Page 26 of Right With You
I giggled at the thought of what Kenny Carmichael would say. The man was the most excitable, hilarious person and yet so full of what seemed like genuine love for his friends and the people around him, it was delightful instead of annoying or tiresome.
“I look forward to that.”
He seemed pleased by this, but his expression shifted as I took another bite.
“Before we finish, let’s talk specifics. One concern I have is the presentation of our engagement.”
“As in… how we look together? If the main event is the Silver Ridge Charity Gala, I may need some help with what to wear, but I clean up okay.” A bit of my self-esteem crumbled at his concern, but his hand shot out, stopping just short of mine on the table.
“I’m not at all concerned about what you’ll wear, but of course I’ll provide whatever attire is necessary. You won’t incur any expenses in that regard. I meant more that typically, an engaged couple would touch.”
His gaze found mine, and the meeting of our eyes combined with that word from his lips—touch, touch, touch—sent my pulse climbing.
“Oh, of course. But um, what were you thinking?” And had it gotten hot in here? Had Luis suddenly cranked the heat despite the spring air warming the evening already? Had my shirt shrunk to a size smaller than when I walked in?
We’re standing in a packed ballroom and he’s holding me close as we dance in what feels like slow motion. The crowd around us blurs and he’s running the pad of his finger along my bare shoulder. I’m in a strapless ballgown akin to Belle’s in the animated movie and he is, inexplicably, wearing aPhantom of the Operastyle mask. He dips his head and runs his nose along the line of my jaw, then?—
“We’d need to hold hands. I’d put a hand on your shoulder or back, maybe, to walk next to you. Normal things a couple would do in a relationship.” His throat bobbed, almost like he had to gulp down anything else instead of continuing.
I took a large drink of my margarita and promptly found the bottom, ice clanking around in the glass, so I set it down and touched a napkin along my lips as though I were dainty and delicate and not someone who typically simplywipedmy mouth. The prospect of being on display in front of Luc’s extremely wealthy family suddenly made me mindful of just about everything.
Straightening my spine and pulling my shoulders back, I held my head higher and banished the slouch I favored too easily when sitting. When I met his gaze, he’d been waiting patiently for my response.
“That’ll be fine. I’ll just… I’ll just need some practice.”
Against my wishes, my cheeks heatedas a version of him in a mask with his dark hair slipping over his forehead in a roguish wave pressed me closer and coasted his lips along my neck in that make-believe ballroom in my head. He practices kissing me there, practices lacing our finger together, practices slipping his hands into my hair and dismantling the artful updo some kind talking wardrobe or feather duster worked hard on…
Yikes, that’s a lot.
I ducked my head to take another bite of my dwindling dinner, hoping he wouldn’t notice.
“Of course. I will, too. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a… relationship.”
Fleetingly, I wondered if maybe I wasn’t the first woman he’d been fake—or maybe even real—engaged to, based on that hesitation beforerelationship.
“Me, too.” He seemed to know about Callum—or if he hadn’t known before he interrupted our confrontation days ago, he certainly did now. If we were talking about ahealthyrelationship, I wasn’t sure I’d ever been in one of those.
The waiter came to take our now-empty plates, and we chatted lightly, not pushing back into the main topic of conversation. He took the bill and paid it before I could put up a fight, and I hated myself for being secretly relieved he’d done so.
Which was a great reminder of exactly why this wasn’t a real relationship. I didn’t want someone to take care of me, and the fact that I felt a twinge of relief was proof I was my mother’s daughter. Until I managed to bury those roots completely, I wasn’t in any shape to be someone’s partner.
But in this scenario, I didn’t have to worry about all of that, did I? I’d have the distraction of getting to know this beautiful man and the opportunity to help someone. I could shove the tendency for self-preservation down because this wouldn’t put me in danger. This was all for a goal and it had nothing to do with my financial gain or marital status. It had, ultimately, very little to do with me at all, except that I happened to be the woman he’d asked.
We walked out of the restaurant, and I could’ve sworn the heat of his hand hovered just behind me, but with a glance, there was nothing. Outside, he turned to me, peering down and seeming surprisingly tall. Was it because we were standing closer than usual? Or had I just not noticed? He had at least six inches on me, maybe more, but tonight it felt more significant.
“We’ll do this again. You tell me when you can so we can get to know each other better. Until then…” He held out his hand.
I swallowed and felt the pulse in my neck and at my temple in an instant, but I slipped a hand into his large, warm, dry one.
All that rushing, anxious energy in me ceased. The air around us must’ve stilled because the space between us, the sounds, the bustle… everything stopped. Our hands shook once, up and down, and I watched as though they belonged to strangers.
He released me. I swallowed hard and wished him good night, my voice all but missing, and walked home with his softbonne soiréefluttering at my ears.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Luc
Twenty-four hours later, I’d reached out to Elise to schedule our next meeting.
