“Of course. You were in the army. A sergeant, I believe. How…interesting. How did you come to join up?”
His lips twitched. “It was suggested it might be a good career move.”
“And they didn’t suggest officer training?”
“No, ma’am.” He glanced at Lexi, gave her a brief grin. “I was seventeen and I hadn’t done too well at school. I somehow doubt they would have taken me.”
Which was true. He’d left school with absolutely no qualifications, mainly because he’d spent so much time playing truant, looking after his little sister. When he was seventeen, his sister had been taken into care and his mother had disappeared.
He’d been entirely alone in the world, feeling a total failure, and powerless to do anything for Evie. He’d lost her, and he hadn’t really cared what he did next. But the army had worked for him. He’d loved the order, which had been totally lacking in his life up until that point. And he’d been good, had moved quickly through the ranks and finally been offered a place in the Special Air Services, the most elite regiment in the army.
“Well, I suppose we can’t all be brilliant,” Melissa said. “I’m sure you have other talents.”
Yeah, I know at least twenty ways to kill you with my bare hands.
Perhaps he should offer to demonstrate. Luckily, the food arrived at that moment and distracted him from the temptation.
They were all watching him as if waiting for him to make some huge social gaffe. It didn’t bother him. The food was actually very good.
“And where do you come from?” Daniel asked.
“South London. A council estate.”
“Really? And your parents?”
He finished the last mouthful of his seafood salad, put down his knife and fork, and sat back. He caught Lexi’s gaze, gave her a wink, and her eyes widened. “I didn’t know my father.” His mother had once told him he was an American sailor she’d met at a party, who’d vanished out of her life at the point he’d been told he was going to be a father. “My mother is still around somewhere.” He’d never forgive her, would be happy if he never saw her again as long as he lived, but he didn’t need to share that. He curved his lips into what he hoped was a warm smile. “Lexi is all the family I need.”
“Aw, isn’t that sweet,” Harry muttered.
Josh turned a bland gaze on him and imagined a quick chop to the throat.
“But you’ve left the army now?”
“Yes.”
“And you probably feel you don’t need to work,” her grandmother said. “Lexi no doubt has enough money to keep you happy.”
“Yes, but I like to keep busy and out of Lexi’s hair. You can’t spend all your life in bed.” There was a shocked silence, and he almost grinned. “Just most of it.” He dropped his gaze to the swell of her breasts, then lifted it back to her face. She’d hardly touched her food. “Eat up, honey. You need your strength for later.”
Her lips twitched, but she sent him a warning glare. Was he going too far? But hell, he was almost having fun. And he had taken money from Lexi. He would have struggled to start the business without the cash she had given him. That made him feel a little uncomfortable.
“So what do you do to keep busy?” Melissa asked.
“I work in…security.”
“Well, I suppose there are limited options for a man like you,” Daniel murmured.
He’d so like to smash his fist into that smug face right now. The thought surprised him. He’d always been in total control of his emotions. “Yeah, but the job’s okay, and I like the uniform. It saves me having to make difficult decisions first thing in the morning.”
A little snort escaped Lexi. Then she tightened her lips and shot him another warning glare.
He sent her an I’ll-be-good look in return. But these people wound him up.
Their main courses arrived then. He had chicken. Lexi had some sort of vegetarian option, and she glanced at his plate disapprovingly.
“It’s organic,” he said. “It said so on the menu. This chicken probably had a great life.”
“Before it met its untimely end,” she replied.
They all ate in silence for a few minutes, which was a relief. Josh sipped his single glass of wine, but he couldn’t quite enjoy his chicken. He ate a bread roll instead and watched Lexi nibble at her vegetables. Finally, she stopped even making a pretense at eating, put down her knife and fork and picked up her glass of wine, drained it in one gulp, and held it out for more. Once the waiter had refilled it, she took a ladylike sip and then turned to face her grandmother. “You said you had something to discuss?”
Her grandmother wiped the napkin delicately across her lips. “Actually, Daniel has a favor to ask you.”
“He does?”
“Only a little one. I’m sure you’ll find no hardship.”
Lexi’s expression remained bland, but her fingers tightened around the glass.