Theron could not believe what he was seeing.
Of all the men in the world… why was she standing that close to him?
Aveline, of course, had no awareness of Theron at all. She was far too occupied, far too captivated, by the stranger in front of her, who now regarded her with a faint, curious amusement.
Hamilton shifted restlessly inside her pocket, and she absently patted her side to calm him.
"You're beautiful," she repeated, as if it were something that simply needed to be said.
If no one else had ever told him, then perhaps she should.
This time, the man's expression changed.
That faint smile, the one that hadn't quite reached his eyes to begin with, faded completely. His gaze sharpened, turning colder, more assessing, as though he were looking at someone who had just crossed a line without realizing it.
"You don't like it?" Aveline asked, tilting her head slightly. "But it's a compliment."
The audacity.
He could hardly believe it.
