Page 263 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8
He watched her nod and sashay away, hips swaying in that dress. It didn’t matter if she was beside him or walking away, Celeste had a stranglehold on him.
Charlotte looked around, mentally noting all the businessmen and women she had only heard or read about. A few she had met thanks to being Enzo’s PA, and it was to one of them that she walked now.
‘Celeste Park! How good to see you.’ The tall brunette woman greeted her with kisses on her cheeks.
‘Lucia, it’s good to see you too,’ Charlotte replied, surprised that Lucia Bianchi remembered her at all. She had last seen her over a year ago, and Charlotte had only sat in on two meetings with her and Enzo. The thought made anxiety creep into her belly. She strove to be unmemorable, but she couldn’t panic here where there were witnesses. She looked away, trying to control her thoughts before they spiralled, and caught Enzo watching her. She saw his lips move as he continued his conversation, but his gaze stayed locked on her, his attention never wavering. The look in his bright green eyes settled her.
‘You look incredible!’ Lucia was saying. Charlotte tore her eyes from Enzo. ‘I’ve always thought you were wasted as Enzo’s PA—any chance I could steal you away?’
Charlotte forced herself to laugh. She didn’t want to be anywhere else. ‘I’m flattered, but probably not.’
‘Loyalty,’ Lucia remarked. ‘A rare commodity these days. Your boss is a lucky man.’
Charlotte didn’t have a moment to respond because Lucia was calling someone else over.
‘Charles, come here. I’d like you to meet someone.’
Charlotte watched as a young blond man with a lean build and hazel eyes joined them.
‘Charles Moreau, I’d like you to meet Celeste Park. Enzo De Luca’s PA,’ Lucia said in introduction, with a hand on Charlotte’s shoulder.
‘Pleasure to meet you,’ he said, and Charlotte noted his French accent.
‘And you,’ she replied amiably, feeling a little more anxious. She had to remind herself that in Europe, no one would know her. Celeste wasn’t her real name. No one would connect her to this event once she left.
‘Charles here is taking the finance world by storm,’ Lucia said, just as the music morphed into another melody.
‘Would you care to dance?’ Charles asked.
Charlotte felt a burn at the back of her neck and turned to find Enzo still watching her.
When she had seen him waiting at the elevators, something took flight in her belly. Enzo was utterly devastating in a tuxedo. The bow-tie and cummerbund had her fingers itching to touch him. And every time theyhadtouched, she felt scalded. Especially when he did nothing to hide the hunger in his gaze. The same hunger she saw now.
‘So, would you?’ Charles asked.
‘I’m sorry?’
‘Dance.’
‘Oh.’
It’s a bad idea, Charlotte.
‘I’d love to.’
Idiot.
Dancing with Charles would stop her looking at Enzo and distract her from the need growing in her core from his gaze. She took Charles’s hand as he led her to the dance floor and swayed with him. It had been a long time since she had danced with anyone, and it felt wrong now. Uncomfortable. As if she was forcing a square peg through a round hole.
‘This seems like a very nice perk of your job,’ Charles commented.
‘What’s that?’
‘Getting to travel the world with your boss. Attending balls. My own PA has the night off.’
‘What’s your point, Mr Moreau?’ Charlotte wasn’t sure if she liked the man just yet but was interested to see where the conversation would lead. She hadn’t been able to interact with people like Charles outside of Enzo’s office for years. And since she was letting the real Charlotte out to play just a little, she was determined to enjoy it. The real her liked this, liked being able to dance and chat and socialise. All of the things that had disappeared from her life once she became Celeste. She just needed to remember to be careful about what she exposed of herself and to whom.
‘Just that it’s interesting,’ Charles said, with a smile she didn’t quite trust. ‘I’ve been wanting a meeting with Enzo. Think you could schedule me in? He’s so rarely in Europe these days.’