Page 176 of The Grand Duel

I walk into my flat and place them on the side, plucking the card from the arrangement.

Very beautiful, Lis.

I roll my eyes and let my smile free, my mind going back to the list all over again. I take the card with me and head into my bedroom, pick out a strapless black midi dress and a bag, and then have a shower.

Charles arrives at seven fifty-nine on the dot, and I have to school my features as I pull open the door and behold him.

He has his head dipped at first, maybe not expecting me to answer the door so quickly. When he lifts it, his eyes locking on mine before they light up and then rake down my body, I realise that he didn’t expect me to open the door at all.

“Hi,” I say, briefly noting how perfectly his black shirt fits across his firm chest.

There’s something about knowing what his body can do, what it’s done to my own, that makes my stomach twist up in knots.

“You’re ready,” he says, clearing his throat.

“I’m never late,” I tell him, shifting on my feet when the weight of his stare doesn’t waver. “You look nice.”

His brows lift before he leans in and kisses my cheek, his hands holding then lingering on my waist. “And you look breathtaking.”

I roll my eyes, but my cheeks heat under my makeup, giving me away. I reach for my bag that sits on the arm of the sofa and then walk through the door. He steps back to make just enough room so that I can turn and lock it.

“You’re full of compliments today,” I say.

“Do you not want to put your flowers in some water?”

I peer over my shoulder and internally cringe. I think I chucked them in the sink when I came in…did he see them? “I can do it when I get home.”

He nods, watching me, and then, “You don’t like flowers.”

I walk ahead of him and out through the front door.Crap. “Is that a statement or a question?” I ask, wrinkling my nose at him apologetically.

His lips twitch at the corners. “Statement. Noted.”

I purse my lips, and walk to his car, wondering if he’ll add that to the list.

Dislikes flowers

He tries to get the door for me, but I’ve already reached for it, pulling it open.

He reaches my side and sighs, a little defeated.

I peer up at him. “Sorry.” I step back, kicking it shut with the pad of the Christian Louboutins he bought me in Italy.

He eyes them, smirks, and then pulls open the door.

“Thank you,” I tell him, my smile teasing.

I slide inside and wait for him, allowing myself a couple of seconds to revel in all that is Charles Aldridge as he rounds the car.

I frown as I watch him, tilting my head to one side. My eyes drop from his perfectly styled hair to his dark, fitted shirt.

When he gets in, he looks down at me. “What?”

I lean across the car and reach for his buttons, undoing the two below the top which he’d left. “You have a really attractive neck.”

“Neck?”

I let my fingers smooth over the hot skin. “Hmm. It’s so big, and you’re all tanned.” I drag my hand back and smile up at him, shrugging as my cheeks continue to burn. “That’s better.”