“No one has ever disliked you on sight before, have they?” Ri asked, cocking an eyebrow.
River looked stunned. “People do that?”
Ri’s arm slid around my waist, eyes meeting mine, a smile tickling her lips before her gaze flitted away. In that split second, it felt like we were sharing one brain. A brain that whispered,‘This guy has led a sheltered life, hasn’t he?’
Almost like we were a real couple.
A chime erupted from deep within the building, and I stiffened, jaw clenched against the sudden onslaught of sound. Ri squeezed my waist reassuringly, as River’s mouth fell open.
“Bugger, time got away from me! I’ve gotta get backstage, into my duds and ready to rock the runway!” He rolled his eyes, a goofy grin splitting his face and clapping me on the back before he disappeared.
“Time to go in, Hubby,” Ri murmured. “You okay?”
I blew out a long breath. “As okay as I’m ever going to be …”
The music was even worse than the DJ from the yacht party as we took our front row seats to one side of the runway—loud and arrhythmic and grating. A headache was already forming at my temples, and my knee bounced agitatedly. I’d forgotten to pack my gum, and I cursed myself for being so distracted about spending the day with Ri that I’d left home unprepared.
“Here. As long as you don’t mind sharing my earwax,” Ri whispered, subtly handing me an AirPods case. I took them, stuffing them into my ears. Immediately the edge of panic subsided as the noise was muted to something much more manageable. I plucked her hand from her lap and placed it on my restless knee. She squeezed rhythmically.
“How long until it’s over?” I asked, my lips brushing her hair.
“Well, it hasn’t started yet,” she murmured. “But the average runway show is anywhere from ten minutes to half an hour. I’m thinking it will be on the longer side because River will probably wantto do a little speech as well.” She glanced around, her bare arm brushing mine.
“The seats aren’t all filled yet, but it’s close, so it’s going to start soon.”
“How are you so knowledgeable about this?” I asked, my never-ending curiosity about this woman eclipsing my discomfort.
She shrugged. “I did some research. I figured it might be good to have some sort of idea about what to expect.”
I wondered if she’d done that, anticipating that I might feel overwhelmed and need reassurance with facts.
“You’re more than I deserve, Catnip.” I covered her hand, still resting on my knee with mine.
She shook her head, a tiny, not quite happy smile playing on her lips. “No, I’m not.” She turned her head to me, her smile widening. “I’m the perfect portion of desserts for you.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t think that means what you think it means.”
Ri rolled her eyes. “Well, what I mean is, you deserve a wife who cares, and who supports you, the way you support me.”
I stared at her, amazed that this woman—who hadn’t known me long at all—somehow understood me better than people who’d been in my life for years.
Being thrown into intimate living quarters might have had something to do with that, but?—
“Pizda!” she hissed, fingers tightening on my knee. “Rumi just walked in.”
“What? Where?” I asked, scanning the growing crowd. Her hand slid up my thigh, and I stilled.
“Other side of the runway, directly opposite us. Shit! Her family is very well connected, I should have guessed she might be here.”
Trying my best to appear casual, I let my eyes rove over the seats across from us. Immediately my gaze found a striking Asian woman, her hair slicked back in a severe ponytail, wearing slim-fitting black pants and a matching blazer.
As if she had a sixth sense, her sharp, dark eyes locked on me, a cold smile sliding into place. I blinked away, hoping it had looked like I’d just been glancing around and not seeking her out specifically.
Pressing a kiss to the top of Ri’s head, I slung my arm around her shoulders,
“Well, we’d better leave her in no doubt that we’re desperately in love,” I breathed against her temple, brushing another kiss there. Something about my mouth on her skin calmed me, despite the sensory overload of noise and the burgeoning crowd. It was more than coincidence that this woman would be not only in this same audience but seated where she could glare daggers at us.
“Honestly, if it was socially acceptable to publicly kiss you like a porn star, I’d already be straddling your lap right now,” Ri said with a giggle that was more nervous than amused.
