He stood close, his shadow falling over her. Molly instinctively stepped back, but before she could, he spoke: "We're still married. Watch yourself."
She studied his cold expression and realized he'd misread what happened inside.
She considered explaining, but the divorce settlement was already finalized. What was the point?
Besides, the hypocrisy was rich. He and Sibyl hadn't exactly been discreet.
She kept that thought to herself. The brooch was still in his possession. He'd promised to return it, but if she annoyed him, he could drag his feet for days, and she'd have no choice but to wait.
"Fine. I won't cause you any trouble," she said, her tone perfectly agreeable.
Miles looked down at her—the subtle makeup, the understated elegance, beauty without ostentation.
She'd been shy and eager to please before. Yesterday, sharp-tongued. Now, excessively compliant.
He couldn't tell which version was real.
"Are you leaving?" Molly asked. "I'll stay half an hour, then go."
She was being more than reasonable. They were getting divorced, yet here she was, maintaining appearances.
Miles swept her with a cool glance and returned to the room without a word. Clearly not pleased.
Molly thought he was impossible. She was doing him a favor, and he couldn't even manage a civil expression.
Back inside, she found Kirsten in the most secluded corner, and they talked quietly.
Kirsten seemed distracted. Molly followed her gaze.
Miles was smoking, the ember flickering at his fingertips. From this angle, his profile was arresting—the clean line of his jaw, the sharp planes of his face. The phrase raw magnetism came to mind.
"God, he's..." Kirsten breathed. "You should sleep with him. Otherwise it's just a waste."
Someone killed the music right at that moment.
The words hung in the sudden silence. Every pair of eyes in the room turned toward them, laden with speculation.
Awkward didn't begin to cover it.
Aside from Felix and a few others, no one here knew about her connection to Miles.
The guy who'd offered to lift her—Douglas James, she remembered—leaned forward with a smirk. "So, Ms. Harding, who exactly are you looking to sleep with?"
"Douglas, back off. None of your business," Felix cut in.
Douglas scoffed. "What's your problem? A woman this beautiful—can't a man express some admiration?" He winked at Molly. "I'm very well-behaved, you know."
The sleazy grin was almost too much to look at.