The Arranged Marriage by Emma Darcy Read Free Book Online

definitely did. A little boy like Marco Terlizzi...
    His train of thought was broken by the announcement of yet another special song— “For the newly wedded couple’s first dance together...”
    It was the first song he’d heard Gina sing—”Because You Loved Me,” and his gaze was inexorably drawn to the stage as her voice seemed to reach out to him, just as it had last Sunday afternoon. She wasn’t directing the words to her singing partner who was providing the background harmony. She was facing the couple circling the dance floor, pouring the heartfelt words out to them.
    Her body moved in a graceful sway, accentuating her lush femininity. The expressive gestures she made had almost a mesmerising come-to-me invitation in them. The shining curtain of her hair glided over her shoulders with a kind of sensual freedom as she tilted her head to deliver the high notes, and Alex found his hands clenching, wanting to feel swathes of it running through his fingers.
    It was crazy...this strong attraction that had him questioning everything he’d ever felt with Michelle. One afternoon’s short acquaintance...one professional appearance on stage...what did it amount to? How could Gina Terlizzi affect him with such compelling intensity? He didn’t want this happening, putting him at odds with decisions he’d made, giving him the disturbing sense of losing control.
    The song ended to a round of applause. Peter Owen moved into DJ mode, inviting everyone to join the couple on the floor and switching the sound system on to play the dance tracks he’d chosen. Alex instantly stood up, determined to get himself on track by drawing Michelle into his arms for a dance. He needed to feel close to her again, to feel completely engaged by all she was.
    It didn’t work.
    Michelle chose to dance apart from him, creating a spotlight on herself, much appreciated by the men looking on. She was his, Alex told himself, so it shouldn’t matter, didn’t matter. Let other men envy him. Let Michelle enjoy being the focus of lustful attention. Hadn’t Gina Terlizzi drawn the same attention up on stage just now?
    Before he realised what he was doing, his gaze was travelling around, searching her out. Gone from the stage. So was Peter Owen. He spotted them both at the table where his grandmother sat, Gina smiling happily at her new employer as Peter chatted, no doubt eliciting praise for their performance.
    The strong gut urge to leave Michelle to her admirers and tear Gina Terlizzi away from her slick companion and sweep her onto the dance floor and into his arms threw him completely out of step with the rhythm of the music.
    “Alex, get with it!” Michelle protested, continuing to gyrate seductively.
    He stopped dead, too unsettled to even try to follow her movements. “I’m not in the mood for this kind of dancing,” he stated bluntly.
    Her eyes glittered a challenge. “Then I’ll get another partner.”
    “Do that,” he said, not rising to the bait, not even caring about it. “I’ll go and have a word with my grandmother.”
    He was asking for trouble. He watched Michelle testily pluck another partner from a group of unattached males and knew with absolute certainty he was courting big trouble. But the need to sort himself out with Gina Terlizzi was paramount.
     

CHAPTER SIX
    Strange how flat she felt now her performance was over. Gina knew she should be feeling exhilarated at how well it had gone. Peter Owen was delighted with her, suggesting they do more gigs together. Isabella King and the other people at her table had showered her with compliments. Yet she yearned to get away and be by herself.
    Stupid to let seeing Alex King leading his fiancée straight onto the dance floor affect her like this. They’d been the first to join the bridal couple there after she’d finished her last song, Michelle shimmying seductively in a slinky red knock-out gown, Alex’s attention riveted on her. And why not? she fiercely berated