“Nothing happened.”
She glanced out of her peripheral and then back up at me, annoyance glittering in her pretty eyes. “I have to be able to touch you in public or we’re not going to fool anyone,” London hissed.
I frowned, my irritation with the day building. “I’m covered in crap from hauling in fish. I didn’t want to get it on you.”
“Oh.” She winced sheepishly. “Sorry. You look … you look wet, sweaty, and pissed.”
“Haven’t you heard? I’m using a young, impressionable woman for my own gains.” I flicked a look over her shoulder at Ramsay and Tierney who hovered closer. “Surely, you’ve heard.”
“Heard what?” London reached up as if to touch me again and stopped. She glanced back at our friends. “Are people saying that?”
Tierney looked uncomfortable. “I might have heard something to that effect.”
“How dare they?” London’s ponytail almost whipped me in the face as she turned back to me. “They should know you better than that. Anyone says that to me, and I’ll give them a piece of my mind. And how young do they think I am? I’m almost thirty!”
Just like that, I felt better. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not. Assholes.” London glared down Main Street, as if searching for someone to reprimand.
Tenderness suffused me. She was adorable.
“It’s really okay,” I promised. “I’m just … it’s been … a lot. Anyway, I need to head back home and shower. Where are you off to?” I didn’t know if it was any of my business, but if she was really my wife, it was something I’d ask.
“Back to the B and B to prep for tomorrow’s breakfast. I’ll be … home … for dinner. Do you want me to cook?”
Right. We would have dinner together. “I can cook.”
“And I need to get going.” Ramsay turned to his wife. “No heavy lifting again.”
I had no idea about the context, but clearly Ramsay was worried about his pregnant wife doing too much.
Tierney wrinkled her nose. “I wasn’t …” She stopped at his darkening expression and rolled her eyes. “Okay, okay, I’ll leave furniture moving to the housekeepers.”
His expression lightened and he pressed a kiss to her lips and murmured “Good girl,” just loud enough for us to hear.
London tensed before looking quickly away, a strained distance in her eyes.
“You all right?” I asked as Ramsay strode off with a nod that London didn’t even see.
“Fine.” She murmured and then looked up at me from beneath her lashes. “We should probably say goodbye like a husband and wife might, but you’re all …” She waved a palm over the front of my body to indicate the fish muck.
I leaned down, making sure the rest of me didn’t touch her, and I pressed a kiss to her mouth. As I pulled back, she reached out for more and almost stumbled forward. As London’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, I steadied her, even though I’d been trying not to touch her.
“I’m fine. It’s fine,” she repeated, awkwardly not looking at me before turning away. “I’ll see you at home.”
As London strolled away with Tierney at her side, I stared after my so-called wife with a mounting panic. If anyone investigated this marriage and we acted likethat… we were so totally and absolutely fucked.
12.London
The butterflies returned as soon as I left the B and B for Murray’s home.
Tierney had lots of concerned questions after we’d bumped into him on Main Street. However, I knew we’d done a bad job of pretending to be in a relationship, and I didn’t need Nee to tell me that.
“I don’t know what to say,” I’d told her impatiently as we’d walked up the hill to the guest house. “We’re trying.”
“You need to try harder or you’re going to get kicked out of Scotland and never be allowed to return.” My best friend’s words tremored with fear.
My tone softened and I squeezed her hand. “We’ll try harder.”
