man’s arm landed around Lara’s shoulders. What was this? Who did the twit think he was?

  Lara pulled away from Christian’s grasp, wanting to get a better look at the Jaguar god. The way he stood made him look proud and powerful and his eyes seemed to be on her…she could feel it.

  She then turned to look at Christian, as he guided her to a scale model of a Mayan pyramid. As she turned to look back at the Jaguar god, she was confused to find the pocket of emptiness.

  ‘Must have been my imagination!’ she thought, shrugging off her disappointment. ‘He was probably looking at someone else.’

  She then felt the whisper of a fingertip along the nape of her neck. Pleasure trickled up her spine and she immediately turned around, only to find emptiness.

  Confused, she turned to focus on Christian again, wondering if her imagination was playing tricks on her.

  Soon, they moved towards a tableau of Mayan rituals and she felt the soft fingertip trail a zig-zag pattern across her back. Then, warm breath caressed her ear.

  “Your beauty would make even Venus green with jealousy!”

  Lara froze. His voice was so familiar.

  “Who are you?” she asked, turning slightly to see the man in the Jaguar god costume standing directly behind her.

  “I am a god, but your presence makes me as powerless as a mortal man.” Was his purring reply.

  Lara turned completely to face him, intrigued as she noticed the familiar ocean blue of his eyes.

  “Reveal yourself, Jaguar god!”

  “As the fair maiden wishes!” he replied, bowing.

  He raised his hands to remove the headpiece, his long fingers lifting to reveal his face.

  “Hello, Lara!”

  Lara gaped at Alexander in shock before her expression gave way to shameless enthrallment.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, giggling. “I was just thinking about you!”

  “My friend Julian is an Assistant Curator here and he asked me to come and fill in for a chap who had taken ill.” He explained, placing the headpiece back upon his head.

  “What a lovely surprise!” she declared, admiring him in the costume. “Christian has been boring me to death over here!”

  “Who?”

  “My patron!” she explained, giggling again. “He’s on the board of directors here and was overseeing the exhibit when we bumped into each other!”

  Alexander’s anxiety melted away at her explanation and he found that he could relax. It was just Lara’s patron…not someone she was seeing.

  Just then, they were approached by said patron and Venessa. Alexander couldn’t help but be jealous of the older man.

  “There you are, Lara!” he mock-chastised her. “Who’s your friend?”

  “This is Alexander.” Lara explained, turning to look at him before focusing on her patron again.

  “The boyfriend.” Alexander interjected as the two men stared each other down. “And you are?”

  The man’s cerulean eyes flashed momentarily as he sized up his competition. A normal man would have found him intimidating, but Alexander refused to back down.

  “Christian Masters.” He finally replied, extending his hand. “The patron.”

  The shook hands, warily looking at each other.

  “Alexander just gave me the surprise of a lifetime!” Lara exclaimed, her hand on his arm.

  “Just helping out a mate!” Alexander said modestly, putting a possessive arm around Lara’s waist. “As it is, I need to get back to my post. I will call you later, Lara!”

  With that, he gave Lara an affectionate squeeze before leaving the group. As he turned to take his leave, he could feel Christian’s eyes upon him. The man was raging with jealousy.

  He smiled in spite of himself and went back to take pictures with more guests.

  Christian paced back and forth in his study later that night. He gripped his glass of scotch angrily as he recalled the introduction of Lara’s apparent love interest.

  Who did the twerp think he was, interrupting the perfect evening he’d planned? He had cleverly given the two passes to the Barbican Art Gallery Curator, insisting that the older man give them to Lara and Venessa.

  It was the perfect surprise to get Lara’s attention and the toerag had to show up and steal it away, effectively one-upping him. If there was anything Christian hate more, it was opposition. He was a shrewd businessman who stopped at nothing to acquire wealth and power.

  Did this Alexander think that a mysterious costume and a surprise appearance would dazzle Lara that much? It made him ill to think that his own attempts were futile and lacking compared to the wannabe writer’s.

  He had money…he had power. Both were an instant aphrodisiac to women. Why was Lara so difficult to acquire? What was he missing?

  To him, all women loved gifts and expensive dinners, yet Lara failed to respond to them. What more did he have to do to make his romantic intentions clear? Write it in the sky with fireworks and lasers?

  Christian downed his scotch and threw the crystal tumbler against the wall. It shattered into a million tiny pieces upon impact. He had a fleeting wish that the tumbler was Alexander’s irksome head.

  “Lara will be mine” he assured himself calmly, smoothing his hair back in an attempt to regain composure. “He will recognize it and so will the world. I will not rest until she becomes Lara Masters!”

  Chapter Nine

  On Thursday morning, Venessa looked over the gossip column, smiling. Lara and Alex did it again.

  “Rising star Lara Clayton and her mysterious man banter back and forth in Elizabethan as they enjoy the performance of “Henry IV” at the Donmar.” Read the caption.

  There they were, splashed on the main page. Their banter was caught by a passing paparazzo who quickly snapped a picture of them. She had to hand it to Lara. She and Alex were taking to their fake relationship very well. If she didn’t know any better, she would have sworn that they were a
real couple. She couldn’t believe how well Alex and Lara looked together…it was a shame that the entire relationship was a sham.

  Although Alex refused payment for his role in the charade, Venessa knew she had to do something for him. As she glanced across her desk, she saw his manuscript there. Lara had convinced him to give Venessa a copy to read and forward to a publishing house.

  Venessa had planned to give it to a friend of hers in the industry, but not before his end of the bargain had been satisfied…which left ample time for her to peruse his work and put her stamp of approval on it.

  She wasn’t hurting for clients, but she never passed an opportunity to gain a new one. Alex seemed like a promising prospect and she was in the market for an author to add to her client list.

  There was no time like the present. She just had to read his work for herself before she did anything else. Shutting down her laptop, she picked up the manuscript and began to read.

  As he had promised, Alexander showed up at her apartment door promptly at 7:00. Since they couldn’t make it to the screening of The Shining that he wanted to see, she arranged for them to watch it that night.

  “Welcome to my humble abode!” Lara joked, as she let him inside. “Did you get Chinese food?”

  “Yes m’aam!” he replied, chuckling as he set the paper bags down on her kitchen island. “I hope you like chicken fried rice, sweet and sour pork, lemon chicken and chop suey!”

  “That sounds mouthwatering!” Lara exclaimed, taking a bottle of pinot grigio out of her small wine cooler. “You can just set it up on the island and I will get us some plates!”

  Soon, they sat next to each other on her living room sofa, enjoying wine and Chinese takeout.

  “So,” Alexander asked, watching her pick up the remote control. “What are we watching tonight?”

  Lara giggled conspiratorially.

  “Close your eyes!” she said in a mock-seductive voice.

  Alexander did as she said and closed them. He waited for what seemed like an eternity until she finally spoke up.

  “You can open them now!”

  Alexander’s eyes flew open to see the first scene of “The Shining” playing on the flat screen. His mouth dropped open in shock at her gesture. It was the most thoughtful thing that anyone could have done to surprise him.

  “Wow!” he managed to exclaim, his hands flying to his mouth in shock. “This is amazing! I never would have expected this in a million years!”

  “I saw how disappointed you looked when we couldn’t make the screening, so I decided to put it on for you tonight. You did mention it was one of your favourite films!” Lara replied, blushing slightly as she reached for her wine. “I tend to remember stuff like that.”

  “Thank you very much!” he gushed, smiling as he turned to look at her. “It was very sweet of you to remember!”

  “I wanted our first private date to be memorable!”

  “And memorable it is!” he stated, taking a forkful of chop suey and eating it.

  Lara smiled before taking a forkful of her lemon chicken and biting into it. She was glad her surprise was well received. He was definitely enjoying himself.

  They spent the next few moments in contented silence, pausing only to sip at the wine and eat the remainder of their dinner. Soon, Lara set down her fork with a satisfied sigh and sat a little closer to Alexander, drawn to his warmth.

  Almost unexpectedly, Alexander shifted, put his arm around her and pulled her closer. They stayed that way for the next quarter of the film, neither one willing to break contact. Lara had to admit to herself that she couldn’t deny how much she enjoyed being so close to him.

  He smelled rich and clean and his touch electrified her senses in a way she’d never experienced before. Soon, he filled her senses and she had trouble focusing on the film before her.

  ‘This is incredible!’ she thought, nestling her head against his firm chest. ‘I haven’t felt this alive in ages! Is this what it’s like to be with someone who is meant to be?’

  Part of her was screaming at her to back away from his embrace and scoot to the opposite end of the couch.

  ‘Are you CRAZY?!’ her subconscious screamed at her, returning her to her senses. ‘You’re supposed to be employing him, not snuggling into him like he’s your new teddy bear! What would Venessa think if she found out that you two were spending time with him in private? All of your hard work can disappear with the snap of Fate’s fingers!’

  She shifted slightly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Stretching, she stood up and padded away from the couch, trying her hardest not to alarm Alexander with her sudden departure. Unfortunately, she failed and he immediately looked at her with a concerned expression on his face.

  “Is everything alright?” he asked, his eyes frantically searching hers for an explanation.

  “I…I’m just going to the bathroom!” she replied quickly, fumbling in her excuse. “Sit tight. I will be right back!”

  With that, she rushed into her bathroom, locking the door behind her. She turned on the water and splashed her face a couple of times before glancing at her reflection in the mirror. Her pupils were dilated and her breathing came in fits and starts.

  “What am I doing?” she rasped, slamming her palms against the counter. “I cannot just throw myself in his arms and let everything go to hell! Where the hell has my self-control gone?”

  ‘Take it easy!’ her inner voice consoled her, getting her to calm down. ‘You’re just two people enjoying a night in! You’re not marrying him! Get out there and enjoy his company!’

  She thought about it for a moment, realizing she was overreacting to everything. He just came over to enjoy a movie with her. Cuddling was hardly a major thing to happen…even platonic friends of the opposite sex cuddled from time to time. They didn’t kiss, nor did he touch her inappropriately…his arm was simply around her body. No pressure…no expectations…just enjoying each other’s company.

  “You are a short-sighted idiot!” she sighed, drying her face with the towel. “Go out there and continue enjoying yourself! Don’t worry about the future…just enjoy the now!”

  Satisfied with her pep talk, she turned off the tap and left the bathroom.

  Alexander sat rigidly upon her sofa, wringing his hands nervously. The concerned look in his eyes told her that she should have been ashamed of herself for letting her fears get in the way of enjoying a simple night in.

  As soon as he saw her approaching the sofa, he snapped to attention and looked at her, wariness lurking in his heterochromatic eyes.

  “Is everything alright, Lara?” he asked, trying to appear cool and collected.

  Lara nodded, standing in front of him.

  “I’m sorry for that!” she sighed, putting a consoling hand on his shoulder. “I’m not used to being so close to someone like that. Please don’t feel bad, it’s not your fault.”

  Upon hearing her explanation, the expression upon his face softened and he took her hand between his.

  “I am sorry to hear that you feel that way” he murmured, squeezing her hand. “Is there anything I can do to make things easier for you?”

  Lara smiled, touched by his earnest kindness. At that moment, she realized he had always been sincere with her and wanted nothing more than to keep her at ease.

  She put her free hand to his cheek and palmed it affectionately. His eyes closed at her touch and he pressed a tiny kiss to the palm of her hand.

  “I just need to get used to this…take some time to adapt and adjust”

  “Take all the time you need” he whispered, understanding her “I am a patient man and you are most definitely worth waiting for. All I ask is that you don’t shut me out!”

  Lara looked into his pleading eyes and fought against the emotion swelling inside her chest.

  “I promise I won’t shut you out” she whispered, feeling nervous at her pledge to him.

  Chapter Ten

  Adam and Alexander sat in the pub by Alexander’s
flat in Camden the next afternoon. Charlotte was at the donut bar, helping the owners fix the final problems they were still encountering since opening night. Lara was no doubt tucked away in her studio, creating more lifelike art for her exhibition gala.

  It had been a long time since the close friends had been able to enjoy an afternoon at the pub together. During their days at Manchester University, they always met every Friday afternoon for a pint or two…no matter what was going on in their lives. Alexander, the aspiring writer, spent that time scribbling ideas on the paper coasters and Adam meanwhile flirted with the cute barmaids who worked there.

  Years later, they were at different points in their lives. Adam had settled down with Charlotte and had marriage on his mind. Alexander was still figuring out what to do with his life.

  “I’m telling you, mate!” Adam declared after draining the last drops of his ale. “There’s something special about Lara. I think that she is definitely the one for you!”

  Alexander smiled fondly at the mention of her name.

  “We’re still in the early stages, Adam.” He replied modestly, his finger tracing the rim of his nearly full pint. “Anything could happen.”

  “Seriously, Alex!” Adam insisted, giving his friend a playful shove. “Don’t let this one slip away. She is the real deal! She will be the key to your happiness! Your waiting and pining will finally come to an end!”

  Alexander shrugged off Adam’s observations and let him continue his rant. He would have loved nothing more than to settle down with someone like Lara but those things took time. As he’d mentioned, it was too early to tell and anything could have come into play.

  He had to be realistic. Too many times he had hoped against hope that the woman he was with was the One, and too many times those hopes had been dashed.

  As he nursed his pint, he wondered what Lara was doing at that moment.

  While the men drank and thought about the women in their lives, they failed to notice the stranger watching them from across the room…