My Boyfriend and Other Enemies. Nikki Logan

      Nathaniel sat up. ‘No, Tash. You mustn’t...’

      She locked eyes on his. ‘I’m not going to charge you, Nathaniel. Not for my time. But there’ll be a lot of glass in this piece so if you’d cover that I’d be grateful.’

      Insisting would just be awkward and she’d handed him a chivalrous out. But, of course, this was Nathaniel. ‘Naturally we’ll pay for materials but...’ He pursed his lips and thought for a moment. ‘What we really need is a public announcement. That way you get the PR benefit in lieu of payment for your time.’

      ‘I don’t require payment for my time.’

      Aiden’s eyes darted between the two of them.

      ‘Well, I wish to show off this marvellous design and if I choose to do that in front of my corporate equivalents and that just happens to lead to more work for you, so much the better.’

      ‘Nathaniel—’

      ‘It’s decided. I won’t protest at you not charging MooreCo for what I’m sure will be a considerable amount of your time and artistic focus, and in return I expect you to be gracious and professional about my desire to throw a party to celebrate the acquisition of our biggest ever art piece.’

      Snookered.

      She glared at him. Then very ungraciously snorted. ‘Fine.’

      His smile was immediate. ‘Good girl.’

      Aiden’s left eye narrowed.

      She met his gaze and held it.

      ‘That’s worked out well, hasn’t it?’ he asked flatly.

      But she got the sense that he really wanted to add ‘...for you’ to that.

      THREE

      Tash stepped out of the expensive vehicle onto the highest heels she owned. Their engineering had always seemed pointless, but she’d take the extra inches against Aiden any day.

      ‘I’m still struggling to understand why I needed to be invited to a party in my own honour?’ she said.

      ‘Think of it as more of a VIP escort than an invitation,’ he murmured.

      Uh-huh. She would have believed that from his father, but not from Aiden. Although it was entertaining to imagine him as an escort. Upper-case E. He was slick, handsome and full of fakery enough for it...and he had the right body.

      ‘Something amusing?’

      Tash forced her lips into a more serious line. ‘No. Just appreciating the architecture. I’ve never been inside this building.’ The second part was true, at least.

      ‘You’re in for a treat. It’s beautifully restored.’ His hand dropped to her lower back as he guided her up the stairs and through the ornate doors. Heat from his fingertips tingled through the soft fabric of her dress. ‘I thought you would have seen the glasswork, at least. That’s why we chose this as a venue for the launch party. And this time of day.’

      She let her eyes drift up to the stunning stained-glass windows on the western side of the building practically glowing in the rich, low afternoon light. ‘I’ve seen them from the outside, of course.’

      ‘Natasha. Aiden.’ Nathaniel moved towards them, as dapper and handsome as ever. ‘Did you arrive at the same time?’

      Aiden’s chin lifted the tiniest bit but it was enough to put paid to his lie about her needing an escort. But it was too entertaining watching him trip up on his own transparency to make a big deal of it. She leaned in for a kiss on each cheek from Nathaniel then glanced around the beautifully appointed venue. Up on the big screen her glass prototypes had been photographed and lit by a professional and looked about as good as the finished artwork would. The AV team flicked quickly through them in rehearsal for the speeches later.

      ‘This is all so beautiful. Are all your parties this lavish?’

      ‘Usually. Aiden sets a high bar.’

      She turned her surprise to him. ‘This is your work?’

      ‘I didn’t personally choose the flowers, if that’s what you’re asking, but I do know the quality planners in town and how to get the best out of them.’

      I’ll bet.

      ‘Will you forgive me?’ Nathaniel said. ‘The inexcusably prompt are starting to arrive.’

      He waved his arm in a flourish and the visuals on the big screen ended with a snap as the lights sank in a subtle crossfade with the music that grew out of the silence around them.

      And just like that, it was a party.

      Aiden’s hand was back at her lower spine again but where before it had only tingled, now it blazed with un-ignorable heat. Either he’d developed a raging temperature in the last thirty seconds or hers had inexplicably plunged. So much so that tiny bumps prickled up all over her back.

      ‘Would you like a drink?’ he murmured, close to her ear.

      How galling. That his charm and charisma should have actually had some effect. She spun away from his gentle touch. ‘You don’t actually need to escort me, Aiden. I’m quite capable of getting safely to the bar.’ Or not, since she didn’t drink much and certainly not at work events. ‘I’m sure you’ll have better things to do this evening than shadow me.’

      And as the word slipped unconsciously across her lips she realised that was exactly what he was doing. Babysitting her. Controlling her arrival and departure and her movements while here.

      Why?

      ‘Tonight is very important to my father,’ he simply said. ‘I’m on hand to run interference should anything go...wrong.’

      Interference? By sticking close to her? ‘What is it you imagine I’m going to do here? Lie back on the bar and drink shots straight from the bottle?’

      His blue eyes crackled. ‘I would pay good money to see that.’

      ‘I’m sure you would, given some of the other things you’re famous for spending your money on—’ she ignored his flare of surprise ‘—but I’ve been to many of these nights, Aiden. I know the drill. Turn up, look good and be wild enough to be interesting but not inappropriate. Intrigue but don’t offend. Generate speculation but not gossip.’

      It was all about appearances. And buzz.

      She fronted the bar and ordered a virgin cocktail in a fast and low breath. If he noticed the virgin part, he didn’t comment. The important thing was that it looked like something harder. But she’d be in full control of her faculties all night.

      He frowned. ‘Is that what you think you’re here for? Entertainment?’

      She turned and drew a long sip of her drink through the pretty glass straw. A clever and thoughtful touch given the focus of this evening. ‘This is a little different, I’ll admit. But the principle doesn’t change just because the date does.’ Not that he was her date... ‘The important thing is that I won’t be doing anything to embarrass Nathaniel in front of his associates.’

      ‘You think I’m worried about that?’

      ‘I don’t know what to think, Aiden. All I know is you’ve been playing me since the day we met and running interference—’ it felt so good to throw his own word back at him ‘—between myself and your father. MooreCo has already given me a massive commission. What more do you imagine I’m trying to screw him out of?’

      His dark brow lifted. ‘Your word, not mine.’

      Realisation rushed in, tumbling and tripping over astonishment. How stupid she’d been not to see it before. The straw dropped from her gaping lips. ‘You think I’m hitting on your father?’

      For the first time, he dropped the casual veneer and that