Her pretty blush would certainly make it into tonight’s papers. As would the way she steeled herself, like a woman boosted by love. Like a woman in love.
He should be pleased she could play the part so well.
‘Fine. You told me you were more than happy to have sex with other women. Just not me.’
He laughed then. To his ears the sound was hollow and full of disbelief, yet the restaurant diners seemed oblivious to the undercurrent at his table. The not-so-covert stares only became all the more indulgent. As if they truly believed they were watching a couple happy to be together.
But what are they watching?
He hastily muffled the voice in his head. But it was too late.
‘Is that why you were angry? Upset?’ He caught her chin in his hands, not too roughly but enough to force her to look at him, to read the truth in his gaze. ‘I said I didn’t care if the world saw me with any of those other women, or read those ridiculous kiss and tells. But I never wanted the media to gossip about you in that way. You deserve better. However, I did not say I didn’t want to have sex with you. We both know nothing could be further from the truth.’
She didn’t want to believe him so easily. He could read her like the latest medical journal. But she was wavering, and that could only be a good sign. Abruptly, he was filled with the urge to convince her, to reassure her. As though what was between them was real and not just a charade.
‘I want you, Alex. Fervently. I want you any way you can imagine, and probably a fair few you can’t. You have no idea how close I was to losing myself right out there on that runway. I don’t lose myself, Alex. I never lose myself. That’s why I was so mad.’
‘I lost myself, too,’ she whispered after a moment, a hot flush blooming on her cheeks.
It was adorable. She was adorable.
Before he could stop himself, he leaned across the table and kissed her. Her response was as perfect as it was instantaneous. She made him feel like a king.
‘I promised myself I wouldn’t go there again.’ She smiled ruefully, her eyes sliding to the flashbulbs that were going crazy outside the windows. ‘Especially in front of them out there.
It was a jolt to realise that he’d almost forgotten about the press, too caught up in Alex herself. He should take a step, regroup. Only he couldn’t, he was enjoying this far too much. He couldn’t help it. He toyed with the stem of his glass.
‘So what happened?’
‘You happened.’ She managed to make it sound exciting and irritating at the same time. ‘I was all set, I had my speech all prepared...’
He frowned. ‘Your speech?’
‘About how that morning could only be a one-night stand.’
This time his laugh was genuine, if a little regretful.
‘I’d hardly call it that. We got interrupted.’
‘Which was a good thing,’ she assured him, but the way she refused to meet his eyes told him she didn’t even believe her own words.
‘Liar.’ He slid his hand across the table and took hers. It could have been part of the act, but it wasn’t. You wanted that morning as much as I did.’
Her teeth worried at her lip before she offered a sheepish smile.
‘Perhaps.’
Sweet. Perfect. Alex.
Before he knew what he was doing, Louis slid out of his seat, his hand drawing the ring box from his inside suit pocket. As though his body knew what he was doing even before his brain did. As though he was acting on instinct and desire, rather than their carefully laid plans.
As though he was only partly playing the part.
And he knew Alex felt it too. The expression on her face certainly wasn’t as composed or cool as it would have been if she hadn’t been as caught up as he was.
He told himself that it was a good thing that it made their charade all the more convincing.