Luca took her hand and tugged her from the car. “Of course they will. Your boss didn’t seem to suspect anything. I don’t see why anyone else would.”
“Everyone will believe you because you tell them to?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head. “You really are arrogant, you know that?”
He shrugged. “Is it arrogance if it’s true?” Then he frowned. “Why are you so convinced no one will buy this?”
Was he really going to make her say it? He stared at her, waiting for an answer. Apparently he was.
“I’m not the type of woman you usually date.”
That amused grin was back. “What type of woman do I usually date?”
Constance did roll her eyes at that one. “Supermodels. Actresses. Tall, thin, gorgeous women with legs up to their necks and paparazzi of their own. I’m attractive enough, I guess, but I’m hardly who people will expect you to be marrying.”
Luca helped her from the car but instead of stepping back, he pulled her into his arms. She pulled against him a little, noticing the people beginning to stare. His car was impossible to miss. And so was Luca. People were starting to point and whip out their cell phones.
“Everyone is watching.”
He held on tighter. “Good. That’s the point. You need to learn to ignore them. Pretend they aren’t there. Unless they are right in your face, it’s not too hard. The tourists will keep back.”
“I thought you were against PDA.”
“I am, when it’s for real. But we want to put on a show, remember?”
Her eyes still darted back and forth until he captured her face in his hands and forced her to look at him.
“Ignore them.” He leaned in and kissed her until her mind fogged and she couldn’t remember what she was nervous about. When he pulled away, she remained passive in his arms. Was sedation by seduction possible?
“Now that I have your attention,” he said, smiling down at her like he was perfectly aware of his effect. “You are more than just ‘attractive enough’ and I would be happy to demonstrate how beautiful I think you are any time you want. I’ve never given a fuck what other people think and I have no intention of starting now. However, it would help matters if you’d stop acting like this was a sham and start acting the part.”
He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips and instead of jerking away she let herself enjoy the sensation of his lips moving over hers. It was over all too soon. He pulled away and took her hand again.
“For the next six weeks, Stanzia, you are mine. Don’t forget it.”
Oh she wouldn’t. It was all she could think about. But what happened once their time was up? He’d already stirred desires she had no time or energy to deal with, and she had no room for that kind of male-induced drama in her life. No price was too high to pay to keep her girls with her.
But spending six weeks with Luca might be dangerously close.
Chapter Six
Luca watched Constance’s eyes widen until her eyebrows nearly hit her hairline as the selection of rings was presented. The jeweler kept placing massive ring upon massive ring in front of her, clearly aware of Luca’s ability to pony up the cash and determined to make the biggest sale possible. Constance, however, wasn’t making the job easy. She waved off every gaudy monstrosity the jeweler tried to put on her finger. A fine sheen of sweat formed on the man’s brow, probably at the prospect that she wouldn’t find anything to her liking and he’d lose an enormous sale.
“Well, what would madam prefer?” the jeweler finally asked.
“I…” Constance glanced at Luca, clearly pleading for help.
He took pity on her. It was impossible not to with those eyes of hers gazing up at him like a puppy begging for treats.
“Perhaps something a little simpler,” he said.
He was immediately rewarded with a relieved smile.
“Yes,” she agreed. “Something simple.”
The jeweler’s forehead creased in a minute frown but he produced a tray of solitaires; simple, yet each large enough to cover her finger from base to knuckle. Constance chewed on her bottom lip, her eyes roaming over the selection.
Luca spied a ring tucked in among a display of sapphires and leaned down for a closer look. The center stone was a decent sized, probably three carats or so, a square-cut sapphire that shined with deep-blue fire under the lights. It was surrounded by small diamonds with another round sapphire nestled beside them on each side, set in a simple platinum band.
“That one,” he said, pointing to it. “Let’s see that one.”
Constance glanced at him in surprise and then down at the ring that they handed to him. Her face softened, a small sigh escaping her lips. He took her hand and slid the ring on her left ring finger.