Resisting Mr. Kane (London Mister #2)(34)

“I thought the Welsh could drink as well as the Irish.” Amy grins.

“I’m a lightweight.” I gawk around as we make our way to the bar. Waiters flit between groups of thrilled trainees, serving food and drinks. It’s more decadent than the last wedding I was at.

“Canapé?” a waiter asks, holding out the tray to us.

“What are they?” Amy asks suspiciously as Sophie orders our drinks. “I’m a pescetarian.”

He points to the first dish. “This is smoked eel, golden beet, and elderflower jelly.”

“Can pescatarians eat eels?” I ask, confused.

She wrinkles her nose. “I don’t think so. Although it’s not something I’ve been offered before.”

“This one…” the waiter points to the next dish “…is the cured salmon caviar with violet flower. Finally, we have the French Laundry Salmon Tartare Cornets.”

I give him a blank stare.

“It’s a running joke.” Sophie laughs and hands me a beer. “Tristan Kane has very exquisite eating habits. He controls the restaurant and bar menus, to the annoyance of the chefs.”

“Sounds like a psycho.” Amy stares at the tray as the waiter waits patiently. “And he chose eel?”

“I’ll have all three.” I hold out my plate and take the bizarre little canapés. “It’s my right as a new trainee to accept all free food and drink.” Even if it does flare up my Crohn’s. Just like Amy I’ve never needed to research the effects of eel on a dodgy bowel.

“Brave,” Amy says. They watch me put the elderflower jellied eel in my mouth.

It’s surprisingly refreshing.

“Gross.” Sophie screws up her face and changes the subject. “Did you hear we are taking on the Maria Garcia case? It’s all over the news. Have you been following it?”

I nod, picking apart the violet flower. I’m not sure if it’s edible. “The Garcias were a bit of a celebrity couple in South America.”

“It’ll be an interesting case,” Sophie says.

More interesting than the cases I’m working on in the Financial Services sector, but I can’t say that out loud or I’ll sound ungrateful. Helping banks with regulatory demands and public policy wasn’t the thing that I imagined myself doing four years in university for. But my foot is in the door…even if I can’t stay at Madison Legal for longer than the trainee term.

“Oh my God.” Sophie gasps, flapping her hand and nearly flipping my plate. “I can’t believe he’s here.”

My heart stops for a beat as I absorb her words. I already know who he is because there’s only one person in the company who makes everyone’s voice go up a notch.

He’s by himself. Spines throughout the room gain a few inches as everyone attempts to be noticed by him.

My hand curls tightly around the beer glass.

The atmosphere immediately changes, like the Prime Minister has just walked in. Even HR and the senior lawyer babysitters seem excited. He looks like he’s walked straight out of Savile Row in a suit so sexy he should be gracing GQ magazine.

The three of us watch from the sidelines as junior and senior lawyers cluster around him.

I step behind Amy, trying to make myself inconspicuous.

“Does he use this bar often?” Amy asks, watching the scene.

“He does,” Sophie confirms. “Just rarely with the employees, only with management, and he never attends trainee drinks. In fact, this is a first time as far as I’ve heard. How exciting! Airtime with Tristan Kane.”

“He’s easy on the eye, isn’t he?” Amy murmurs.

I stiffen. “Hadn’t noticed.”

Sophie’s eyes widen. “You must be tired.”

“Or blind,” Amy adds. She’s right, it’s clear as day that the man is heartbreakingly handsome.

I watch people hover around him with a tightness in my chest. Some of the women are blatantly flirting. If I succumb to his advances, I’ll just be another girl unable to resist Tristan Kane. Do you realise that, you fool?

He works the room starting in the opposite corner. I don’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. I let my eyes briefly skirt over to his to find I already have his attention. When our eyes meet across the crowd, he gives me a slow sexy smile like a private acknowledgement passing between us. As if he knows the power his gaze has over me.

My breath catches in my throat, and I look away, flustered.

“Let’s get more drinks,” Sophie suggests.

We nod at that fantastic idea and gravitate back towards the bar.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tristan cosying up to one of the senior lawyers. The striking redhead stands out across the room. Mara, I think her name is. She’s tall and sexy beside him, a perfect match. He says something, and she laughs loudly, tilting her head back to reveal her neck. Flirting 101. A pang of jealousy shoots through me.

I swallow the lump in my throat. I’ve got no claim on him. Of course, he’s going to flirt with gorgeous women. How many women in this company has he really propositioned?

I turn my back to him. Out of sight, out of mind.

“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll have champagne,” I announce to Sophie when she starts to order our next round at the bar.