Chapter 23
Vanessa
“A ring. You’re serious.”
“Do you honestly think I’d joke about a ring? You need a symbol of our engagement.”
I slowly turned my head toward the man I’d just… fucked. He was practically glowing after our wicked moment.
“How about we find one in a Cracker Jack box instead?”
He laughed as if I was completely joking.
I wasn’t.
Fucking him inside a tiny, hot as sin bathroom was one thing. Yes, it went against almost everything I’d told him, but sex wasn’t permanent. Birth control was fabulous.
Shuddering, I tried to think of a good excuse not to purchase a ring, but there wasn’t any. If we were madly in love, people would look for and ask about the ring. The size. The story of how he proposed. How we’d met and fell in love. Those were things we hadn’t discussed.
The decision had been impetuous.
“Do you honestly think anyone would believe I wouldn’t spend an enormous amount of money in getting you the perfect engagement ring?” he asked the question so casually as if tossing around five or six figures in a diamond ring was no big deal. Well, it was a huge deal to me.
Because wearing his ring made the preposterous decision real.
“How are you going to find a jeweler in Naples?” I don’t know if I honestly believed my question would stall him, but I could tell it wasn’t working.
He threw me a look and turned on the signal, making a right. “I have my sources.”
“You know everyone in Florida. Don’t you?”
His laugh was jovial, completely at ease. As with every time we’d… had sex, I felt strange. Warm and fuzzy, yet some guilt tore through me. Why was it I believed I couldn’t enjoy fringe benefits of being married to such a looker?
Because this wasn’t real.
Not even a little bit.
“I know a lot of businesses. I’ve been to the store before.”
“You need to tell me about all the women you were engaged to over the years. At some point, I might run into one of them and that will be terribly awkward.”
“I’ve never been engaged.”
The news did shock me. “You’re serious.”
“You don’t lie about something like that. I never found the right woman.”
“Hmmm… Okay, what about long-term girlfriends. Not just fuck buddies.”
“Fuck buddies?” he asked just before turning into a parking lot.
“You know exactly what that is. You hook up for a few nights and go your separate ways.”
As he pulled into a parking spot, his eyebrows furrowed. “Okay. I see your point. I’ve never had a long-term girlfriend. Unless you consider the girl I dated on and off in college long term, but we weren’t exclusive.”
“Wait. You’re what, fifty?” Then who was Caroline? The need to ask him was strong, the words right on my tongue. If I did, I knew it would kill the moment and I had to admit I was enjoying the time.
He threw me a look before sliding the gear into park.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I know. You’re thirty-nine. I still find it crazy that you’ve never had a real girlfriend.”
“For the same reason I needed to find a service to secure a wife.”
“Oh. You didn’t want them robbing you blind.”
His chuckle was way too dark and delicious. “Something like that. Just enjoy this. It’s not meant to be painful.”
“You mean like going to the dentist for a root canal.”
As soon as he unfastened his seatbelt, he leaned over. “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a complete buzzkill?”
“Me? A buzzkill? I’m the life of a party.”
“Uh-huh.”
I threw off the seatbelt, my stomach queasy. This wasn’t going to be easy and there truly was no real reason why. He was rich. We were together. Kind of. I deserved to wear a beautiful bauble on my hand. Right? “One question.”
“I expect there will be more than one. What is it?”
I licked my lips since I knew he watched every time I did. “Do I get to keep the ring in the divorce?”
His eyebrow arched and with the way the light breeze was tousling his hair, the backdrop of the setting sun behind us, he was exactly as Amelia had described him.
Swoonable.
Lucky girl me.
“Maybe if you’re a good girl,” he growled, pressing his hand against the small of my back. So possessive. So authoritative.
I allowed him to guide me to the entrance, even though I hesitated at the door.
“You’re not going to pass out on me. Are you?” he asked, whispering the words in my ear. His retaliation for me licking my lips.
“I can handle it. I mean since I can handle you, I think I can deal with anything.”
“Incorrigible,” he growled and opened the door.
“Mr. Elliot. What a huge surprise.”
The older man was genuinely happy to see Christian. That brought so many questions floating into my mind.
“Jeremy. How have you been? How’s Emma?” Christian guided me further into the small store. The lighting was incredible, the shimmer highlighting the most beautiful jewelry in the crystal cases. Suddenly, it felt as if I was living in a fairytale.
But what happened in all fairytales?
There was always an evil person determined to kill the prince and princess.
“She’s doing very well.” Jeremy seemed surprised Christian had remembered. “What can I do for you?” He eyed me, nodding and the smile on his face was genuine.
“I need a ring. An engagement ring.”
Instantly, Jeremy clasped his hands together. “Mr. Elliot. Congratulations. I was just telling Emma the other day that I was surprised someone hadn’t stolen your heart. Is this lovely lady the one who did?”
I coughed into my hand and Christian gave me a funny look.
“She absolutely stole my heart. I am a very lucky man. Jeremy, this is the incredible, talented, and ultra-beautiful Vanessa Blair.”
Before I moved to shake the man’s hand, I gave Christian a harsher look than he’d given me, whispering so only he could hear, “Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you?”
“I don’t think so.”
“I am so very happy for the both of you. Congratulations. I can tell how very much in love you are.” Jeremy shook my hand and I had a feeling the two men were close enough he wanted to hug me. Thankfully, he refrained, or I would have felt the need to burst his bubble.
As far as the love part, I guess I was a much better actress than I’d given myself credit for. Yay me.
“Thank you very much. We’re extremely happy.” Maybe I was also good at laying it on thick myself.
“What style of ring do you prefer?” Jeremy was beside himself. Suddenly, I hated lying to people more than I thought I would.
“You’ll need to help me. I’ve never been engaged before.”
“Then the men you’ve been dating are blind and stupid.” Jeremy’s words brought an instant laugh.
“You’re right. The sky is the limit, Jeremy. Whatever my bride to be wants, she gets.” Christian was continuing to lay it on thick.
“Oh, darling,” I said as I purposely backed into him. “Isn’t it usually customary for the man to hunt for days, weeks for the perfect ring then drop to his knee after providing a lavish setting with champagne and lobster to ask her to marry him? Hmmm?”
He swatted me on the bottom before the two men exchanged glances.
“I know you too well, honey bunchkins. You wouldn’t be satisfied with anything I selected. Take your time. I want you very happy.”
We shared a look that surpassed our bantering, which I’d begun to enjoy. Who went from feeling utter disgust with a human being to something else entirely in the space of a few days? A nutso like me. I only hoped he wasn’t completely conning me.
If he was, I wasn’t certain how I could take the revelation.
He’d already stripped me of several of my defenses.
“Why don’t we start with learning your ring size. We’ll go from there.”
Jeremy was kind, his voice gentle and before I agreed to what I considered blasphemous action, I turned toward Christian, searching his eyes. I wasn’t certain what I was hoping to find.
Maybe the truth, but about what exactly?
He smiled, giving me a nod as if that was going to make everything alright.
How odd it was that the single action not only allowed me to feel better, but also created another wave of butterflies, even more relentless than before?
“Let’s get this party started,” I said, realizing this still felt like I’d sold a little bit of my soul.
The entire moment was surreal, but as the sweet man began to pull out rings, I was enthralled with the selection and within a couple of minutes, I was more comfortable.
I hadn’t realized champagne had appeared, the glass of bubbly also glistening in the stunning light.
Even more surprising was the fact that instead of surfing on his phone or making a half dozen business calls, Christian remained by my side. Yes, he gave me space, but I knew instantly when he didn’t like a choice of one I’d slipped on my finger.
After the fifth ring that he gave the thumbs down to, I wrapped my fingers around his shirt, jerking him closer. “Why don’t you make a selection? Let’s see how well you do.”
“Hmm… I’ll find the perfect ring in less than twenty seconds.”
“Is that a bet?”
His grin went from boyish to evil. “That’s a bet. Darlin’.” The fake Texas boy accent matched the fake engagement, but he could make me laugh.
That was saying something.
I checked my watch. “You’re on.”
He didn’t waste any time, moving from one case to another, sweeping his eyes up and down the rows.
“Ten seconds.”
He growled and moved to the last case.
“Five. Four. Three. Two…”
“I found it,” he gritted. “Right there.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
“Go right ahead, Wildcat.”
Jeremy was smiling although I could tell he was somewhat perplexed by our unusual behavior.
He should get in line.
He pulled the tray and that was when I had the first look. “Oh. My. God.” There was no hiding the delight in seeing the incredible ring. It was without a doubt the most beautiful piece of jewelry I’d ever seen.
“You have excellent taste, Mr. Elliot. An exquisite piece and if I’m not mistaken, Vanessa’s size.”
“May I?” Christian asked.
“Of course.” Jeremy handed it to him and for all the arrogance I’d seen out of Christian, for just a few seconds, he was unsure of himself.