The Engagement

Chapter Seven

Alex watched Emme perusing the rings, and felt a strange sort of jolt. It wasn't a true marriage, but following through on the plan made it seem more real. The only people who wouldn't know the wedding was fake would be his parents and her parents. They wouldn't keep the truth from their friends. Considering half of them entered a marriage of convenience themselves, he figured they would understand.

When he picked her up this morning, she acted as if the night before never happened. He supposed he would let her have that for now. But this attraction between them wouldn't disappear, and he intended to remind her they were far from finished. He didn't know what would become of their relationship, but Alex found it easier to take life as it came. While he knew when to push and when to back away, he wasn't a stranger to fighting for what he wanted.

Emme wasn't an easy woman. She was strong-willed and resolute, willing to stand her ground to the death if necessary. He admired her resolve. Not particularly when it was directed at him, but he could work around that.

"The lady might like this one."

"No, it's too gaudy."

"What about this one?"

"Too large. He isn't a sugar daddy, you know."

The jeweler looked distressed, and not entirely certain of where to go next. It took everything Alex had not to laugh. It became obvious that the man never dealt with a bride like Emme.

"This one," Emme declared, pointing.

"Very good." But the jeweler's tone was stiff, indicating his disappointment over not making a larger sell.

Alex moved in next to her, examining her choice. Deliberately bumping his hip into her, he swallowed a smile over her quick side-step. Her pick was a modest round stone flanked by three on either side. The wedding band held a simple antique pattern of diamonds nearly rounding the whole band. He approved of the color, a simple white gold that laid very nicely against her skin. Again, seeing the rings on her, he felt a sharp, strange sensation in his chest.

Dismissing it as indigestion, he picked up her hand. "It's perfect."

She stared at him as he smoothed his thumb across her soft palm. Her eyes widened slightly, mouth parting. Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips and it took everything he had not to kiss her senseless.

It was telling, that she didn't immediately jerk her hand away. As she blinked down at the glass case beneath her fingers, he felt a surge of pride at disorienting her with a simple touch. It told him what he needed to know. She might pretend the chemistry between them didn't exist, but she hadn't forgotten about it and she wasn't immune.

Alex looked at the jeweler. "We'll take it."

"Perfect." The jeweler took out a box, and Emme placed the wedding band inside. She kept the engagement ring on, and he found his eyes straying to it as he pulled out his wallet.

"Now, for the gentleman?"

Alex had forgotten about his part in this. A quick examination of the rings showed a simple white gold one with two stones and stylish grooves. It looked as if it suited the ones Emme had chosen.

Pointing at it, he said, "Size 10. That one."

The jeweler brought it out. He tried it on, and satisfied, gave it back for bundling up. As the purchases rang up, the jeweler placed the boxes in a bag and handed it to Emme. She held onto it, looking momentarily lost. He couldn't know what was going through her mind, but he didn't like the obvious unhappiness radiating from her.

Thanking the jeweler, he pulled Emme onto the sidewalk. "Are you okay?"

She tried a smile. "I'm fine."