‘Hmm,’ Jake said, rubbing thoughtfully at his chin. ‘No sofa.’
Something in Jaz’s belly slipped like a Bentley on black ice. There were two gorgeous wing chairs in the bay window, and a plush velvet-covered love seat, but no sofa. ‘Right; well, then, we’ll have to use pillows,’ she said.
‘Pillows?’
‘As a barricade.’
He gave a soft laugh. ‘Your virtue is safe, sweetheart. I won’t touch you.’
Jaz rolled her lips together. Shifted her weight from foot to foot. Knotted her hands in front of her body where they were clutching her tote bag straps. Of course she didn’t want to sleep with him. He was her enemy. She didn’t even like him... Well, maybe a little. More like a lot. Why the heck didn’t he want to sleep with her? She hadn’t cracked any mirrors lately. She might not be his usual type but she was female and breathing, wasn’t she? Why was he being so fussy all of a sudden? He’d kissed her and she’d felt his reaction to her. He wanted her. She knew it as surely as she knew he was standing there. ‘What?’ she said. ‘You don’t find me attractive?’
He frowned. ‘Listen, a kiss or two or three is fine, but doing the deed? Not going to happen. Not us.’
‘Why not us?’
‘You’re not my type.’
Jaz bristled. ‘I was your type when you kissed me outside my flat. Half of flipping Mayfair was witness to it.’
His frown carved a little deeper. ‘You’re not serious about taking this to that extreme, are you? This is supposed to be an act. When actors do a love scene they don’t actually have sex, you know.’
She moved to the other side of the room to stand in front of the window, folding her arms across her body. ‘Fine. I get the message. I’d better tape up all the mirrors. The last thing I need is another seven years of bad luck.’
Jake came up behind her, placed his hands on the tops of her shoulders and gently turned her to face him. He searched her face for endless seconds. ‘What about Myles?’
Jaz pressed her lips together and lowered her gaze. ‘He’s engaged to someone else.’
‘God, that was quick.’
‘He’s known her since childhood. I’m happy for him. I really am. It’s just I can’t bear the thought of everyone knowing I’ve been dumped,’ she said. ‘Especially this weekend.’
His fingers massaged her shoulders. ‘What’s so important about this weekend?’
Jaz rolled her eyes. ‘Duh! Look around you, Jake. This is a winter wedding expo. One of my designs is in the fashion parade tomorrow. Next year I want ten. This is my chance to expand my business. To network and get my name out there.’
‘But your personal life should have nothing to do with your talent as a designer.’
‘Yes, but you told me on the way down how Mr Parnell looks at you differently now you’re—’ she put her fingers up in air-quotation marks ‘—“engaged”. It’s the same for me. I design wedding gowns for everyone else but I’m totally rubbish at relationships. What sort of advertising for my brand is that?’
He drew in a breath and dropped his hands from her shoulders, using one hand to push through his hair. ‘So...what do you want me to do?’
‘Just play along a little longer,’ she said. ‘I know it’s probably killing you but please can you do this one thing for me? Just pretend to be my fiancé until...well, a few more days.’
His brow was furrowed as deep as a trench. ‘How many days?’
Jaz blew out an exasperated breath. ‘Is it such torture to be tied to me for a week or two? Is it? Am I so hideous you can’t bear the thought of people thinking you’ve sunk so low as to do it with—?’
Jake’s hands came back to hold her by the upper arms. ‘Stop it. Stop berating yourself like that.’
She looked into his midnight-blue gaze, trying to control her spiralling emotions that were like a twisted knot inside her stomach. ‘Do you know what it’s like to be the one no one wants?’ she said. ‘No, of course you don’t, because everyone wants you. Even my mother didn’t want me. She made that perfectly clear by dumping me on my dad. Not that he wanted me either.’
‘Your dad loves you,’ Jake said.
Jaz gave him a jaded look. ‘Then why did he let me move into the big house instead of staying with him at the gardener’s cottage? He was relieved when your parents offered to take me in and pay for my education. He didn’t know what to do with an eight-year-old kid. I was an inconvenience he couldn’t wait to pass off.’