Seduced The Unexpected Virgin - By Emily McKay Page 0,65
and point toward the stage. She strained onto her toes, but couldn’t see anything over the crowd. If Ward was out there somewhere, she wouldn’t know it until he was right on top of her.
Omar had worked all morning setting up the PA system for the remarks both she and Rafe would make just after noon. Since that was his milieu, she’d left it in his capable hands and hadn’t given it a second thought. Studying it now, she had no way of judging if it was just a normal PA system or something more devious. Like a sound system with which a famous musician might stage his comeback.
She had to stifle a growl of annoyance. How dare he show up here? After almost an entire week of silence? After breaking her heart?
But before the thought could even form in her mind, the frenzy of excitement in the crowd peaked. The masses parted and there he was walking toward her.
Not really walking toward her, of course, but rather toward the stage. Dressed casually in jeans and an untucked white linen shirt, he looked much the same as he had the first day they’d met. His sunglasses were up on his head. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal the tanned strength of his arms.
His progress through the crowd was slow because he stopped to talk to nearly everyone who greeted him. His smile was broad, his eyes crinkling with friendly laughter. There was an air of glamour and mystery about him, despite how casually he was dressed. Maybe it was the sheer magnetism of his personality. Maybe it was simply the way everyone he walked past responded to his presence. Whatever it was, she felt the tug of it herself, deep inside. Buried safe in her heart where no else would ever know it.
And she pushed that feeling even deeper, drawing on the nervous energy that had fueled her for the past week to muster up all the indignation she could.
She quickly excused herself from Emma and Chase and made her way through the crowd toward him. She was still too far away to overhear his words to the people who were stopping him—but she could all too easily imagine the fawning—when Jess stepped up beside him and spoke briefly into his ear. He nodded, then excused himself and made a beeline for the stage. She intercepted him at the steps.
When he spotted her, his expression shifted from the friendly, aren’t-I-a-nice-guy-even-though-I’m-a-star smile to something more reserved. More carefully contained.
She doubted anyone would even notice the subtle change, but it pierced her heart.
Well, two could play that game. She propped her hands on her hips and looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. She blocked his path and stood close enough to keep their conversation from interested ears. “What are you doing here?”
“I would have thought that was obvious. The article in the Gazette said I’d take the stage at eleven to say a few words and maybe play a song or two.”
She scowled. “I thought you weren’t going to come.”
His lips curved in a smile that was gently chiding. “Apparently, you don’t read the papers.”
Fourteen
His smile turned dangerously cocky. Like he knew a secret that she didn’t. Like he still had some trick up his sleeve. It was an expression that made her very, very nervous. “If you don’t want to hear me sing, I suggest you go inside. There are a lot of other people who would be disappointed if I don’t. Besides, it’s great publicity for Hannah’s Hope.”
She scanned the crowd, assessing the mood of all the people around her. He was right. Of course he was. Besides, every dollar people spent here today was going straight into Hannah’s Hope’s coffers. And whatever problems she may have with him personally, she knew he’d do a fine job of getting out the right message about the charity.
Still it was with grim resignation that she stepped aside and let him take the stage.
He trotted up the steps and raised a hand to wave at the people on the street. The crowd went wild, energized with sudden excitement. His stride was long and confident as he walked across the stage to the microphone. The very air around him seemed to vibrate with excitement.
She felt the pull of his allure deep in her gut. Was she crazy? There was something so…magnetic about him. For a second, watching him on stage, she honestly couldn’t remember any of the reasons why they’d fought.
So what