With a quick shake of her head, she tried to focus. ‘Well, I’ve lived in London all my life. I can tell you about all the different areas.’
He grinned at her, turning fully to face her, his knee brushing against hers, sending shivers of excitement up her thighs.Focus, Ellie!But she couldn’t, not with those ocean eyes staring back at her, drowning her senses with wicked thoughts.
‘That’d be great. Thank you, Ellie, I’m so glad I met you tonight.’ Her pulse quickened. He was so close she could feel the warmth of his breath against her face, smell the sandalwood and spicy aftershave on his skin – the type hand-crafted by a real perfumier and not bought from duty free.
‘I think we’re going be really good friends,’ he said, taking a large swig of his drink.
Reality crashed over her like a wave of icy water. Of course he thought of her as a friend. What on earth made her think Alex King would see her as anything different? She reminded herself that she couldn’t be upset about something that had never existed in the first place.
‘I think so too,’ she said, knocking back the last of her drink.
‘The first review is in,’ screeched a pretty blonde, practically sprinting over to them despite her skyscraper stilettos.
Heads all snapped towards them, and the entire party of people hurried over in a rush of anxious excitement.
‘I should go,’ said Ellie, reaching for her bag.
Alex grabbed her wrist, his face pale. ‘Please stay.’
She could never say no to someone who said please. Especially when they were gorgeous and vulnerable. She settled back down beside him and his fingers relaxed, the heat of his body keeping away the chill of the spring night. ‘Okay.’
One man barrelled to the front of the ever-increasing crowd and firmly took a seat opposite Alex. Ellie recognised him immediately. It was the rude suit from the bar who’d shoved a twenty-pound note in her face. Her throat tightened under his reptilian gaze.
When he spoke his tone was mild, but his eyes remained deadly sharp. ‘Who’s your friend, Alex? I don’t recognise her from the theatre.’
Alex draped a casual arm around her shoulders and gave her a warm squeeze. ‘This is my friend, Ellie. Ellie, this is my agent,Richie. My whole family is on Richie’s books – we keep him very busy.’And very wealthy, too, by the looks of it, thought Ellie, not able to shake the man’s earlier entitlement from her mind.
‘Five stars,’ screeched the blonde again, drawing everyone’s attention back to their phone screens, which were all lit up with the same website.
‘Thank fuck for that,’ crowed the actor who played Gatsby, and there were hoots of agreement.
Cheers and whoops rang out as everyone shared and quoted from all the online reviews they could find. Alex ordered more bottles – this time magnums of the finest champagne – and the night air was filled with the sound of corks popping and glasses fizzing.
Richie didn’t seem quite as delighted by the news as the rest of the cast and crew. He offered a weak, ‘Congratulations,’ then walked off to make a phone call.
Alex slumped back in his chair and drained his glass. ‘Thank God. Hopefully the ticket sales will improve now.’
‘It’s not been selling well?’
‘Tonight is the only night we’ve sold out. It doesn’t bode well for the rest of the run.’
‘Well, I’m sure that will change now,’ Ellie reassured him, patting his arm.
His answering smile seemed even more devastating because of his earlier uncertainty. She wanted nothing more than to reach out and hug him, was even leaning forward to do so when a flashing light blinded her.
‘Alex! Great news on your reviews! How do you feel about Savannah and Liam’s engagement?’ a male voice shouted over the sounds of celebration, the light continuing to flash and the incessant clicking of a camera shutter punctuating more shouted questions that Ellie could no longer understand as the people around them roared with disapproval.
Ellie flinched from the glare of the flash and looked at Alex, whose face had flushed with anger. He stood up to his full height, fists clenched, and Ellie realised with a gasp how tall and intimidating he could actually be. If he wasn’t so upset, she’d have found it indescribably hot.
‘Get out!’ he roared.
‘How do you feel about Savannah wearing your grandmother’s ring?’ continued the paparazzo, unashamedly taking more photos as he prodded Alex for a reaction.
‘Security!’ bellowed one of the actors, running towards the bouncers, who’d finally woken up to the chaos unfolding and had stumbled out onto the roof terrace to help.
The bouncers grabbed the paparazzo by his arm and started to drag him out.
Richie rushed over. ‘How the hell did he get in here? I told you the theatre would have been a better venue!’
