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Her cheeky smile lit up her face. ‘His kids will thank me. Apparently he's worth billions these days.'
'You're incorrigible.'
She quirked an eyebrow. 'This, coming from the guy who used to do very poor impersonations of Bram and his cronies?' She shook her head. 'You've changed. Become a snob like them.'
'This, coming from the girl who wouldn't sit down by Jacaranda River unless I'd spread out a blanket first? From the girl who wouldn't hop on the back of my motorbike unless I made sure there wasn't a dot of grease on the seat? From the girl who—'
'Okay, okay, I get your point.' She smoothed his lapel, her innocuous touch enough to fire his blood and set his heart pounding. 'Nice tux, by the way. Very debonair.'
'Glad you noticed.'
Their gazes locked again and this time he didn't look away.
He'd already got what he came for tonight: vindication he'd made it into the big league, recognition he was more than the blue-collar farm boy he'd once been.
Time to get this party really started.
'Come with me.'
'Where?'
'Does it matter?'
She shook her head, the tendrils framing her face swaying gently and beckoning him to reach out and twist one around his finger, draw her close and hold her all night. But there was plenty of time for that. For now, he'd settle for getting her alone and kissing her senseless.
'Come on.' He grabbed her hand and they fought their way through the crowd. The turnout surprised him, with hundreds of well-dressed revellers descending on his property, bringing their own supplies, including tents for camping overnight.
B&S balls were still popular these days despite the online dating boom and, while he liked seeing people having fun, a huge part of him was relieved he was no longer a bachelor.
It wasn't everything it was cracked up to be, especially now he had a fortune. Women who'd once shunned him for having grease on his hands and dust in his hair clambered for a date—or worse, a relationship.
Britt had never been like that. She'd liked him regardless and the thought sent a burst of warmth through him, urging him to pick up the pace.
'Great to see so many here.' With her blue eyes glittering with excitement, she looked like a society hostess basking in the success of an event. ‘The film crew are getting loads of footage I can use in my pitch.'
'That's good, though personally I can't believe there are so many desperadoes out there.'
'Most people are here to party, not pick up.' They caught sight of a couple kissing in the back of a ute simultaneously and Britt chuckled. 'Well, most of them.'
'Get a room,' he muttered, irrationally annoyed by the sight of the amorous couple doing exactly what he'd like to be doing with the gorgeous woman by his side.
'What for? If they're anything like us, a room won't sweeten the mood.' The cheeky smile tugging at the corners of her glossed mouth made him wish they were in a room right this moment.
'The room doesn't matter to us because we have an arrangement. And we're friends.'
Though he planned to change all that, starting tonight.
'So are those two by the look of it. Good friends.' She chuckled and slipped her hand through the crook of his elbow, a casual gesture that shouldn't have sent the blood rushing to his cock. But it did and he could barely focus on anything other than the way she smelt and how she felt tucked into his side.
Having her stand this close to him, her signature vanilla enveloping him in seductive sweetness, was hard enough to tolerate without her smoky midnight eyes sending him signals he knew were all in his head.
‘What did you want to show me?'
'It's in here.' He all but dragged her through the farmhouse’s back door into the dimly lit kitchen, knowing this was crazy but unable to stop.
Her soft laughter echoed in the empty room, his favourite in the house. He had a lifetime of family memories here: making ravioli from scratch while his father read the Sunday newspapers, sneaking cannoli fresh from the oven, Britt poking her tongue out at him from across the table as she lobbed a bread roll and feigned innocence.
Yeah, this room was a definite favourite and he was about to add another treasured memory.
