He looked her in the eye. “That’s what my mother would like to believe.”
“Oh? And you were unaware of this expectation?”
He remained silent.
Obviously, he was refusing to incriminate himself, Pia thought acerbically. He knew anything he said could and would be used against him.
“It appears that your mother had more than an expectation.”
Michelene herself obviously did, too. And Pia recalled Lucy’s troubled expression yesterday in the Green Room. Had Hawk’s sister realized that Michelene’s unexpected appearance would present an awkward situation for her brother?
Hawk muttered something under his breath.
“You and Michelene seemed quite familiar yesterday!”
“You’re mistaking matters or else deliberately mis-characterizing them,” he responded in a clipped tone. “I recall remaining by the fireplace when Michelene appeared.”
“You know what I mean,” Pia said, feeling like stamping her foot—as childish as that might be. “And why should I believe anything that you tell me? You failed to mention Michelene’s existence to begin with.”
“I was involved with Michelene briefly after my brother’s death. Michelene had been considered an eligible candidate to be my brother’s future duchess.” Hawk shrugged. “I was stepping into my brother’s shoes, and Michelene was part of the package.”
And Pia wasn’t. She could hear the words as clearly as if they’d been spoken aloud.
As Hawk trailed off, Pia acknowledged the situation that he’d been in. He’d fallen into doing what had been expected of him. She could almost understand that.
And yet. “Your mother acts as if an engagement announcement is imminent. If I hadn’t stayed for the party at Lucy’s request, is that how I would have heard about Michelene? An engagement notice in the paper?”
Hawk’s engagement to another woman. She couldn’t help feeling hurt as well as betrayed. She’d told herself she’d be prepared for the end of their affair, but she hadn’t foreseen this.
“I am not engaged, I assure you,” Hawk shot back, looking frustrated. “I hadn’t planned a proposal or bought a ring.”
“Well, then, you’re running late,” she replied. “Michelene is waiting.”
She glanced down the hall. Someone could come at any time, interrupting and witnessing their argument. And he had to get back downstairs to the party. His absence would be noticed soon.
“Pia, you are the damnedest fe—”
“That’s right I—I am,” she responded. “I happen to be cursed with rotten luck as far as men are concerned. So much for fairy tales!”
“If you’ll just give me a chance—”
“That’s the problem,” Pia tossed back. “I have.”
She turned and started down the hall. “I can’t believe I was charmed a-and tricked by you again. How could I have let myself be such a fool?”
Hawk caught up with her and took hold of her arm again, forcing her to look up at him.
His face was set and implacable, and Pia got a glimpse of the part of him that had made a fortune in the span of a few short years.
“I did not trick you,” he grated.
A moment later, his lips came down on hers. The kiss packed all the potency of their past ones and then some.
She tasted the champagne on his lips, and inhaled the male scent of him. It was a combination heady enough to make her head swim, despite her anger.
Still, summoning an effort of will, she pulled away as soon as the kiss tapered off.
“You didn’t trick me?” she inquired, repeating his words as he raised his head. “Perhaps not. I suppose I tricked myself. All you did was let me.”