A Perfect Husband by Fiona Brand Read Free Book Online

trying to break through the wal of security, her wild moment of rebel ion evaporating.
    The phrase “out of the frying pan and into the fire” once more reverberated through her. “Now they’l think I’m sleeping with you as wel .”
    Zane’s arm locked around her waist as he propel ed her through the reporters and into the room in which the press conference was being held. “Think of it this way, if you’re with me, at least now they’l wonder who dumped whom.”
    Forty-five minutes later the official part of the press conference was over. Lucas and Carla, Lucas’s mother, Maria Therese, and Constantine’s P.A. Tomas had left in a flurry of publicity over their engagement announcement and the further announcement that Sienna and Constantine were expecting a baby.
    Zane flowed smoothly to his feet. “Now we leave.”
    Relieved that Lucas’s announcement had taken the unnerving focus of the press off her, Lilah hooked the strap of her handbag over her shoulder.
    Two steps onto the stil crowded floor and an elegant blonde backed by a TV crew shoved a mike at Zane. “Can we expect another engagement announcement soon?”
    “No comment.” Zane lengthened his stride, bypassing the TV crew and the question as he propel ed her toward the elevator.
    Even though Lilah knew that Zane’s lack of response was the only sensible option, his comment left her feeling oddly flat and definitely manipulated.
    The end of the nonrelationship with Lucas had not mattered. Standing on the pavement the previous evening while a reporter had snapped her witnessing Lucas and Carla locked in a passionate clinch had not been a feel-good moment. But, as embarrassing as her association with Zane’s brother had turned out to be, after the toe-curling intimacy of the kisses in front of the media, in that moment she felt the most betrayed by Zane.

    Five
    Zane hustled Lilah out into a private underground parking lot and opened the door of a gleaming, low-slung black Corvette. He waited for Lilah to climb into the passenger-side seat then walked around the vehicle and slid behind the wheel.
    He had been annoyed enough with Lucas to want to stake a claim on Lilah, although he hadn’t planned on doing it in quite such a public way.
    He also hadn’t expected Lilah to kiss him back quite so enthusiastical y. Although ever since they had hit the elevator on the way down she had been cool and reserved and irritatingly distant.
    He lifted a hand as Spiros and the two security guards climbed into a black sedan.
    He fastened his seat belt. The back of his hand brushed Lilah’s. The automatic jolt he received from the brush of her skin against his increased his irritable temper. A temper that, just days ago, he had not known he’d possessed.
    The dark sedan the bodyguards had climbed into cruised out of the parking building. Seconds later, Zane fol owed, emerging into the glare of daylight.
    He transferred his gaze to the woman beside him.

    Dressed in her signature ivory and white, her hair smoothed into a loose, elegant confection on top of her head, smooth teardrop pearls dangling from tiny lobes, Lilah looked both cool and drop-dead sexy. The fact that he had kissed off her lipstick, leaving her lips bare, only succeeded in making her even more sensual y al uring.
    Grimly he noted that the same addictive fascination that had tempted him to lose his head two years ago was stil at work. Lilah Cole was openly and unashamedly husband-hunting. She was the kind of woman he couldn’t afford in his life, and yet it seemed he couldn’t resist her.
    Lilah stared straight ahead, her purse gripped in her lap.
    “I know I’ve been invited to lunch with your family, but with everything that’s happened, maybe that isn’t such a good idea. If you drop me off, I can get a taxi back to the office.”
    Zane’s jaw tightened at the subdued, worried note in Lilah’s voice. Lucas should have known better; he should have left her alone. “It’s lunchtime.