Living the Charade Read Free

ruler-straight chestnut-coloured hair that shone under the bar lights, and skin that was perhaps the creamiest he had ever seen. His eyes travelled over a heart-shaped mouth designed with recreational activities in mind and the bluest wide-spaced eyes he’d ever seen.
    ‘Ruby, I’m back. Let’s go.’
    And a voice that could stop a bushfire in its tracks.
    Tino felt amused at the dichotomy; she should be leaning in and whispering sweet nothings in his ear, not cutting her friend to the quick.
    ‘Hey, relax. Why don’t I get you a drink?’ he found himself offering.
    ‘I’m perfectly relaxed.’ Her eyes could have shredded concrete as she turned them on him, but still he felt the effect of that magnificent aquamarine gaze like a punch in the gut. ‘And if I wanted a drink I’d order one.’
    Well, excuse the hell out of me.
    ‘Miller!’ Her friend instantly jumped in to try and ease the lash of her words. ‘This is Sam and his brother Valentino. And—good news—Sam is free for the weekend.’
    The woman Miller didn’t move, but the skin at the outside of her mouth pulled tight. She seemed about to set her friend on fire, but then collected herself at the last minute.
    ‘Hello, Sam. Valentino.’
    He noticed he barely rated a nod.
    ‘I’m very pleased to meet you. But unfortunately Ruby and I have to go.’
    ‘Miller,’ her friend chided. ‘This is a perfect solution for you.’
    This last was said almost under her breath, and Tino directed an enquiring eyebrow at Sam.
    ‘It seems Miller needs a partner for the weekend,’ Sam provided.
    Tino eased back onto the barstool. And what? They were recruiting Sam?
    He cocked his head. ‘Come again?’
    ‘No need,’ the little ray of sunshine fumed politely. ‘We’re sorry to disturb you and now we have to go.’
    ‘It’s fine.’ Sam raised his hand in a placating gesture Tino had seen him use in court. ‘I’m more than pleased to offer my services.’
    Services? Did he mean sexual?
    Tino felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. ‘Would somebody like to fill me in here?’ He sounded abrupt, but clearly someone had to protect his little brother from these weird females.
    ‘Miller has to go away on a work weekend and she needs a partner to keep a nuisance client at bay,’ her friend Ruby explained helpfully.
    Tino eyed Miller’s stiff countenance. ‘Tried telling him you’re not interested?’ he drawled.
    She snapped her startling eyes to his and once again he found himself mesmerised by their colour and the way they kicked up slightly at the corners. ‘Now, why didn’t I think of that?’
    ‘Sometimes the things right in front of us are the hardest to see,’ he offered.
    ‘I was joking .’ She looked aghast that he might have taken her sarcastic quip seriously and it made him want to laugh. It wasn’t too difficult to see why she was in need of a fake partner, and he revised his earlier assessment of her.
    She might be pert and blessed with an angel’s face, but she was also waspish, uptight and controlling. Definitely not his type after all.
    ‘Aren’t you taking a client out on Dante’s yacht this weekend?’ He reminded his brother of the expedition both he and Dante, their older brother, had been trying to drag him along to.
    Sam groaned as if he’d just been told he needed a root canal. ‘Damn, I forgot.’
    ‘Oh, really?’ Ruby sounded as if she’d been given the same news.
    ‘Okay—well, time to go,’ Miller interjected baldly.
    Tino wondered if she was truly thick, or just didn’t want to see what was clearly going on between her friend and his brother.
    ‘You do it.’
    Tino’s eyes snapped to Sam’s.
    ‘You said you were looking for something different to do this weekend. It’s a great solution all round.’
    Tino looked at his brother as if he had rocks in his head. His manager and the team owner had told him to take time out this weekend and do something that would get his mind off the coming