Page 182 of Modern Romance June 2025 5-8

‘I hate to be pedantic, but is it still called a relationship if it’s only a one-night hook-up?’

‘Isn’t any interaction with another human being, no matter how short, a relationship of sorts?’

She found it hard to hold his gaze even as inscrutable as it was. The philosophical turn the conversation had taken secretly delighted her. She loved nothing better than a deep and meaningful discussion, hence her aversion to shallow small talk.

‘Good point,’ she said, nodding slowly in agreement. ‘But how do you keep your feelings out of it? Asking for a friend.’

His smile was like a light coming on after a blackout. It transformed his face, softening his stern features, making him seem younger and far less intimidating.

‘Tell your friend that it takes less work as the years roll on. I don’t even think about it now when I hook up with someone. It’s purely a physical thing.’

There was one part of her that was sitting there wondering what the hell she was doing talking about hook-ups with Vic Jacobetti, but another part was fascinated by his ability to control his feelings to that degree. She was good at controlling her feelings too, but they were still there under the surface, even if she didn’t show it on her face. Shefeltthem. She wasalwaysconscious of them. They were deep down inside her, as deep as a kelp forest anchored to the ocean floor, its long fronds waving and flowing and twisting and turning with the tides of life. Sometimes, when she was alone, they could softly brush at her ankles, that brief touch setting off a panic she had to work hard to shut down otherwise she could become entangled and pulled under. Even that imagined touch of the tentacle-like fronds was a visceral reminder of their lurking presence, their power to drown her.

She couldn’t imagine getting naked with someone and not feeling anything…well, apart from shame, but of course she didn’t want to talk about that.

Vic was trying not to think about all the work he had to put on hold while he accompanied Addie Featherstone to look after their goddaughter, Katerina. He was also trying not to think about how sweet and shy and unassuming Addie was, especially compared to the women he associated with in his so-called private life. His life was not as private as he would have liked—it was too hard to avoid the attention when he owned one of the most successful hotel chains in the world. But success was his badge of honour, the way he honoured the memory of his late father who had founded the company.

Spending a few days at his Lake Como villa with Addie was the only solution he could come up with at short notice. The only solution he knew Marcus and Isabella would be content with given Marcus and Addie’s mother was not the grandmotherly type. It was hard to believe Addie was Solange’s daughter. Addie was not unattractive by any means, but she didn’t have the stop-the-clock features and figure of her mother. Her quieter beauty and personality were strangely soothing to be around.

The first time he met her he had been shocked at how different she was from her mother. Shocked in a nice way, that was. Solange was over-the-top in everything she did—how she looked, how she acted, how she made sure she was the centre of attention. But Addie was nothing like that. She was so reserved and buttoned-up and yet he couldn’t help noticing the way she revealed things about herself in a touchingly unguarded way. He suspected he intimidated her, which was certainly not his intention, but then many people found him intimidating. He didn’t apologise for it. He made no allowances for it. He wouldn’t have achieved the things he had achieved without being a little ruthless and hard-headed at times. But Addie’s lack of artifice and guile was refreshing, a change from the artfully sophisticated women he bedded on a regular basis. Not that he was going to bed Addie, of course. That would be crossing a line he did not intend to cross. She was his friend’s little sister. Forbidden. Off limits. Not on his radar. Not his type. And yet…something about her intrigued him, made him keen to know more about her. Like why she was so understated about her appearance, why she seemed so determined to melt into the background rather than be noticed.

But he had noticed.

He had to keep his head buried in his paperwork to stop himself studying her elfin features, to stop himself staring at the sweet contour of her full-lipped mouth, the gentle slopes of her cheeks and her retroussé nose with its sprinkling of freckles like nutmeg on a dessert.

Yes, he had noticed her, but it didn’t mean he was going to do anything.

Addie Featherstone was forbidden. Tempting, alluring, intriguing but forbidden.

CHAPTER TWO

They arrived atthe airport a few minutes later but Addie soon realised Vic hadn’t booked them on a commercial flight. They whipped through check-in and security in record time. She’d been on private jets a few times before with her mother, so this was not exactly a new experience. It wasn’t as over-the-top as other jets she had been on, but it certainly was luxurious in a simple and understated way.

Sinking into the plush leather seat opposite Vic’s, she wondered if she should have taken the one next to him so she wouldn’t be in his direct line of vision. She had never spent so much time alone with him before. She found him intriguing but intimidating because he was so difficult to read. Was he thinking how unlike her stunning mother she was? Her mother was an exotic flamingo. Addie was a common brown sparrow. Was he thinking how socially inept she was compared to her older brother? Her brother could work a room like it was a sport and he was the current world champion. She, on the other hand, melted into the background and left the room as quickly as she could.

‘Is this the way you always travel?’ she asked, more for the desire to fill the silence than needing to know.

‘Yes. I’m not fond of commercial flights.’ Vic looked down to click his seatbelt into place and looking at her again, continued with an arch of one dark brow. ‘You don’t approve?’

Addie gave a tiny shrug of one shoulder. ‘I’m hardly in a position to criticise. I’ve flown on private jets with my mother a few times.’ She twisted her mouth and added, ‘Mostly because my father changed his mind about having me to stay with him and she didn’t have enough time to make other arrangements.’

His dark eyebrows moved closer together over his even darker eyes. ‘Their divorce wasn’t amicable?’

She gave a tinkle of laughter, but even to her own ears it sounded fake, which it was. ‘Understatement. But I’m sure Marcus has told you all about it.’

‘He’s told me surprisingly little.’

It was her turn to frown. ‘Aren’t you two close friends?’

‘There are some things even close friends don’t talk about.’

‘Well, I wouldn’t know because I don’t have a lot of close friends.’ She bit her lip, immediately regretting her unfiltered admission. Why was she making an idiot of herself by telling Vic Jacobetti about her lack of a close network of friends to hang out with after work and on weekends? She spent most weekends alone or worked extra shifts at the clinic so the other staff could spend time with their loved ones. Besides, the companionship of animals comforted her, gave her a purpose she lacked in her private life. She had no fear of animals turning against her or using her as a means to an end like that boyfriend tried to do when she was fifteen. With animals, what you saw is what you got. They didn’t have agendas or devious plans to manipulate you. They took you as you were, accepted you and trusted you to take care of them. She was proud of her ability to soothe a distressed dog or cat in the emergency clinic. She always handled the so called ‘difficult’ ones. She didn’t find them difficult at all. They were sensitive and they were hurting, and she knew how to help them feel safe and nurtured while under her care.

The jet began to move, and the pilot addressed them from the cockpit about travelling time and weather conditions on arrival. The interruption gave her a moment or two to compose herself, but she could still feel the burn of a blush lingering in her cheeks.

The jet took off and she looked out the window to see the winding and crinkled silver of the River Thames and the city of London in miniature. It looked like a fairyland at this time of night with its array of sparkling lights.

Vic stretched out his long legs and crossed his ankles, his gaze unwavering on her. ‘Why don’t you have any close friends?’

---