“It’s a ring.” He frowned and pushed the box closer to her. “If that’s what you think it is, then, yes, you’re correct.”
Oh, God. She recognized the Tiffany & Co. box all too well. Every girl in America was fully aware what that bright blue color meant. But if he’d gone to Tiffany’s, he’d spent a fortune on a fake fiancée, and she’d punch him in his stupid, perfect face.
And he’d deserve it.
She couldn’t wear something like that on her finger. It probably cost more than she made in a year—or two. With her luck, she’d end up losing it and owing him a buttload of money when this was all said and done. And she couldn’t afford that. So she rested her fingers on top of his, and pushed it right back to him, ignoring the way his skin felt against hers. “A fake engagement doesn’t qualify for a real ring. Take it back.”
“Actually…” He pushed the box closer to her again, his hand still under hers. “It does. My mother will notice if you’re wearing a fake rock.”
“You can’t tell.”
He cocked a brow and didn’t say a word.
He didn’t need to.
“Oh, fine. Maybe she can.” Maggie grabbed the box and flipped it open without looking at it, her heart racing. “But that doesn’t mean I need a gaudy, huge—” The second she glanced down, the words died in her throat. The ring was gorgeous.
Of freaking course.
It wasn’t obnoxious or gaudy at all. As a matter of fact, it was exactly what she’d want, if this engagement thing were for real. A simple princess cut diamond rested in the middle of a thin platinum band. It was huge, yes, but it was set elegantly, so it didn’t look like too much. She swallowed and ran a hand across the stone.
“You were saying?” he asked, his tone tinged with amusement.
She didn’t respond. Truth be told, she didn’t think she was capable. He scooted out of his chair and took the box from her hand. She let him. He removed the ring and grabbed her left hand. “I wasn’t sure about your size, so I made an educated guess with the help of the salesperson.”
“What did you tell her?”
“Your height and approximate weight.” His lips twitched into an almost smile. “Don’t ask me to tell you what I told her. I know a trap when I see one.”
She laughed, but cut it off quickly when he slid the ring into place. It was a little loose, but not uncomfortably so. His calloused fingertips scraped the back of her finger, and she swallowed hard. “You must’ve done pretty well. It fits.”
“Good.” He curled her hand into a fist and stared down at it. He kept touching her and making her body react to him in ways it shouldn’t, but that wasn’t what made her breath catch in her throat. For a second, as he stared at her, he looked almost…reverent. As if the sight of his ring on a woman’s hand affected him in some way.
It affects me.
“It looks good on you.”
She glanced down, her heart thumping loudly in her ears. He was right. It did. “Thanks. I…I love it. But I’ll give it back after this is over.”
“Keep it. Sell it. Whatever.”
He dropped his hold on her and sat back in his chair. He looked about as moved as a sack of potatoes, so she must’ve imagined the earlier moment they’d shared.
She slid her hand into her lap and stole one more glance at it. “No way. It had to have cost a fortune.”
“To be honest, I have no clue. I just handed her my card.”
“You just handed her—” She spluttered, cutting herself off. He wouldn’t understand why him dropping a small fortune on a ring for his fake fiancée, without even caring about the cost, was such a shock to her. “I mean…I see.”
He rubbed his jaw, staring at her closely. “You’re disappointed again.”
“No. I’m just realizing how different we are.”
He crossed his arms, watching her with a calculation that had her wanting to hide from his probing gaze. “And that’s a bad thing?”
Yes. “No. But, I mean, this dress? It’s not something I normally wear. I’m like a kid playing dress up, while you probably sleep in suits.”
He didn’t say anything at first, just observed her skeptically as she lifted her glass to her lips. “Actually, I sleep naked.”
She choked on her wine. Legit choked.
A smirk slid into place on his face. A stupid, sexy one. He pulled something out of his pocket while she gasped for breath. “And as far as clothes go, we can buy you a new wardrobe. And lots of jewelry to go with that ring.”
She covered her mouth, still gasping for air. “You—I—you shouldn’t have said that.”
“And yet, I did.” He placed a Visa card in front of her. “Back on topic, before you complain or say it’s too much, hear me out. I have lots of events to attend, and, as my fiancée, you’ll be expected to be by my side. So there will be a need for dresses, and diamonds, and whatnot. Anything you need, you can just swipe my card, and it’ll be yours.”