The Billionaire's Temporary Bride (Scandal, Inc #3)(19)

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Charlotte nodded toward the window. She pantomimed taking a picture. So she had noticed the photographers.

Jack winked. "Just keep doing what you're doing, and the pictures will be great."

The more he talked to her, the more everything felt like it was happening in slow motion as the world zoomed by around them. He didn't know what to make of that feeling, but he was pretty sure that he liked it. The meal passed in a blur. Jack barely registered when dessert arrived and Charlotte took a scoop of it with her fork and held it across the table for him to try.

"Definitely not pie," she said as she looked down at the mint-colored foam, "but it looks like it could be good. Too bad there are only two dollops of it on the plate"

Jack laughed. "Do you know why they call it molecular gastronomy?"

"Because of how small the portions are?" Charlotte asked.

"Well, that kind of ruins the punchline," Jack said, "but yeah, something like that."

Before he realized it, the check for dinner was sitting before him and it was time to leave. Jack paid, got up and helped Charlotte with her chair. "Your adoring public awaits," he said.

"They're not the only ones who seem adoring," Charlotte teased.

Jack wondered if he had been transparent in how much he had enjoyed himself. Maybe he had paid a little too much attention to Charlotte. He knew this feeling, this wonderful excitement of possibility that just couldn't last. Soon enough, Charlotte would settle into her role as his fiancée and eventually his wife. The novelty of him would wear off for her, and she'd start to notice the thousand little things she didn't like about him, the annoying little things that always drove people apart. Sooner or later, he'd do something stupid and she'd rightly resent him for it, or she'd decide he wasn't upholding his end of the deal. Jack didn't want to rush toward that future. He just wanted the moment to stay perfect for just a little bit longer.

And God forbid what would happen if she found out how much he had to keep secret from her. He ran his hand over his breast pocket again, checking the phone, half hoping it would be gone. It seemed unfair to burden her with this secret. He was already asking so much of her. Just thinking about it made his head and his chest ache.

Jack pushed back his chair and looked toward the window. "Would you like to take a walk with me?" he said.

"How else would we get back?" Charlotte asked.

Jack waved his hand in a circle. "I meant around. I was enjoying our conversation and thought we could keep going for a while."

"You don't have to." Charlotte followed his gaze to the window again, but the cameras were gone. "A walk sounds nice."

As soon as they left the restaurant, Jack offered Charlotte his jacket. The night air had cooled, and Jack thought she might be cold.

"I think I'll survive," she said. "It did get a bit chilly though."

Jack wrapped his arm around her instead, and they walked aimlessly, crisscrossing Georgetown until finally they ended up outside Jack's house. He nodded toward the front door and said, "This one's mine. Would you like to come in?"

"Maybe I should stop at the doorstep tonight," Charlotte said.

"Right," Jack replied. He had gotten ahead of himself. The suggestion had come off wrong. He just wanted to keep the conversation going to stay with Charlotte a little bit longer. "Do you want a ride back to your place? I just realized that I don't even know where it is."

"I can walk," she said. "I don't want to come off as too delicate."

"So you're leaving me no choice. I guess this is goodnight." He looked at Charlotte, waiting for her to say something, but she just looked at him. She was so beautiful it hurt. He just wanted to explain that ache to her. But how do you put that into words? he wondered. There were no words. Jack could only think of one way to express that feeling.

"You know, for a politician, you're—" Before Charlotte could finish her sentence, Jack leaned in and kissed her, pressing his lips against hers, feeling that rush of excitement again. This time was warmer than before, and Charlotte ran her hands over his back as she returned his kiss. As he started to pull back, she held herself close, kissing him deeper and letting out a little sigh as they finally parted lips.

Charlotte smiled and asked, "So where are the cameras hidden this time? Up in a tree?"

"There are no cameras," Jack said. "That one will just have to stay between you and me." Charlotte couldn't hide her smile as she turned toward the sidewalk.

They went on two more dates the next week. With each date, Charlotte opened up a little. Each conversation left him wanting more. Callie and Amy had drawn up a schedule of dates for him and Charlotte, but it wasn't enough. Jack decided he wanted to see her more. He didn't have to pretend around her. He liked that. He could just be himself without worrying about the implications of every little move.

He was drawn to her, and soon, he found himself trying to make their dates better and better. He focused on getting his work calls out of the way beforehand to block out the entire night for time with Charlotte. Soon enough, they'd have to start going to public functions together, and some of the magic of being alone with Charlotte would wear away. He knew she'd have to worry about who to impress and how to help him work the room, but part of him just wanted to forget about the whole public image campaign and just be alone with her for as long as possible.