Max took a step behind me and gently took the necklace from my hands. “Here,” he said softly. His fingers brushed against my skin as he untangled the chain and fastened it around my neck.
I caught his gaze in the reflection of the mirror. “Thank you,” I whispered.
His hands slowly fell to my hips. His warmth seeped through the layers of my dress, igniting a fire in my core that I tried desperately to ignore.
“You’re always so tense,” he murmured.
“I guess I’m just nervous,” I admitted.
“You have nothing to be nervous about,” he assured me, his hands gently kneading my lower back. “You’ll see.”
I wanted to trust him, to let go of the hesitation holding me back, but his betrayal couldn’t be undone in a single moment no matter how intoxicating his touch. I needed to be stronger.
“Are you ready now?” he asked.
“Technically, I still have a minute.” I grabbed a tube of clear gloss, swiping it hastily across my cherry-red lips. “Your clock is wrong.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Not according to my timing.”
“What makes yours right?” I asked.
“Am I ever late?”
“Fair enough.” I couldn’t argue with him about that.
I looked at him again and noticed his eyes had never left mine. The fabric draped around his arms was tailored to perfection. I caught myself becoming jealous of the fabric. His arms were one of the many things I found sexy about him.
He turned my body to face his. He held a small box in his hands, a rectangular-cut diamond ring inside it. “Here. You’ll wear this tonight and from now on.” Max took my hand, slipping the ring onto my finger.
I didn’t know what to say. All I could do was stare at the ring.
“What’s the matter?” he asked. “Do you not like it?”
“No, I love it. It’s just ... it looks expensive.”
Max’s expression softened. “It was,” he murmured, his gaze searching mine. “I want others to know you’re well taken care of. And whether you love me or hate me, we need to keep up appearances. That means your disdain for me needs to be more subtle.”
I walked toward the stairs. “You know, you could try being a bit more tolerable,” I shot back over my shoulder. “It might make this whole charade easier.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said with a laugh that sounded genuine.
Once we reached the front door, his gaze went from my shoulders to the heels I was wearing. It didn’t look like he approved. After all, theseValentinoshad a notorious history. He’d had to carry me home in them.
“You should consider different heels,” he suggested.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” I said, trying my hardest to sound annoyed, but I couldn’t hide the blush that crept onto my cheeks.
“Yeah? You used to always want it,” he said.
The entire time his eyes were on mine, I could tell he was fighting a smile. I hated when he smiled at me like that. It made me want to smile with him.
“I guess some things change,” I said, pulling away from him. There needed to be distance between the two of us, otherwise I’d give in to him.
“Your attitude sure didn’t,” he replied.
“Neither did your arrogance.”
As I reached for my purse on the table, Max moved in beside me, his hand reaching for the door and opening it for me.
