Truth of Touch (Templer Series 2) Read Free Page B

reality, thinking of my own reasons for avoiding relationships. Feisty, strong Mia Fox doesn’t want to get hurt either…..she is scared. But that’s just between you and me, ok?
    ***
    Tilly is excitedly telling me about an upcoming new Hotel opening. Templer Industries, of which Drew is the CEO and Jake is the Head of Design Engineering, is a family owned multi million pound organisation who win bids to design and create exclusive hotel complexes. Their latest project has its grand opening this weekend in Shoreditch, attended by the Mayor of London. All the Templer siblings will be there, including Amber the youngest sibling and adored sister of Jake and Drew. Tilly is nervous about meeting her for the first time.
    “I’m really not sure, honey” I’m trying to make excuses. Tilly wants me to attend the opening with her. The fact is I don’t want to see Jake again.
    “But you have to come! Please! It will be fun….and Drew asked me to invite you!”
    “ You will have fun. And be with Drew all night. I’ll be left like a spare prick at a wedding!” I mock scowl in response.
    “No you won’t! Drew and Jake will be busy a lot of the time with the media, press and everything. Besides, having Miss Mia Fox attend the event will really help the publicity. Please, for me?”
    I sigh in resignation. The rest of the call is spent on girly essentials….what to wear….you know the drill.
    ***
    Saturday
    I’m regretting this dress. Jonathon the stylist from my last photo shoot assured me that it was so me . And despite the tit tape, my breasts are still threatening to run for freedom from the plunging neckline. I have spent the last hour at this event having men struggle to talk to my face. But at least Tilly was right. The Press have fallen over themselves to shoot me at every angle in every room, and this publicity for Templer Industries and Drew can only be a good thing. You owe me, Tilly Teague….
    Amber is a delight. And the three of us have bonded almost instantly, much to the relief of Tilly. Amber is as striking as her brothers, with a fiercely independent streak which attracts me to her even more. I know I have found a new friend, and as we both live in London, will help ease the loss I feel at Tilly now living in Cornwall.
    I have managed to avoid talking to Jake all evening. I have felt his presence and caught him watching me occasionally….. or my breasts in this dress …..but we have circled around deliberating moving in opposite directions. The event is heading toward its natural close with only the speech from Drew, and the cutting of the ribbon by the Mayor, remaining before I can disappear to my ‘Honoured Guest’ suite and breath out the tension which has been plaguing me since I arrived.
    ***
    I decide to leave Tilly and Amber chatting and head to the bar for a quiet ‘real’ drink away from the throng of people in the main event rooms. The bar is gloriously empty with the barman leaning on his worktop pursing his lips in boredom. He looks relieved to have a customer as I enter.
    “Good evening ma’am…..what can I…?” He beams at me but is interrupted by a deep voice from behind me.
    “The lady will have an ice cold bottled beer, no glass. Make that two.”
    I spin around at the sound of Jake’s voice. I had not been aware of him anywhere in my vicinity, and certainly not heading to the bar! He smiles the broadest grin at me and moves his body too close into my personal space.
    “I might have wanted something else to drink!” I retort, stepping backwards into a stool, widening my comfort zone.
    He smirks at me. ”No, you didn’t, Mia. You need a beer, same as me” He moves in even closer, before raising his hand, running a singular finger from my neck down between the exposed skin of my breasts in this damn dress. “Are you trying to kill me with this dress?” He groans roughly in my ear.
    His words shoot straight to my sex causing a breath to trap in my throat. I glare at him,