Jared glanced down at me. “Aye, I’m fine.”
We weren’t just putting in an appearance at the party for Aria’s sake. Tonight was the first night Jared would meetmy parents in real life. They’d arrived in Scotland yesterday. Together they’d stay at the beach house for a week before Dad flew off to work on whatever film was up next while Mamma stayed on the estate for at least a month. Her time here was spent mostly walking on the beach and luxuriating in the spa, but she loved it. She said it reenergized her for returning to the States. My mother usually spent fall in our family penthouse in Manhattan.
“Allegra?”
The male voice drew our heads to the left. I immediately felt awkward. Pasting on a friendly smile, I turned, not letting go of Jared, to greet the handsome man. “Taka.”
If Jared was tense before, he went stiff as a board.
Taka Aikawa. My hookup buddy.
The gorgeous, suave Japanese American actor was killin’ it with one hit miniseries after another, so I was surprised he had time to spend at Ardnoch this year. I really hadn’t expected to see him or I would have prepared Jared. Taka’s dark gaze darted up and down my body with familiarity. “You look great.”
“You too. Taka, this is my husband, Jared. Jared, this is an old friend, Taka.”
“Husband. Right! I heard about that.” Taka reached out a hand to Jared. “Hey, man, congrats. You caught a good one.”
I really thought Jared wasn’t going to shake his hand, but to my relief he took it firmly (maybe a tad too firmly) in his and gave it a pump.
At his silent greeting, Taka’s smile wavered as Jared released him. He stretched out his fingers absentmindedly as he focused on me again. “Do you remember the weekend we met in Santorini? The Greek fisherman Quinn was obsessed with?” He referred to a long weekend I’d spent with him and his best friend Quinn on the Greek island two years ago.
“Yes …”
“He finally convinced him to move to New York. Took him two years, but perseverance.”
I laughed. “Good for Quinn.”
“I also saw Rishi Padman at our place in Marbella a few weeks ago.” He said it offhand, but I winced a little at him calling the rental where we’d met to hook up last year and the year before asours. “Her parents cut her off. I got her a part in my new show. She’s actually good.”
“That’s great.” I glanced at Jared. He wore a flat expression, like he’d disappeared somewhere else, but I knew he was listening to every word. “You know, we’ll catch up later, Taka. We have to go say hi to my parents.”
“Oh, sure, sure. We’ll catch up later.” He leaned as if to kiss me and then remembered himself. He gave me a sheepish shrug and then blanched at the scowl on Jared’s face.
I attempted to hurry Jared away, but it was like trying to move a brick wall.
“Sorry.” I didn’t know why I was apologizing. I mean, we both had a past. But I knew how I’d felt at first about Sorcha, so I understood Jared’s feelings. To an extent.
“So, that was your fuck buddy,” Jared muttered. He tugged at his bow tie as if he wanted to rip it off. He most likely did.
“Jared …”
“I’m not judging you. I’d be a hypocrite.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
He shrugged. “He’s just … not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?”
Jared met my gaze. “Marbella? Santorini? You flew across the world to hook up with this guy?”
“Every time my visitor’s visa here expired.” There had been nowhere else I wanted to be but Scotland, so if I couldn’t be here, I just went wherever I could.
“Right.” Jared blew out a shaky breath. “He and I are very different men, and I don’t have to spend a lot of time with him to know that.”
“Yeah, you are,” I agreed, slipping my fingers through his. Pressing my breasts into his side, forcing his gaze down to mine, I continued, “That’s why he was just a way to pass time andyouare my husband.”
He curled his fingers around mine and squeezed, giving me a nod.
