Five Dates with the Billionaire - Alyssa J. Montgomery Page 0,17
we going out for dinner or is take-out going to be delivered to the car?’ she asked.
Connor laughed.
As interesting as it was to have her breathe fire at him, he owed her an apology and wanted to do it before they started out to the restaurant.
Girding himself against having his words thrown back in his face, he ventured, ‘I’m sincerely sorry for my manner this afternoon.’
Mia turned her head so quickly he was surprised she didn’t end up with whiplash.
‘Did I just hear you apologise?’
‘Yes.’ He’d never been afraid to admit when he was wrong, but he could see she was stunned. ‘I apologise for my hostility. You were quite right. I was overbearing and antagonistic.’
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion behind those owlish glasses. ‘You’re only apologising to me because of my makeover.’
He realised he had that coming. ‘Your appearance has nothing to do with it. I’d already realised after I left your office that I needed to ask for your forgiveness.’ He rested one hand against the steering wheel. The apology should be enough, yet for some inexplicable reason he found himself wanting to make her understand why he’d not been himself. ‘I was worried about Gran’s health and then she threw the curve ball at me. I was shocked and angry about her manipulation and I lost my cool. I jumped to the conclusion that you were to blame for her demand. I’m sorry I took everything out on you.’
‘You’re not the only one she’s manipulating here.’
He sent her what he hoped was an apologetic look. ‘You’re right. I can see you’ve been as much a pawn in all of this as I have. Please accept my apology and let’s get through this as best we can.’
She was quiet as she looked at him. In the dim light cast into the car interior by one of the stately lamps lining the driveway, he watched her bite her lower lip.
He felt a small, unwelcome, pull in his groin as her action reminded him how lush her lips were.
Damn it! He didn’t need to torture himself by drinking in her appealing features—her determined chin, pert little nose and of course, her stunning cheekbones.
‘Apology accepted. Although I’m tempted to make you grovel, I’m not so petty.’
Grovel? Unlikely. He didn’t want continued hostility, but he wasn’t about to grovel when there were questions he still wanted answered.
‘Shall we declare a truce and start afresh?’ he suggested smoothly.
‘I suppose so.’
‘Thank you.’ Satisfied for now with her reluctant concession, he turned on the engine and started down the driveway.
While he waited for the gate to open, he saw her hands were tightly clenched on her lap. He could hardly blame her for being unwilling to accept their truce. He’d behaved like an ass and now he needed to let her see that his behaviour this afternoon had been an aberration.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked.
‘A small, out of the way Italian restaurant recommended by my housekeeper.’ The news earned him a small nod of her approval. ‘How did you talk Gran out of dinner at Raphael’s?’
‘By agreeing to the makeover,’ she said through gritted teeth.
‘I know you were concerned about photographers, but even if photos did appear in the newspaper, nobody from work would recognise you as you are now—if you removed your glasses.’
‘The glasses stay and there’d better not be any photos. I don’t want to be pictured with you.’
If he’d had a fragile ego, her comment certainly would’ve put a dent in it. When had any woman he’d dated not wanted to be photographed with him and labelled in the papers as his latest ‘love’ interest?
The high-necked, button-up blouses Mia wore to work might have morphed into this stunning red dress with the vee neckline and spaghetti straps that showed off flawless creamy skin, but she still had the uptight and straight-laced aura of a Victorian spinster.
He longed to get her to loosen up.
What would her laughter sound like?
He fought a frown.
Since when had the need to hear a woman laugh ever been so acute?
A more pressing thought intruded. What would Mia sound like during passionate lovemaking? Would she cry out in the throes of her orgasm or would she stay silent as she rode it out, her nails digging into his shoulders?
Crunch.
Bloody hell! The wayward thought of Mia naked and underneath him in bed had made him jerk the gears.
Steady on, Connor.
His inner voice was right to caution him. The scene playing out in his head would never happen.