Page 149 of Lovers' Dance

She grabbed her purse, shaking her curls at him as she said, “Courting? Dude, it’s the twenty-first century. No one courts anymore.”

“And isn’t that a crying shame?” Matt replied, eyes roving at their leisure over her. Even with his jacket swamping her petite frame, she made the blood in his veins stir hotly. “If you keep dressing like that for our dates though, I might not last a week.”

She sent him a devious smile that softened into something which made his chest tighten.

“I fucking love you, Mr Matthew Bradley,” she finally said, holding her hand out to him.

“I know, poppet.” Matt took her hand and they moved towards the door. “I know.”

Matt walked into his parents’ luxurious home. Their new butler greeted him with surprise, he wasn’t expected. Matt brushed past the man with a brief nod of acknowledgment and hurried through his childhood home. It was Saturday morning and he had a pile of work waiting for him, but there was something else more important he needed to attend to.

“Matthew, darling, what are you doing here?”

Matt turned, smiling as his mother glided towards him. “Hi, Mum, how are you?”

She tilted her head up for the required kiss hello to which Matt obliged, the scent of her perfume triggering memories of a time long past when she would tuck him in at night before leaving for some function with his father. They were always out it had seemed. His childhood and, that of his elder siblings, had been managed by countless nannies and butlers, but he wasn’t bitter about it. It was simply the way things were done.

“Better now for having seen you,” she said, patting his cheek, then slipping her arm through his. “Have you come to see your father? If so, you’ll have to wait. He’s out for his morning ride.”

“Actually,” Matt allowed his mother to lead him towards one of the salons. “I came to see Grumps. Is he up and about yet?”

His mother snorted delicately. “Of course he is. The man never sleeps. It’s like having a young child again, constantly running around behind him.”

Matt arched an eyebrow at his mother but didn’t comment. She’d never run around after her own children. There was paid staff to do so.

“Have you eaten, darling? It’s only ten. I can have the chef prepare something for you.”

“I’m fine, Mum. Is Grumps in his room?”

She shook her head. “He’s in the smaller study…on the Internet. I’m sure he’s on one of those distasteful pornographic sites, Matthew.”

“Mum,” Matt exclaimed, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment and wishing he hadn’t heard that. “I don’t need to know what Grumps does in his private time. Christ! That’s an image I could do without.”

Portia Bradley laughed. Matt felt himself chuckling along with her. His mother could be charming when she wanted to be. She could also be as calculating as his father. No wonder they were still married, despite his father’s numerous affairs. Of course, they all acted with class and ignored his philandering. Also, his father was careful to ensure the shame of being an adulterer never tarnished his name. Hell, Matt had learnt how to be a womanizer from observing his father. Not quite the tradition a father should pass onto his son.

“Mum,” Matt said quietly. “I’d appreciate if you and Dad came over for dinner sometime soon. Madi would love to—”

“Oh, Matthew, you know how busy we are. Have you heard about Sonja’s husband? It’s been all over the news. Some shameful business about his expenses. These MP’s have had a hard time of late. They won’t be invited around here anymore. I told her years ago she shouldn’t have married that man. No breeding at all.”

Matt sighed softly at his mother’s behaviour. Her unwillingness to acknowledge his dinner invitation, plus her not so subtle change of topic, spoke volumes.

“I take it that’s a no to dinner?” Matt asked coolly.

She waved a dismissive hand through the air before saying, “We’ll see what happens, darling.”

Matt checked his irritation and flashed her a tight smile. “Fine. I’m off to find Grumps. I’ll probably be gone before Dad returns.”

“Why don’t you stay a bit longer? It feels as if we haven’t seen you for weeks. Adam stops by at least once a week, which is more than I can say for you,” she chastised.

“You know where I am, Mum. If you want to see me, call and we can arrange something.” Matt gave her cold eyes. “Like dinner, with my girlfriend.”

Her mouth tightened in distaste and Matt shook his head before walking away. He couldn’t deal with her right now.

A ride in the lift later, he knocked on his grandfather’s study. It was supposed to be a room for his nieces to use whenever they were there and needed to get their college work done, but Grumps had claimed the space as his own and no one dared complain.

“Enter.”

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