A Very Exclusive Engagement(16)

“I know this is a big deal. And not at all what you were expecting when you walked in here today. But it’s all going to work out.” He moved closer to her and put his arms gently around her waist. She reluctantly eased into his embrace, placing her hands on his lapels and looking up into his eyes. “I promise.”

The dark eyes watching him were not so certain. He needed to reassure her. To make her feel more at ease with their new situation and prove they were compatible enough to pull this off. He only knew of one way to comfort a woman. He slowly lowered his lips to hers, giving her time to pull away if she needed to. She didn’t. She met his lips with her own, her body leaning into his.

The kiss wasn’t like the one in the elevator. They had come together then in a passionate and desperate rush. Two people in a stressful situation looking for any way to deal with their nervous tension. This kiss was soft, gentle and reassuring. They were feeling their way around each other. Her lips were silky against his, the taste of her like cinnamon and coffee. She made a soft sound of pleasure that sent a warm heat running through his veins. It reminded him of the cries she’d made beneath him that first day. It beckoned him to explore further, but he didn’t dare push this moment too far. At this point, she could change her mind and no one would know the difference.

He couldn’t risk running her off. They both needed this fake engagement to work. And if it did, he would eventually have his chance to touch her again. The thought gave him the strength to pull away.

Francesca rocked back onto her heels, her cheeks flushed and her eyes a little misty. She took a deep breath to collect herself and took a full step back from him. “Well,” she said with a nervous laugh, “that authenticity thing shouldn’t be an issue.”

Liam smiled. “Not at all. Are you hungry?”

She straightened her suit coat and shrugged. “A little.”

“Okay. You’re not starving, so let’s go ring shopping first. Then if we run into anyone at lunch, we’ll have it and can share the news like a happy couple would.”

“I need to get my purse from my office before we leave. I’ll meet you at…” Her voice trailed off.

“The elevator?” he said with a grin.

She blushed. “Yes, I’ll meet you at the elevator.”

*

They strolled out of Pampillonia Fine Jewelry two hours later and, frankly, Francesca was exhausted. Who knew jewelry shopping could be so tiring? She almost wished that Liam had just popped the question with ring in hand like most men would and saved her the trouble of choosing.

Instead, they had spent the past couple of hours quibbling. She was worried that Liam was spending too much, especially considering it was a fake engagement. Liam insisted that Francesca needed to choose a ring large enough for people to see from a distance. Fake or not, the engagement needed to be splashy so people like his aunt would take notice.

They finally came to a compromise when she got tired of arguing and just let herself choose the ring she’d want if this were a real relationship and she had to wear the ring every day for the rest of her life. By the time they left, she was certain there was no doubt in the jeweler’s mind that they were a real couple getting a head start on a lifetime of fussing at one another.

When it was all over, Francesca was the proud owner of a two-carat emerald-cut diamond solitaire framed with micro-pavé set diamonds in a platinum split band with diamond scrollwork. It was a stunning ring, and as they walked to the restaurant where they had lunch reservations, she almost couldn’t believe it was on her hand. The weight of it pulling on her finger kept prompting her to lift her hand to look at it.

Francesca had dreamed her whole life of the day a man would give her a ring like this. The ring was right. But everything else was so wrong. Her life had taken a truly surreal turn since she had woken up this morning.

“Are you hungry now?” he asked as they approached the bistro with outdoor seating. It was perfect for an early May lunch; luckily, the Manhattan heat wave had not affected the D.C. area. It was pleasant and sunny in the high seventies with a breeze.

She still wasn’t really hungry. Her stomach hadn’t come to terms with the day’s events. But she needed to eat or her blood sugar would get low and she’d spend the afternoon eating cookies out of the network vending machines. “I could eat. I think.”

They followed the hostess, who took them to a shaded table for two on the patio. As nice as it was outside, she’d secretly hoped to get a table indoors. The street was so busy with foot traffic that she was certain to see someone she knew. Of course, she could just as easily run into someone inside. Between her and Liam, they knew a lot of people in this town. Francesca wasn’t sure she was ready to play the gushing new fiancée for them yet.