Acting The Part

Chapter 17: Megan

After a long night yesterday in the heated privacy of our room, we decided to play the part of a loving couple in public. We sat at the edge of the café, near the large glass windows that overlooked the bustling street. I had to admit, the place was perfect.

Cozy, intimate, and just the right amount of public for what we needed. Caleb had picked it, and I had to give him credit—he seemed to know how to stage the perfect "relationship" scene. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over everything, making it look like we were the starring couple in some romantic movie.

I sipped my iced coffee, trying to seem casual, but my heart was racing. This was our first real public date, and I couldn't help but feel the eyes on us. People were watching. People had to be watching.

That was the whole point, right? To convince everyone that we were the perfect, loved-up couple. But the more I thought about it, the more my stomach twisted with nerves.

Caleb, on the other hand, was completely at ease. He leaned back in his chair, his arm draped across the back of my seat, his long legs stretched out like he didn't have a care in the world.

He was wearing one of those effortlessly casual outfits that probably cost more than my rent—a crisp white shirt rolled up at the sleeves and tailored pants that fit him too damn well. His hair, slightly tousled like he'd just run his fingers through it, added to the whole "I woke up like this" vibe.

And then there was me, sitting there like a nervous wreck, trying to act like this was all totally normal. Like I was totally used to having a billionaire pretend to be my husband.

"You okay?" Caleb's deep voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. His sky-blue eyes were focused on me, and for a second, I forgot we were putting on a show. For a second, I thought he was actually concerned.

"I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile. "Just... trying to get used to this."

He chuckled softly, the sound rich and warm. "Relax, Megan. We're just two people out on a date. No big deal."

I raised an eyebrow. "A date where we're supposed to trick the entire world into believing we're madly in love and planning to spend the rest of our lives together. No pressure, right?"

He grinned, leaning in a little closer. "Exactly. Just pretend like you can't keep your hands off me."

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "Oh, sure. That'll be easy."

"Hey, you've done a pretty good job so far," he teased, his hand casually brushing against mine on the table. It was such a small, seemingly innocent gesture, but the warmth of his skin against mine sent a shiver down my spine. "You're a natural."

I shook my head, trying to hide my amusement. "I doubt that."

"Seriously," Caleb continued, his voice dropping to a lower, more intimate tone. "You've got this whole 'adoring wife' thing down. People are eating it up."

I glanced around, noticing a couple of people at nearby tables sneaking glances at us. A few were even whispering. It was working. People were buying it.

"Well, I guess I have a good teacher," I said, trying to play along.

Caleb smirked, clearly pleased with himself. "Glad to see you're learning."

"Don't let it go to your head," I warned, taking another sip of my coffee. "This is just business, remember?"

"Right. Business." His eyes sparkled with something playful, something that made my heart skip a beat. "But that doesn't mean we can't have fun with it."