Until You Loved Me (Silver Springs #3)(66)

“Restrictive?” She had no interest in being privy to his encounters with other women, particularly while she was getting bigger and more unappealing by the day.

He risked pulling his gaze from whatever he was watching outside to give her one of his sexiest smiles. “I guess you’ll just have to forget about other men while you’re living with me.”

She thought he was joking, but she was serious when she said, “And you will...”

He didn’t hesitate. “Do the same.”

She wished she could read the level of sincerity in his eyes, but they were hidden behind his Ray-Bans. “Really? You’ve invited me to stay for quite a while, so is that realistic?”

“It would be a lot more realistic if you’d change your mind about our...nighttime arrangements,” he grumbled.

She glanced around to make sure no one was listening to their conversation. First class afforded them more room, but there could easily be someone who was trying to figure out if he was who he appeared to be. “I can’t,” she murmured. Not if she planned to survive the next year with her heart intact—to remain functional and independent enough to move on alone, if she had to. “But since we’re back on that subject, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

He yanked the bill of his cap a little lower. “What’s that?”

“What are you going to tell your friends and...and the rest of the team about me?”

“Haven’t decided yet. Why?”

“I hate to suggest you lie. But admitting that you picked me up at a club and took me to your hotel for a one-night stand doesn’t show me in a very favorable light. I’d rather your friends not see me as some sort of...burden. Or jump to the same conclusion you did and think I’m trying to take advantage of you.”

His eyes lowered to the necklace he’d bought her as she fiddled with it, moving the clasp around to the back. “I’m glad you’re open to stretching the truth to a degree. Since sports figures are often unwitting role models for kids, I’ve been worried about that, too. I mentor quite a few boys at the boys ranch where I attended high school and would have some explaining to do—considering what I’ve told them about being responsible in their relationships with girls. Best to avoid that, if possible.”

“Makes sense.”

“So how do you suggest we handle it?” he asked.

“Why not say we met online? That we’ve had a relationship for at least six months?”

“I admit I’ve told a couple of people about the baby, but one of them will go along with whatever we decide, and I didn’t get specific enough with the others that this would contradict what I said. So...I’m all for it.”

She settled back in her seat. “Great.”

“That gives us a history,” he said. “But how should we characterize our current relationship?”

“That’s a little harder,” she replied. “I don’t want you to feel I’m trying to stand in the way of you seeing other women, but since I’ll be living with you... I’m wondering if, for the first month or so, we should pretend to be closer than we are?”

“How close?” He seemed all business.

“Together?” she ventured. “A couple? It would only have to be like that for a few weeks—not long at all,” she added quickly. “Then we can ‘break up’ and tell people we’re going to continue living together for the sake of the baby. Boom. Everything’s explained.”

He didn’t hesitate. “Done.”

She almost couldn’t believe he was so amenable, but she was happy about it. Now maybe his friends and associates wouldn’t be predisposed to hate her from the beginning. “Really? That’ll be okay? Because if you’re seen with someone else before we—” she used her fingers to create quotation marks “—break up, it could create a scandal. Make you appear to be a cheater, which wouldn’t be flattering for either of us.”

“You mean I’d look like the womanizer you’re assuming me to be?” he said drily.

“I’m not assuming anything,” she explained. “Merely pointing out that our plan would require some fidelity—if that’s the right word—from both of us. It’s just...that part will be easier for me, since it’ll take time to get to know men I might find appealing.”

The flight attendant started the usual preflight safety message, but Hudson spoke over that.

“I understand my responsibilities—and I’m sure I can handle them.”

She heard the sarcasm in his voice. He wasn’t happy that her expectations of him were so low. But it was important to be clear. Otherwise, why even start the charade? “Thanks.” She smiled to show her gratitude. “I’ll give my folks the same story when I tell them about the baby. That should make things easier all the way around.”

“Your parents don’t know you’re pregnant?” he whispered in surprise.

“Not yet.”

He pushed his sunglasses higher on his nose. “When do you plan on telling them?”

“In a couple of months.”

“They’re not going to be angry that you waited so long?”

She nibbled at her bottom lip. “They might be.”