Anne Oliver - Maverick Millionaires 2 When He Was Bad...

Two months later

T HE wedding was held in Belles spacious home. Ellie wore a strapless cream gown shimmering with pearls, and a coronet of fresh spring flowers. She carried a bouquet shed designed herself, a fragrant selection of freesias and irises tied with a wide purple ribbon.

Belle, in an ice-blue ensemble, gave Ellie away, and Yasmine, stunning in an emerald sheath, was her only bridesmaid. Yasmines partner had flown in from Queensland the day before for the best mans duties.

Then Matts colleagues and friends, now her friends too, shared the lavish buffet meal that followed.

No expense had been spared. Crystal and silver, caviar and champagne. And flowersbowls of them on every available surface. A three-tiered cake towered in the centre of the room while a violinist, flautist and harpist performed one classical number after another.

Mrs McGregor. The voice behind Ellie was dark, sensual and husky as a large hand slipped around her waist.

She smiled and tilted her head to expose her neck. Yes, Mr McGregor?

He nibbled at her earlobe, careful to avoid the new diamond stud earrings hed presented her with yesterday. I have something for you.

Ah Mmm, yes, so you do, she murmured with a private grin. She could feel its hardness pressed intimately against her bottom. But itll have to wait a while. We have guests and I dont think Belle would approve of us doing a disappearing act before the first dance, do you?

Probably not. He chuckled. But thats not what I was referring to. He turned her around and placed a tall cylinder in her hand. These are the final plans for the kids centres renovations. Work starts next week.

Oh, yes, yes, yes! Holding it aloft, she did a quick pirouette. Thank you. Her smile faded as she looked into his eyes and her love spilled over. Matt McGregor, youre the best husband in the whole world. And I love you. For ever.

For ever.

Then he kissed her. Slowly, cleverly, meltinglyhot.

For ever.

I MAGINE him naked.

Ellie Rose barely heard her friends voice above the nightclubs musical din, but she recognised the lusty tone. She knew why. And she knew to whom she was referring. The six-foot-something male-model type standing not more than fifteen feet away. As the gyrating crowd parted briefly beneath the swirl of dimly coloured neon lights and bone-jarring bass, she was treated to her first full-length glimpse of him.

He was turned away from her, but she could see that he was tall and dark and She had a thing for cute rear ends. One butt cheek tightened and Nice, she thought with a little sigh that tickled like a guilty pleasure down to her toes. Very nice.

Then the crowd closed around him and she cursed her height-challenged five foot two. But no way was she admitting to ogling him with the same lustful thoughts her friend had voiced. She hadnt known Sasha long, but she did know that she was more than likely to up and invite him over. From what Ellie had observed, Sasha didnt wait for men to find her; she found them.

Ellie feigned ignorance. Who?

Sasha lifted her bottle of wine cooler in salute and raised her voice over the noise. You know perfectly well whothe guy up close with that tall chick in leather pants. Better still, imagine yourself naked with him.

Ellie could. Very well. Too well. On indigo satin sheets Except that the stunning brunette leaning in for a kiss insisted on sabotaging the image. Ellie swallowed and said in a ridiculously tight voice, Were not here to pick up guys. Were here to enjoy the music.

Speak for yourself. Sasha tipped her bottle to her lips. If you want to enjoy music, go see a musical. Uh-oh, I think hes looking at us, she said. At you, she amended as the crowd between them thinned. She pressed her knuckles into Ellies spine, prodded her forward. Hes coming this way. Go on. You could get lucky tonight. Sasha leaned closer, spoke into Ellies ear. Ask him if hes got any friends.

Ellies legs began to tremble. She didnt want to get lucky. Did she? No. Not with a guy who had the potential to make her want things she knew she couldnt have with a guy like him. He had permanent playboy written all over that cocky smile and confident stride.

He wore black trousers and a white open-necked shirt that reflected the ceilings changing light show. His hair was dark, short and spiked with a touch of gel in such a way that it looked as if hed just rolled out of his lovers bed. The designer platinum watch adorning his wrist screamed money, money, money.

The lighting changed to an intermittent strobeit seemed to flash in time to her pulseas he drew near. And then he was so close that a quick yank of her arm would bring him within lip-smacking distance, and it was like watching one of those flickering black-and-white movies.

His eyes were dark bottomless pools. Mesmerising, magnetic, reeling her in. Hi, there. Can I buy you a drink?

His voice, liqueur over dark chocolate, slid down deep, coating her insides with its lusciousness. She raised her all-but-empty bottle of cola. I already have one, thanks, and Im with a friend She trailed off as she saw Sasha making off into the knot of dancers, hips swaying. The rat. This little dinghy was doomed.

Looks like your friend knows how to have a good time, he said, his gaze following Ellies briefly before turning back to her. I havent seen you here before.

Because I havent been here before. Im not a regular clubber. Sasha had dragged her along despite her protests, insisting Ellie needed more fun in her life.

Lets make you one. He reached for her hand. Dance with me. A tingling sensation zipped all the way up her arm and settled low in her abdomen. His hand was warm, hard, firm. The way she imagined the rest of his body would feel. She recalled her sheet fantasyand the brunette. Tension gripped tight in her lower belly.

What about your friend? She slipped her hand from his. Smoothed the tingly palm over her little black dress. Hitched her miniscule embroidered bag higher on her shoulder.

Uh-oh. Big mistake, voicing that observation, because now he knew shed been checking him out. But he couldnt know what shed been thinking

Or perhaps he did, because he grinnedthe way a man like him would grin if he knewand Ellie wished shed never given him the satisfaction.

Yasmines a colleague, he said, that sexy confident grin still in place. I havent seen her for a while. Ive been working in Sydney.

Hence, the up close and personal, Ellie supposed. She darted a quick glance behind him. She saw a well-endowed blonde in a white halter neck watching him with avaricious intent, but she could no longer see Yasmine. Or maybe her name wasnt Yasmine at all; maybe shed just given this guy the flick and hed moved on to his next targetEllie. She didnt know him; he could be lying, looking for an easy lay.

And when it came right down to it, who here wasnt?

She wasnt.

Her body wanted, desperately, to refute that claim with him but she injected the zap of excess hormonal energy into her spine instead, straightened and stuck to something inanely neutral. Youre from Melbourne originally?