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Nine

The hint of sunlight streaming through the blinds awakened Gwen the next morning. Yawning, she stretched and looked at Luc, asleep next to her. His dark eyelashes contrasted with his tanned skin. A sexy shadow of a beard covered his jaw and strong chin. Against the hard planes of his face, his mouth stood out in sensual relief.

Her heart raced and her blood heated. She looked away, her reaction making her feel like a crazy woman. Maybe she was crazy. Their situation sure was.

She’d been certain Luc was like her ex-husband—power hungry, manipulative, ruthless when necessary. She took another glance at him. The truth was he could be ruthless when necessary, but he wasn’t power hungry. He was strong inside and out. He managed the press, but he had flat-out told her what she had to do.

Somehow she felt both challenged and protected by him. If their lives were different, if he weren’t firmly entrenched in L.A.’s culture and she weren’t firmly committed to her life in Montana, she wondered if he could have been the one for her.

Whoa.

She needed a shower or a brisk walk. Or both. Gently rolling to the edge of the bed, she pushed one foot out from the covers.

A strong hand clamped around the ankle still underneath. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked in a sleep-husky voice.

She glanced back at him, her heart turning over at the sight of his bare chest and sexy blue eyes. “Walk on the beach,” she said. “It will feel like a heat wave compared with Montana.”

“Good idea. Let me pull on some clothes and I’ll join you.”

So much for a brisk walk to clear her head, but she couldn’t muster a complaint when they walked down the path to the beach and he took her hand. With his fingers linked through hers, the sun shining through the L.A. haze and the waves beating against the shore, Gwen felt an overwhelming sense of contentment.

“Admit it,” he said, “you’ve missed it.”

“The ocean,” she conceded. “There’s something about the rhythm of the waves and the warmth of the sun. The only two things that would make it better would be if it were warm enough to go barefoot and…”

“And?”

“And I bet June would love the ocean.”

He tapped her nose with his forefinger and grinned. “I bet she would.” He squinted toward the sky. “Come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time I took a walk on the beach.”

“You’re usually running, listening to music or a book on your iPod.”

He tossed her a sideways glance. “How did you know?”

“Type A all the way,” she said.

He slid his hand around her waist and gently pinched her ribs. “You’re no slouch. You go from being an Academy Award–nominated actress to living in the sticks and rescuing horses. You get up at the crack of dawn every morning, and I didn’t see you taking any voluntary downtime,” he said, drawing her against him. “Except when I seduced you, which I’d like to do right now.”

As he took her mouth, it occurred to her that he made her forget her surroundings so much that she wondered if he could take her anywhere. Scandalized by the thought, she drew back and shook her head. “That’s a little more than I want to give the gossip magazines.”

He made a sound between a sigh and a groan. “If you hadn’t been such a popular actress, then we wouldn’t have this problem.”

“If I hadn’t been well-known, you would have never come to Montana and I wouldn’t be here right now,” she told him.

He met her gaze with some kind of powerful emotion seeming to rumble beneath the surface of him. “That would have been a damn shame. You know, if you stay around me long enough, you may decide you like L.A. better than you thought you did.”

Her stomach clenched because she knew everything between them was temporary. “By the time our masquerade is over, you’ll be glad to get rid of me.”

“What if I’m not? What if you’re not?”

Her heart stuttered and she closed her eyes and shook her head. “I can’t go there. You and I are worlds apart.”

“Yet we meet in so many ways,” he said.

“It’s temporary,” she said firmly, meeting his gaze.

“We’ll see,” he said and urged her into a jog.

After a wicked brunch of bacon and pancakes with berries And maple syrup, they left the cottage and Luc dropped her off at a spa. “My assistant made the appointment for you. As far as I’m concerned, you don’t need to do a thing, but she was appalled that I would start you on a PR tour without allowing you to get a massage and whatever else you women like to get.”

“She was correct. Please tell her I said thank you.”

“I will. A driver will pick you up in two hours to take you to Rodeo Drive. Buy whatever you want and put it on my card,” he said, giving her his credit card.

“Are you sure you want to do this? I could do serious damage to this card on Rodeo Drive.”

“Go right ahead. You’ll need some cocktail gowns for some of the evening affairs. Get at least three or four,” he told her. “My assistant has our itinerary, but as you know, it’s subject to change. Let me key her number into your cell,” he said. “And mine,” he added. “And your driver.” He glanced up. “You look overwhelmed.”

“I’m not,” she said but didn’t sound very convincing even to herself.

“Okay, then don’t try to get everything this afternoon. We’re eating at The Ivy tonight.”

“Showtime begins,” she said, recalling that the restaurant was popular for celebrity sightings, therefore popular with the paparazzi.

He nodded. “Then we go back to my bungalow and it’s just you and me,” he said and brushed his lips over hers.

Taking a deep breath, she girded herself for the job she’d accepted in exchange for her sister’s health and future and got out of the car. As soon as she stepped through the door, she was ushered to a private room and given a massage. Afterward, she sipped green tea until a gorgeous Latino man walked through the door and put his hands on his hips as he stared at her. “You are a disaster,” Carlos said.

Gwen’s heart lifted at the sight of her favorite former stylist, and she rose to embrace him. “I live to give you a challenge,” she joked. “When did you start working here? I thought your salon was in a different location.”

“I’m a man of many places now, Gwen, darling,” he said, taking her by the hand to the hair styling room and guiding her to a chair. “Four in California, and I’m launching in New York City in six months.”

She gave a mock gasp. “You’ve become a chain.”

He gave a real gasp. “Never.” He raised his hands. “Everyone needs me, so I try to find a way to accommodate. Now let’s look at this mess on your head that others would call hair. You want to go darker or platinum?”

“I like the color,” she said. “And since you haven’t set up a location in Montana, I don’t want to have to deal with roots. I think the local market carries hair coloring, though.”

Carlos gasped again. “Over-the-counter hair color? You wouldn’t dare. Now that you’re back in town, why do you worry about touch-ups?”

“I’m not totally back in town,” she said.

“But aren’t you engaged to one of the Hudsons?” he mused, sifting his fingers through her hair. “Or is that just for show?”

“Oh, no,” she said, panic slicing through her. She flashed her ring. “It’s not for show, but we’ll be splitting our time between Montana and here. Besides, Luc likes my hair color,” she said, even though she had no idea what Luc’s preference was.

Carlos heaved a sigh. “Okay, just a few highlights here and there and a glossing.” He made a face. “You definitely need a cut. What is this style?”

“It’s called put it in a ponytail when you wake up and go out to the barn.”

“Barn.” He muttered something in Spanish. “We’ll have you looking like the head turner I know you are in no time.”

Gwen allowed Carlos to work his magic, but she wasn’t all that crazy about being the head turner he wanted her to be. In fact, after she left the salon, the first thing she bought was a baseball cap, which she pulled over her freshly styled hair. If Carlos had known, he would have had her head.

With sunglasses planted firmly on her nose, she made her way through several stores to find appropriate costumes, er, clothing for her role as Luc’s fiancée. What would Luc’s fiancée wear? Flashy designer clothing. She would be attention-getting, while Gwen was not.

Compromising, she allowed a kind salesclerk to help her select some flattering but less attention-grabbing clothes than she would have chosen in her past life with Peter. When the salesclerk realized who Gwen was, she was starstruck and asked for an autograph. Gwen complied and managed to exit without causing a fuss.

Like magic, her driver appeared, this time with Luc sitting in the backseat. Finishing a cell phone conversation, he looked at her and smiled. “Like the cap,” he said with a half grin.

She wrinkled her nose. “I decided to ease into this. I didn’t want people recognizing me. I always underestimate that.” She pulled off her cap.

“My God,” Luc said, gaping at her hair. “What did they do to you?”

“Added a few highlights,” Gwen said uncertainly. “He mentioned going darker or platinum.”

“Thank goodness you didn’t let him do either of those. Who was this quack, anyway?”

She chuckled. “Only the most popular hairstylist in L.A. Maybe the entire country.”

Luc sighed. “The cut’s okay. But I think your natural color is the best.”

She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “Thank you. I told him you liked my natural color to keep him from doing something drastic.”

“You were right.”

“Do you hate it?”

“No,” he said. “You would be beautiful bald.”

She inhaled sharply, then leaned toward him and pressed her mouth to his. “This is a crazy situation, and I do hate it. But when I’m with you, it just doesn’t seem so bad.”

“Hold that thought,” he said, taking her mouth and kissing her thoroughly. “Hold that thought every time you feel a doubt coming on.”

It seemed only seconds passed before the driver pulled in front of The Ivy Restaurant. Gwen combed her fingers through her hair.

Luc framed her face with his hands and kissed her. “Don’t think about the crowds or the paparazzi. It’s just you and me, okay?”

She took a deep breath and smiled. “Okay.”

Luc escorted her from the car and held her close while cameras flashed. She instinctively buried her face against his chest.

“Mr. Hudson, have you and Gwen set the date?” a voice asked.

“Gwen, tell us you’re going to make another movie,” another said.

“How is Nicki doing?”

Gwen snapped out of her fog and looked into the crowd. “She’s doing well. Working hard to be the person she wants to be. I’m so proud of her.”

It seemed a thousand cameras flashed.

“I’d like to enjoy dinner with my fiancée, if that’s okay with you,” Luc said in a long-suffering tone

A collection of chuckles followed. “Hey, you’re marrying the sexiest woman alive. What do you expect?”

He tossed them a commanding look. “You think I don’t know that?” he asked and led her inside the restaurant. “Round one,” he said to her. “Thank God that’s over. Are you okay?”

As long as he put his arm around her, she thought, and nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

Even though they were seated at a corner table, several people stopped to greet them. Three male box-office stars offered their congratulations and boldly hinted that they would love to pair up with Gwen in a movie.

Sipping sparkling water with lots of lime, Gwen smiled and demurred each time.

“No wine?” Luc asked.

“I don’t drink during PR tours,” she said, taking another sip. “I don’t want to say anything I’ll regret.”

Luc made a sound of frustration. “You really are a dream actress. Do you know how many people I have to beg to lay off the sauce?”

“The paparazzi are ruthless. I need all my brain cells.”

He chuckled and slid his hand beneath her hair. “You’re that rare combination of—”

“A pain in the ass and…” she interjected.

He laughed and shook his head. “Of beauty and sensibility. How stupid was Peter Horrigan?”

She abruptly lost her sense of humor. “He had a different agenda than I did.”

Luc nodded and brushed his hand against her cheek. “You look so sad. You have regrets.”

“Just one,” she said. “But I’m dealing with it.”

“Still?”

“Forever,” she said and took another sip of her sparkling water. “But that’s enough of that discussion.”

“Okay. Do you want dessert, or are you ready to go home?”

She smiled. “I can’t have dessert at home?”

He gave a wicked chuckle and signaled for the server. “Check, please.”

Minutes later, the driver appeared, as he was well paid to do. Luc ushered Gwen into the backseat.

“Thank God that’s over,” they both said at the same time.

Gwen laughed and so did he; then he pulled her face to his and took her mouth. He could not get enough of her. Everything she did, every move she made, made him want more.

Sliding his tongue inside her sweet mouth, he cradled her face and felt the burn in his gut spread to his groin. She’d made him hard all evening with her tempting smiles and green eyes full of secrets he wanted to learn.

“I can’t wait to take you again,” he said. “I can’t wait to take you in my bed. I’ve been thinking about it since the first time I saw you.”

“Hold me,” she said. “Make me forget the craziness.”

He stretched his arms around her and clasped her to him. He couldn’t get close enough. Taking her mouth in an endless French kiss, he slid his hand beneath her top and touched her skin.

“Another good thing about L.A. is that you don’t need to wear as many clothes.”

He felt her lips tilt upward against his. “How efficient of you to point that out.”

The driver stopped just outside his bungalow. “Thank goodness,” Luc said, pulling her from the car. “See you tomorrow, Lance,” he said to the driver. “Thanks. Good night.”

“Thank you,” Gwen said.

Luc led her through the front door and couldn’t wait a second longer. He pulled her against him, cupping her derierre with his hands.

She moaned against his mouth, taking his tongue inside her. He tugged at her clothes, impatient to get closer. He wanted her bare skin against his. He pushed away her shirt. She pushed away his.

He shoved her panties and jeans down her legs. She fumbled with the fastenings to his jeans and plunged her hands inside his underwear.

Luc nearly exploded.

He craved her touch, but if she didn’t stop…

He slid his hand between her legs and found her wet and soft. She stopped. He nearly begged her to continue but was determined to feel her completion. He rubbed his thumb over her and she gasped in pleasure.

The sexy sound drove him on. He slid a finger inside her and continued stroking her. Her breathlessness made him as hard as a brick, but he wanted all of her in his hands, in his mouth, in every way possible.

Taking her mouth in a soulful kiss, he continued to play her until she shuddered in pleasure, her climax coming in fits and starts.

“Ohh,” she said and plunged her hands into his crotch.

“I don’t know how long I can take this,” he warned her.

“Fair is fair. Look what you did to me.”

Luc made an instantaneous decision driven by primitive need. Grabbing protection from his jeans pocket, he put it on and spun her around, against the wall. Lifting her legs up over his hips, he pulled her down over his swollen masculinity, inch by excruciating inch.

He moaned.

She gasped.

Squeezing her bottom, he began to pump and she flexed. With each thrust, he went deeper. He gazed into her green eyes and felt as if he were under the spell of a lifetime. And he had no desire to break it. He wanted Gwen and nothing else mattered.

Ten

As Gwen awakened the next morning, she sighed, feeling as if she’d contracted some kind of sleeping sickness. Although she wouldn’t say it aloud, it was nice knowing she didn’t have to be the one up at the crack of dawn to check on her horses. Stretching, she glanced over at Luc’s side of the bed, surprised to see it empty.

That gave her a jolt. She was always up early. What was turning her into such a sleeper? Was it the fantastic sex?

Swiping her hair from her face, she rose from bed and pushed her arms into the sleeves of a too-large but very comfy plush terry robe draped over a chair. She tied it around her, went into the bathroom and splashed her face and brushed her teeth, then wandered down the hallway.

She heard Luc before she saw him.

“I’ll be in the office within thirty minutes,” he said. “I’ll have something for the Jake Stratton situation by the time I get in. We just need a sympathetic angle on the guy. Everyone has a sympathetic angle. If not, we’ll give him one.”

She rounded the corner and saw him pacing in the den, a large window providing a backdrop against his imposing frame. He wore a white shirt with a dark jacket and pants.

Luc chuckled. “You flatter me. It’s true I could find a sympathetic angle for a serial killer, but I’m not sure I could sustain it if he keeps murdering innocent people. See you in a bit.” He glanced up and his eyes lit up. “Hey, sleepyhead.”

“I know,” she said. “It’s embarrassing. I never sleep in while I’m in Montana.”

He shrugged and walked toward her. “Here’s your chance. You can go back to bed if you want. I have to go to the office.”

“I heard,” she said. “You have to produce spin for a serial murderer.”

“Not quite,” he said with a chuckle and sifted his fingers through her hair. “Crazy, but I like your hair every color you’ve worn it.”

Her heart fluttered. “Thank you,” she said. “Do I have an assignment today?”

“Relax. Take a dip in the heated pool. Read something useless. If you need to do more shopping, just call the driver and he’ll take you.”

She felt a yawn of longing for him and he hadn’t even left yet. Stupid. “Did anyone ever tell you how hot you look in California business casual?”

He kissed her and pulled back with more than a hint of reluctance. “No one who counted. Stop tempting me.”

“Who me?” she asked. “No makeup, haven’t brushed my hair, half-asleep.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Looks damn good to me.” He pushed her away from him. “We’ve got a charity something tonight. Rest up for it.”

“Ah, so I turn into a working girl tonight.”

He gave a low growl. “You have no idea what that does to me.”

“Give me a hint,” she said, playing along.

“Do you know how easy it would be to untie that robe and take you right now?”

The notion made her breathless. “How easy?”

“We’ll find out later,” he said and gave her another quick kiss. “Call me if you need anything.”

Watching him leave, she immediately felt forlorn. Followed quickly by…stupid. Rolling her eyes at herself, she wandered around the bungalow, taking in the sleek, spare decor. Luc allowed no clutter in his home. One more bit of proof that she didn’t belong in his life long-term.

Her stomach growled, so she looked in his cabinets for something to eat. Carbs, she thought, wishing for a bagel. Thank goodness she hadn’t bought anything that was skintight yesterday. Digging through a cabinet that looked promising, she hit paydirt. Honey wheat bagels. Oh, yes.

She popped one in the toaster and wondered how her horses were doing. She drummed her fingers on the granite counter. Hearing the distant ring of her cell phone, she ran to the bedroom and finally located her purse. The phone stopped ringing.

Scowling, she picked it up to review the missed call. Luc. She hit redial and he immediately answered.

“Hello. Missing your ponies?”

His voice felt like a sensual purr over her nerve endings. “How did you know?”

“Lucky guess,” he said. “There’s a laptop in the room two doors down from the dining room on the left.”

Gwen followed his directions to a large, beautiful office with a huge window and the latest electronics. Glancing around the room, she spotted a laptop on the contemporary desk. “Yes,” she said, moving in front of the screen.

“Move the mouse around,” he instructed and she did.

Up popped a screen featuring video feed of Pyrrha and Fred. Gwen gasped. “How did you do this?”

“Through your computer at home. It was simple. How’s our girl?”

“She looks fine,” Gwen said, studying the mare. “Great. Moving around a little. She’s so sweet. Afraid to trust but wants to try. I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Anytime you want to see your horses, you can. Just go to this live feed, and you can know that they’re safe and comfortable.”

A lump grew in her throat. “This was really great of you. Amazing. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“You’re creative,” he said in a suggestive voice. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

She couldn’t hold back a smile. “You’re a wicked, wicked man.”

“Yeah,” he said.

“Yeah,” she echoed. “Thank goodness.”

He chuckled and the sound seemed to reverberate throughout her. She felt him in her pores, her muscles, blood and bones, and he wasn’t even with her.

“Don’t get addicted to the screen,” he told her. “Take some time off. You’ll earn your free time tonight.”

“Okay. Thanks,” she said and disconnected the call. She stared at the screen until she heard the pop of the toaster. After eating her bagel, she watched the horses a while longer, then wandered through the rest of the bungalow.

She found a media room with a gigantic screen television, a pool table on one side and a poker table on the other. She could easily imagine Luc talking trash and playing with his friends or brothers. Spotting a picture sticking out of a trash can, she picked it up and looked at it.

It was a framed magazine article featuring several photos of Luc, who was described as one of L.A.’s hottest bachelors. In the largest photo, he wore an unbuttoned white shirt. He stared into the camera with a ghost of a sexy smile tilting his lips. His blue eyes blazed with an I’m-gonna-get-you-and-you’re-gonna-like-it expression.

She felt a strange tug in her stomach when she thought about how different their lives were. Years ago, she’d been featured in a similar photo spread, a new favorite face. A little time away from Hollywood had convinced her that she wanted no part of the acting scene.

She was more content in Montana than she’d ever been in California, but she couldn’t help wondering, for just a moment, how things might have been if she’d met Luc earlier and she hadn’t been married.

“It doesn’t matter,” she whispered to herself and shook off her thoughts. Turning the photo over to return it to the trash can, she saw a message inscribed on the back. Happy 30th Birthday to L.A.’s hottest! Good thing you look like your older, but much hotter brothers. Dev and Max.

She smiled, easily imagining Luc rolling his eyes at the gift. Funny, for all the differences between Luc and her, she’d put her copy of her feature as the sexiest woman in America in the same place—the trash can.

She lingered in the room for a few extra moments, studying Luc’s family photos on the wall. There were a few black-and-white pictures of Luc’s grandfather and grandmother on the wall. What a dashing pair they were. Luc’s grandmother Lillian was the kind of woman who would capture the attention of an entire room, no matter her age. Her talent and reputation were legendary.

The love between Luc’s grandfather and grandmother had been so strong that Gwen wondered how Lillian had carried on after Charles’s death. She wandered to a photograph of the whole family, grandparents, parents and children, and the sense of continuity tugged at an empty spot inside her.

Her own family was scattered. She’d known only one grandparent and had been fortunate to maintain a special bond with her aunt and uncle in Montana. What must it be like to have that kind of family connection? The pressures and the paybacks. She’d bet the rewards more than made up for any downside.

Smiling sadly to herself, she took one last look at the photograph of Luc and his family and sealed it in her mind. Some way, someday, she would find a way to create that sense of family for herself. It just wouldn’t be now, and it wouldn’t be with the Hudsons.

Battling horrendous freeway traffic, Luc finally pulled into his garage and climbed out of his hybrid. Pushing his fingers through his hair, he shook his head. What a day.

He walked inside to find Gwen dressed in a green gown that slid over her body like liquid silk. It took only one glance for his blood pressure to rise and his heart to race.

“You look amazing,” he said, walking toward her.

“Thank yourself. You bought the dress for me yesterday,” she said with a smile and touched his hair. “Rough day?”

He groaned. “You have no idea.”

“Working with the serial killer didn’t go as easily as planned?”

He chuckled. “Sometimes I think I need to be a shrink.”

“You mean that’s not one of your degrees? Psychiatrist?”

“No,” he said firmly. “But I think I may have made some headway with my problem actor. I kept trying to find a charity where he wanted to get involved. I finally found something.”

“What is it?”

“Cat rescue,” he said, still not comprehending it himself.

Gwen shot him a look of disbelief. “You’re joking.”

He shook his head. “Oh, no. Seems our wild man has a soft spot for cats.” He loved the way Gwen was tilting her head as if she couldn’t comprehend it, because he’d felt the exact same way. “He had several as a child.”

She laughed softly. “It always goes back to what we don’t get as a child.”

“I guess,” he said then paused. “What didn’t you get?”

“I got a safe place to live, electricity, plenty of food, a good education. I have no real reason to complain,” she said.

“But what did you want that you didn’t get?”

Closing her eyes, she inhaled. “I wanted to please my parents. I wanted to feel a part of something bigger than myself. I wanted to feel okay about whatever I chose to do, whether it was high profile or low profile. I wanted my little sister not to feel so lost.”

His gut twisted at her confession, and he drew her to him. “That’s not too much to ask, Gwen.”

“Thanks,” she said and opened her eyes. “But you’ve played shrink enough today. What kind of charity event are we attending tonight?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know, although I’m sure it’s an extremely worthy one.” He pulled out his BlackBerry and punched in a code. “Looks like the American Heart Association.” He met her gaze and smiled. “Appropriate,” he said. “You’ll be breaking hearts tonight left and right.”

Thirty minutes later, after Luc took a shower and changed into a tux, the two of them sat in the back of a limo and headed for the charity event. “So, my goal tonight is to find a way to mention The Waiting Room in a positive way several times during the night,” Gwen reviewed.

“If we can,” he said. “If not, then just say something good about Hudson Pictures.”

She nodded. “I can do that. Any hot-button subjects?”

“Just your sister. If asked about her, just say how proud you are that she’s taking steps to straighten herself out.”

“That one isn’t very hard, because it’s so true,” Gwen said. The limo pulled in front of the extravagant hotel and she sighed. “Showtime again.”

She waited for Luc to get out of the car to help her. The cameras flashed and she smiled, waving to the crowd of onlookers. A female reporter with a microphone immediately approached Gwen and Luc.

“Good evening. Chelsea Walker with ENTV. Congratulations on your engagement. Any details on the wedding yet?”

“We’ll tell you as soon as we have everything finalized,” Luc said with a game smile.

The reporter shook her finger doubtfully. “I’ve heard that line before. On a more serious note, Gwen, how is your sister, Nicki, doing?”

“Very well,” Gwen said. “I actually got to see her recently. She’s doing some important work on herself. I’m very proud of her. And of course we’re also excited about her upcoming movie. It’s a breakout role for Nicki in a great action movie. Hudson always puts out great entertainment.”

The reporter turned to Luc. “Any chance Hudson will be luring Gwen back to the big screen? Her fans miss her.”

“I’m concentrating on luring her down the aisle,” Luc said. “We should get inside. Great talking with you, Chelsea,” he said and guided Gwen inside.

She laughed to herself. “It never changes,” she said. “You get the same questions and give the same answers over and over again.”

“Repetition is the key, although we may have to throw them a couple of bones to keep the interest going.”

“What kind of bones?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Something about you considering a movie role.”

She shook her head vehemently. “Try something else. That will cause me more trouble than it’s worth.”

“Never say never.”

“Never ever to the hundredth power,” she said.

“We’ll see,” he said and guided her into the ballroom.

His lack of acceptance of her unwillingness to get back into the movie world bothered her, but she hoped he was just speaking from a PR standpoint. Either way, she had no intention of spreading that rumor.

She and Luc took their seats, and several people stopped by their table to offer congratulations. When her face began to ache from smiling, she decided to take a break. “Excuse me. I need to powder my nose.”

He stood as she rose, briefly putting his arm around her and sliding his mouth against her ear. “Don’t get lost,” he said and kissed her.

For just a moment, when his lips touched hers, the rest of the room disappeared, and she decided not to think about their arrangement. He felt so good that she decided not to think about the fact that this was a lie. Stealing an extra few seconds of his touch, she slid her hands up behind his neck and pressed into him.