The Pretend Fiancé

“I told you. I looked up information about Mexico.”

“And decided to memorize facts about the gulf? Really?”

“I’m a Renaissance man, what can I say? I like you and want to spend more time with you. I’m not saying I’m ready to settle down because I’m not, but that shouldn’t be an obstacle for us. Not when I want you this much,” he grinned.

> He was so damn appealing when he grinned that something inside her lurched terribly.

“I like you, Harvey. I’d like to be with you, but I don’t trust it.”

“So don’t trust it, whatever IT is. Trust me instead. I’m not going to do you wrong, honey. There’s no risk of that. I’m exactly what you think I am—a rich guy who’s slept around too much and spends most of his time at work. Who doesn’t appreciate dessert and who works out to keep from thinking about you all the time.”

“Really?”

“Sexual tension, as you termed it, comes with a truckload of extra physical energy. I had to do something to keep my hands off you.”

“Why? I mean, why did you keep your hands off me? I’ve wanted them to be on me,” she said, a little bashfully, her cheeks flushing.

“Then definitely come upstairs with me. We have things to settle, and I think my hands would like very much to be on you.”

She giggled, a feeling of joy rising in her, a belief blooming in her heart that maybe, just maybe a man like Harvey Carlson could learn to love a girl like her.

Chapter 17

They were happy. They spent the next day in bed together. He left Greta a message to cancel his meetings, that he needed a personal day. Then he turned off his phone and devoted all his considerable attention to awakening Bella’s body. He kissed parts of her that had most definitely never been kissed before. He made her laugh, and he made her scream, and he was everything to her. She thought of nothing else.

“There is only you,” she told him, still too afraid to admit she was falling in love, even to herself. He had kissed her then and told her she was his. These were the finest, most beautiful days she had ever known.

When he went to work, he called her, he messaged her, he sent her hilarious Snaps and even asked her opinion about business matters. She blazed through coursework faster than ever before, bringing in stellar grades and outpacing the syllabus to turn in assignments listed before the topics were even due. She felt that she was inside of a rainbow, swirls of brilliant color all around her and everything was easy and beautiful with Harvey by her side.

Weeks flashed by—a red carpet premiere in LA where Bella wore a Monique Lhullier ballgown and landed on a best-dressed list, a 5K to benefit a camp for terminally ill kids, a few awards dinners, and another charity auction. One Saturday, Harvey surprised Bella by chartering a hot air balloon to take her on a private picnic. The balloon was majestic—a deep blue to match the Arizona sky studded with stripes of pure white that made the blue seem all the bluer. As it inflated, the slack silken pouch billowing forth and upward as it filled like a great mushroom blooming to life, she gripped Harvey’s hand, amazed and thrilled to share it with him. She stared at the scenic views of the rugged desert landscape of Arizona.

“What do you think?” Harvey asked.

“I think you’ve officially blown my mind. It’s like seeing everything with a birds-eye view. What a magical experience. It’s exhilarating!”

He put his arm around her and kissed her lips softly.

The ride was peaceful and dreamlike.

Fabrice had packed them a lunch fit for kings—a feast of all her favorite delicacies which they would share wherever they landed. The sheer pleasure of drifting along lay ahead of them, with no schedule and no photographers. They could be ‘just us, no cameras’ as they had been that night during their fateful moonlit swim.

As he lifted her into the deep gondola below the voluminous balloon, he gazed deeply into her eyes.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said.

“Thank you. You’re so sweet.”

She felt humbled by his obvious adoration, felt as if they’d been smiled upon by the gods somehow to be so fortunate, and so happy at this moment. They held hands and kissed pointed to the buildings and hills down below them. The view grew ever more exquisite. She took dozens of pictures with her phone, even scrunching her face up beside his for a selfie.

“Are you going to tweet that for all our followers?” he teased.

“No, that one’s just for me,” she said with a sly wink, saving it to her online storage. She cuddled up against him, and he put his arm around her. It was chilly up high.

“I know we’ll picnic when we land, but I think this calls for a toast.”

“Champagne at a thousand feet? How glam,” she teased him, accepting the crystal flute after he poured her a drink. She sipped it gratefully and felt like the luckiest woman alive.

When he offered her more, she shook her head, claiming that the height of the balloon made her dizzy enough. He checked the altimeter and surveyed below for a suitable landing site. Slowly releasing air to lower the balloon, Harvey expertly negotiated the gondola to a gentle landing in an open space. He helped Bella from the basket, and they unpacked the picnic.