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“If Yale wasn’t such a good soldier, I would beat his ass into the dirt just for being a dick,” he said casually.
I barely heard him. I’d never seen Merrick in a tux—and honestly I didn’t really like tuxedos—but he looked drop dead gorgeous. The aviator sunglasses were just the cherry on top.
He paused at the bottom of the stairs. “You’re beautiful, Clara.”
“Thank you.” I accepted his hand as he helped me down and into the front seat of the Audi.
He got in and made the engine purr as he drove out onto the main road. I settled back, locking my ankles awkwardly to keep my legs together. The dress was beautiful, but not the most comfortable.
“So who are you?”
He frowned, glancing over. “What?”
“Who are you supposed to be?” I asked. “I’m Vesper Lynd.”
“I mean…I’m supposed to be James Bond,” he said, clearly confused.
“I was setting you up to say the line.”
“Oh, sorry, I’m a bit tired,” he said, running a hand over his hair. He patted my knee briefly and for some reason, a shock of heat moved up my thigh.
“Are you too tired to go out?”
“No, no,” he said firmly. “I’ll be good when I get a drink and something to eat. It was just a long day at work.”
I knew he actually did want to go out for my birthday, but I still felt guilty. Merrick worked extremely hard, sometimes putting in fifteen hour days, sometimes waking up at odd hours to deal with some mysterious emergency.
I glanced at myself in the mirror, the diamonds on my neck glittering.
He’d paid for those, with his time and energy. Even though Merrick never made me feel guilty about it, I still felt a little ashamed of myself.
That sort of meant that everything I wore belonged to him at the end of the day. I spread my fingers to look down at my manicure, simple French tips, and the white gold rings.
A sudden and intrusive thought popped into my head.
Heat curled in my stomach.
Underneath this dress, I wore my most expensive pair of panties. They were from a boutique in Italy and the delicate lace was worth a few hundred dollars. The little diamonds on each hip were worth more.
Unknowingly, Merrick had paid for those too.
Why did that realization make me feel so strange? Subtly, I slid my hand down my inner arm and found my pulse.
It was going a little faster than normal.
I glanced at him, but he was completely oblivious. Gazing ahead with his hand resting on the top of the steering wheel.
What was wrong with me today?
CHAPTER SEVEN
MERRICK
The Bach’s house was lit up and already filled with people. They lived on the western side of the city in a huge house surrounded by an estate. It fit in well with the theme and I could tell Clara was in awe as I helped her from the car.
She was stunning tonight, although I secretly wished she was a little more covered. Osian would be here tonight and I’d noticed during their first meeting that he had a wandering gaze.
Probably wandering hands too.
