Page 20 of Wilder at Heart
I pull Nora into my arms and put my mouth to her ear so I can speak to her confidentially. She hesitates for a second before allowing me to pull her close, but her body is upright. Tense.
‘You are a fucking rockstar,’ I murmur. Fuck, she smells good. I reach up and brush some stray strands of hair away from her ear and over her shoulder, my fingers brushing the skin of her neck as I do. She shivers a little.
Or shudders.
I’m not sure which.
I keep whispering. ‘Mum loves you already, I can tell. And you haven’t even met Dad properly yet. You’re doing great. And I know Elle’s parents have adored you for years.’
‘Glad it’s working.’ She clears her throat and tentatively puts a hand on my chest. ‘You have a lovely family, you know. Do you not feel bad lying to them?’
I pull back in surprise, so I can see her face, because I can genuinely say it hasn’t even occurred to me to feel guilty. Perception is reality. I’m here with a lovely, wholesome girl and it’s making my family happy. When Nora and I ‘break up’ in a couple of months, it will hopefully be because I’ve upheld my end of the bargain and got her useless boyfriend back for her.
The best thing about that? It’ll look like she dumped me for the love of her life, and I’ll get all the sympathy. And what could be a better way for me to get over my heartbreak?
You’ve got it. A fresh start in the Big Apple, with hundreds of millions of dollars of hotel assets in my control.
Honestly. This plan is fucking flawless.
‘No,’ I tell Nora. My fingers brush along her collarbone. She gazes up at me, her huge eyes clear, their whites brilliant white. I could get used to this. Having her gaze up at me from inches away, that is. ‘I don’t feel guilty. Everyone’s happy. Honestly. Just relax and enjoy it, and know how grateful I am to you right now. I definitely owe you that dinner.’
She rolls those princess eyes at me. ‘Okay, fine. You’re a sociopath. I forgot. Well, I feel pretty shitty about deceiving everyone, but they’re not my family. So as long as you can sleep at night.’
I grin at her. ‘I sleep just fine, gorgeous.’ Over her shoulder, Miles and Dad are watching us. I give them a little wave and pullher in closer. ‘People are watching. Give your fake boyfriend a hug before lunch. Act like you’re actually into me.’
She rolls her eyes again, but I close the gap between us and fold her into my arms. My hand goes to the back of her glossy head and I pull it against my chest. After a pause, her arms go around my waist. I’ve lost the blazer, and her palms on my back are warm through my shirt. Grounding.
I rest my chin on the top of her head. It smells like sunshine. And once again, I congratulate myself on an all-round fan-fucking-tastic plan.
CHAPTER 7
Nora
Okay. So Theo’s going heavy on the physical contact. I can do this.
I think.
It’s probably because he’s incapable of basic human emotions like guilt or empathy and therefore has no reason to be nervous, but I have to admit he’s putting on a fantastic performance as an adoring boyfriend. Not only does he touch me in a way that’s natural, comfortable, but he’s sweet. Adoring.
The easy way he folds me into his body. The tenderness with which he gazes into my eyes. The softness of his fingertips when he strokes my skin (which he’s been doing alot). I suppose he’s pretty familiar with women’s bodies, but that’s different from being familiar with having a girlfriend, which I’m pretty sure he is not, so I’m surprised he takes to the role so effortlessly.
In fact, he’s so convincing that if he wasn’t Theo Montague, I’d be in danger of forgetting every touch, every smile, is fake.
I’d be in danger of lapping it all up. Because it’s weirdly natural. And weirdlynice, to be the sole object of a gorgeous man’s focus. Especially when you’ve been dumped by the only man who’s ever made you feel like this. I’ve amazed myself with my ability to get on board with this. To stand here in this lovelygarden and let someone I’m not in a relationship with cuddle me and fawn over me. It should be seriously surreal, but it’s only marginally so.
But he is Theo Montague, and I’d do well to remember that this guy is a total playboy, and that tens or maybe hundreds of women have fallen prey to that spellbinding smile. It’s easy to be intoxicated by his attention, even while disapproving of him, and his moral code in general, and his attitude towards women in particular.
I’ve always assumed his pickup strategy would be seriously sleazy, but he’s not being sleazy with me. He’s beingsweet, and that’s far more dangerous for a girl like me. Though I’m sure he’s smart enough to tailor his approach to the woman he’s targeting on any given day. Sweet presumably didn’t work for Trixie and Dixie. I must remind myself he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Or puppy dog’s clothing, as is the case on this sunny afternoon, surrounded by his family.
And I’ve seen his family’s reaction. It seems they’re not used to this side of their beloved Theo, either. I see it in the way his mum swallows a happy smile as she watches us, or his brother Stephen nudges Miles with a smirk when Theo hugs me and kisses my temple.
Now, as I stand there with his arms around me and my face pressed against that firm chest, breathing in the scent of fresh linen and sunshine on skin and intoxicating, unmistakable masculinity, he says what I’ve been thinking but would never give him the satisfaction of admitting.
‘You make it very easy to pretend, you know.’
I feign ignorance. ‘Hmm?’
‘This.’ His hand moves up my back to where the low dip at the back of my dress exposes my skin, and he slides his palm up it. ‘You’re gorgeous. It’s no hardship at all, groping you for show.’
