“I did.” I grinned. “It’s an amazing plan.”
“I—”
“Think about it.” I lowered to my haunches in front of her so she could see my sincerity. “I need to clean up my public image. What better way than to show I’m settling down with my Mrs.? You need a fiancé. And not to sound like a wanker, but I think Pennington’s would be pretty fucking happy to switch out a finance guy with aprofessional football player for their campaign. End result—you get to keep your job.”
Maia smacked her hands down on my shoulders to shake me. “Baird, we would be getting married. Not just engaged. Like,married. In front of the entire country, I might add. Globally, if this goes viral.”
Nerves fluttered in my stomach. The good kind. “Aye. I know. We’ll just get divorced after a year or so.” Or not. By then, I hoped I’d convinced Maia I was the one. That was the third part of this exceptional plan, but I couldn’t share that with her.
I was a mess of emotions for this woman. The feel and sound of her crying in my arms was like a nightmare. Will ending things broke my heart for her, but the selfish arsehole in me was elated. Totally fucking elated.
This was my in.
But Maia needed time. Only a self-involved prick would outright pursue her after she’d broken up with her fiancé. Pretending to be her fiancé allowed me to stealth seduce her.
Somewhat manipulative?
Aye, probably.
However, I knew I could make Maia happier than anyone else could if she gave me the chance. I’d lay the world at her feet.
This was the best plan I’d ever had in my life.
“No.” Maia dropped her hands from my shoulders. “That’s insane. I’m not asking you to fake a marriage with me. I think it’s illegal.”
I laughed as I stood up because she was so goddamn cute. “It’s only illegal if you’re doing it so someone can get a visa.”
“Well … it doesn’t mean it’s right. It would be totally selfish of me. Baird … our lives will be splashed across social media, and because of who you are, the tabloids will follow this story. Do you realize this could mean you can’t have sexual relationships with other women unless you completely trusted they wouldn’t sell the story to the newspapers?”
Affronted that her first thought was that my libido couldn’t take celibacy, I scowled. “Do you think I’m some sex-crazed animal or something?”
Her expression slackened with surprise. “Of course not. I just … you’re … you flirt with everything that moves, Baird. You’re only twenty-six years old. Pretty sure months without sex will have an adverse effect on you.”
“I can do it. I’m offended you think otherwise.”
“You know I don’t mean to offend you.” Maia stood to face me, squeezing my arm in reassurance. “I just don’t think you’ve thought this plan through.”
“Look, if you don’t want the added scrutiny of the media, I get it.” I did, but I was fully disappointed she didn’t see merit in the idea.
“It’s not really that … it’s just … I’ve alluded to it before, but I was always under a microscope at school. Before I moved in with Dad. For all the wrong reasons.” She tugged nervously at the cropped top that kept revealing flashes of smooth olive skin. “It might be a bit of a trigger for me if that were to happen again.”
Concern had me reaching for her waist, needing to touch her. I gave it a squeeze. “Does that have anything to do with your mum?”
Maia gave me a sad smile. “I wonder how many people realize how perceptive you are for your age.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Stop banging on about our tiny age gap.”
“I’m thirty. In woman years, that’s like a ten-year age gap, not four.”
“Bullshit.” I tugged her with me to the couch, so she had no choice but to sit cuddled up next to me. “Talk to me. Because I am not giving up on this plan until you can convince me you really hate it.”
Maia pulled her knees up onto the couch and stretched her arm out along the back of it. I liked that she was already so comfortable with my proximity. It gave me hope for the future. And the success of the most amazing plan a man in unrequited love had ever dreamed up.
Yet, I did not love the expression on Maia’s face. The tightness around her mouth and eyes as she looked into mine and quickly glanced away.
Like she was ashamed.
Fuck.
