The Billionaires Collection. Оливия Гейтс

heat of awareness to his every move had suffused her cheeks.

      Just as at previous evenings, she felt all eyes on them and could imagine what the whispered conversations would be about. It showcased everything about society she disliked and everything Liev was determined to acquaint himself with. She had to hang on to why she was doing this, that the reason for flaunting herself so blatantly with him among them was her grandfather.

      ‘We have already gained their attention,’ Liev whispered close to her ear, too close, and she couldn’t help the shiver of pleasure as his breath caressed her skin.

      She swallowed hard, determined to keep her smile in place. ‘Going away may not be necessary after tonight.’

      He reached out and pushed her hair back from her face, his fingers skimming her bare shoulder as he did so. ‘Don’t you want to be alone with me?’ His voice was low and a hint of something very seductive lingered in it.

      ‘I do have other clients,’ she retorted quickly, a little too quickly if the quirk of his brow was anything to go by.

      ‘But only one fiancé.’

      Before she had time to say anything, his fingers had taken her chin, lifting it up, and she knew he was going to kiss her. Every buzzing nerve in her body anticipated it. He pressed his lips against hers and instantly she responded, despite her resolve to merely role-play.

      ‘Very good, Bianca,’ he murmured against them, sending sparks of heat firing through her.

      She drew in a deep breath and stepped back, away from the warmth of his body, realising nothing had made her stay there except his gentle hold on her chin—and the burning need to experience his kiss again.

      ‘Role play.’ She flashed him a smile and turned to greet their hostess, who was making her way over to them. ‘Margaret, how lovely to see you. This is my fiancé, Liev Dragunov. Liev, this is Margaret O’Neil. Our families go back a long way.’

      ‘Enchanted.’ Liev’s charm worked wonders on Margaret, known for her intolerance of self-made newcomers. If she was convinced, then the rest of New York society would soon follow. Her job was almost over. Tomorrow’s interview would clinch that. So why did that fill her with a strange sense of loss?

      * * *

      Liev could sense the underlying bristle of the older lady and turned his charm up, but he didn’t miss the small frown which furrowed Bianca’s face so briefly. He bowed his head in recognition of her obvious high place in society, adhering to all the protocol he had no wish to be governed by once he had what he wanted.

      ‘I am having a summer ball next month. You must come along and bring this delightful fiancé of yours, Bianca. I absolutely insist.’

      ‘We would be honoured to attend.’ He gave her the full force of his smile, knowing exactly the effect it had on women, and then turned it on Bianca, satisfied by her lost-for-words look.

      Other guests caught Margaret’s attention and she excused herself, leaving him and Bianca once more alone in a room full of people he had no real intention of befriending.

      ‘It seems we will be mixing in high circles next month.’ He took two fresh flutes of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to Bianca. She took it with a glimmer of suspicion in her eyes. ‘To success.’

      ‘Success?’ She glanced at him from beneath her lashes, the coy look doing untold things to his already frustrated libido. Since when did he go in for such games as that? Never. If he wanted something, including women, he got it. Bianca had not been on his wanted list, but somehow she was now there, right at the top and clashing with his almost lifelong desire to avenge his family and expose ICE.

      ‘Do you not want success, Bianca? Do you not want the bracelet you so obviously covet?’

      She moved against him, catlike in the way her body seemed to curl against his, pushing his wayward thoughts further over the edge. If she wasn’t careful she’d find herself being marched from the room to somewhere private where they could finish what she was so very intentionally starting.

      ‘In some ways we are very similar,’ she said softly, and he watched as she paused to sip the champagne. ‘You will stop at nothing to get what you want—but remember, Liev, neither will I.’

      He caught hold of her chin, more firmly than he’d done before, and watched as her eyes darkened to that sexy deep blue. He brushed his lips over hers, enjoying the exhilarating challenge she offered. ‘I will remember that.’

       CHAPTER SEVEN

      BIANCA COULDN’T HELP but feel pleased as the party drew to a close in the small hours. She and Liev had been in demand much of the evening. Her job was almost done, which would mean very soon their engagement could be dropped. She’d get the bracelet and he would have the acceptance he required. She wouldn’t have to spend such evenings with the man who’d turned her into the kind of woman she’d never imagined she could be.

      She enjoyed sparring with him, and the thought of not seeing much more of Liev saddened her. He’d infiltrated her life, become a part of it, filling her mind when he wasn’t around and infusing her body with a kind of awareness she was beginning to accept came from being with a man she was genuinely attracted to. Although there could be no future in such notions, not after the way he’d used her, and that was something she had to keep in her mind to prevent those fairy-tale ideas of love getting a hold.

      She didn’t try to persuade Liev that he didn’t need to walk her to her door as he had done on each of their previous dates. It might be the early hours of the morning, but she wasn’t ready to say goodnight yet. Being with him was becoming comfortable, perhaps a little too comfortable.

      As she stopped outside her front door, key in hand, she looked up at him. It was as if her resistance was lowering, cast aside by a man she found infuriating and attractive.

      ‘I’ve enjoyed this evening.’ Were those soft words really from her?

      His eyes, suddenly much darker, searched her face. ‘As have I.’

      Before she could understand what was happening, he’d brushed stray hair from her face. The heat of his fingers on her skin made her pulse leap wildly, but she couldn’t do anything. She was being drawn in by a sensation so new, so intense, she was powerless to resist.

      He spoke in Russian, his voice husky as he moved closer to her, their bodies almost touching. She had no idea what he’d said. All she knew was that he was going to kiss her. Every instinct in her body told her that. And she wanted him to.

      ‘Liev,’ she whispered as his lips brushed briefly against hers, testing her reaction, her acceptance.

      ‘We are still in public and you are not yet in the safety of your apartment, so your role still needs to be played. Besides, I want to kiss you, Bianca. Really kiss you.’

      Her body hummed with anticipation and tingled with warmth. He desired her. He wanted her not because it was part of the deal or part of the show they had to put on, but because he wanted her.

      Could she trust him? Could she trust herself? Last night’s encounter at this very door told her she couldn’t trust him—or herself.

      ‘It will only complicate things.’ She forced herself away, to turn and put her key in the door and open it, hoping he would leave.

      ‘Only if we allow it to.’ His breathing seemed deeper and the image he created as he stood there in the glory of that after-party look twisted her heart and she knew it was already too late. For her, at least, things were already complicated.

      ‘Bianca, can you honestly deny there is something between us? Something that needs exploring?’

      ‘I can’t.’ She backed away from him, into the safety of her apartment. She should just close the door on him, but she couldn’t. That would be like shutting herself