‘You’ve researched her. You already know what she’ll like.’
True. ‘Okay. Don’t kiss her hand. It’s too old-fashioned and it won’t put her at ease.’
‘Fine,’ Alexander said. ‘Back up and let’s try again.’
Mallory returned to her starting point then walked forward. Alexander stood up from his chair. ‘You look wonderful,’ he said.
‘Thank you. You look good, too.’
They stood a foot apart, staring awkwardly at each other. After a moment or two, he cleared his throat. ‘Please,’ he said. ‘Sit down.’
Mallory looked at him flatly. ‘That was too weird.’
‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘Not that. Let’s try another approach.’
She’d half-turned when she caught a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. ‘I knew it! You’re making fun of me. You’re perfectly capable of playing the role of suave gentleman!’
‘As you’ve been telling me, I shouldn’t be playing any role. I should be trying to be myself, my vulnerable self.’
‘Touché.’ Mallory raised a finger. ‘But you’ve still been playing me.’
The corners of his mouth curled upwards. ‘A little. It was just too tempting.’
‘Yeah, yeah.’
‘Tell you what,’ he said. ‘Let’s start again from the very beginning. I’ll act as much like me as I can and try not to be too much of the alpha that annoys you so much. If I get anything wrong, you can point it out, otherwise we’ll let the evening run its course. Good enough?’
Mallory released a breath. ‘Perfect.’
She backed up. When she walked forward, Alexander’s gaze was long and smouldering; it was so heated and held so much smoky promise that her breath caught in her throat.
‘Mallory, I’m so glad you’re here,’ he said. ‘I’ve been thinking about you all day. I’m not normally an impatient man but this evening and this meal couldn’t come fast enough.’
She was certain that she should respond and that Cathy would have said something, but for some reason her mind was completely blank. ‘Uh…’
Alexander smiled knowingly and dipped his head to brush his lips against her cheek. ‘You know, I can recognise your scent from a thousand paces.’
She couldn’t stop herself. ‘What do I smell like?’ she whispered.
‘Honey,’ he said. ‘Sunshine.’ He grinned. ‘And magic.’
Mallory blinked rapidly. He wasn’t talking toher, he was talking to Cathy. Mallory was a squib; if there was one thing she didn’t smell like, it was magic. Focus, she told herself. This is business, not pleasure.
‘You have a good nose.’ Then, because she needed to put some distance between them, she sat down quickly before he could pull out her chair. He continued to smile as he sat opposite her.
Nick appeared wearing jeans, a white T-shirt – and a bow-tie. ‘Good evening, I will be your waiter this evening. Would you like to hear the specials?’
Alexander raised his eyebrows at her. ‘Um, yes?’ she said.
‘Roasted tomato soup, beef wellington with dauphinoise potatoes and creamed spinach, and lemon tart to finish.’
‘Seriously?’
Alexander leaned back in his chair. ‘We like to eat well after the full moon, it’s something of a tradition. And I dread to think how long it’s been since you ate a proper meal.’
‘I eat!’
‘On the go and in a rush. Tonight you’ll have the time to savour every mouthful. And we have a decent wine cellar. What would you like to drink?’
