Oh, shit.Now I really have to come up with something. “I don’t know what to say,” I blurt out.
Something flickers in his eyes.Disappointment?But it’s gone in an instant. “You aren’t obligated to say anything,” he says calmly. “You didn’t have to do anything unless you want to. We aren’t here as boss and assistant.”
“We…aren’t?”
“No. We’re here as an engaged couple.”
I make a small strangled sound at how serious he sounds, although a gleam in his eye hints at playful teasing. An urge to remind him that our “engagement” was an impulse on his part because he wanted to protect me swells, but I shut up in case I inadvertently say something that upsets him and makes him kiss me. Not that I’d be against that. But I’m not ready. I probably taste like burned apartment or something. And Iknowmy hair smells bad. I should at least brush my teeth and shower. Beat my hair into some kind of submission before I let his fingers tangle into my curls and—
Oh my God, stop thinking about it like kissing is inevitable!But the image won’t leave my head, and I can’t quit staring at his mouth, fantasizing how it would feel on mine. It’s really beautiful—sensual and firm… Would he move his hands over me? Stroke me, trace my body—
I squirm a little, swallowing a groan. I’m getting wet just from the thought of his mouth and hands on me. I inhale and imagine a tranquil sea.Just paste on a friendly smile and pretend everything’s fine.
“My family saw the video,” he says.
I gasp, whatever little peace I managed to achieve vanishing. “Prescott and Jeremiah too?” I squeak. The two people I’m most worried about.
“Probably the whole firm. Barry stopped by. Offered to organize a bachelor party.”
“Ack.” I bury my face in my hands. “Crap. What do I tell Kenna?”
“Kenna? Kenna Miller?”
“Yeah. I told her about my engagement to Chad yesterday. She’s the one who referred me to Chad when my dentist retired.”
Josh’s eyes narrow, his lips pursing. Hopefully it doesn’t mean she’s in trouble. He doesn’t seem to like her very much for some reason, and she tries to avoid interacting with him.
“She was being nice,” I add.
“Mmm. I’m sure.” He doesn’t sound convinced. “Tell her you traded up. By the way, Akiko wants to meet you. Host a family dinner and invite you over.”
I shake my head. No way am I meeting Prescott’s wife! “Shouldn’t we just tell them the truth?”
“Do you want to?”
“I mean…” I hesitate. We should come clean, not deceive his family. But at the same time, Chad’s cruel taunt—and the stupid bet—comes back to me. Should I pretend the bet never happened? Or is it going to be a problem? I glance down at the ring, then pull it off and turn it in my hands, considering. He really wants it back. If I give it to him now and be done with it, he might just go away permanently—
“Jesus, you’re still wearing that ugly thing?” Josh takes my hand and plucks the ring out of my fingers as the driver’s-side window lowers. Then he throws it out into the traffic.
“Oh my God!No!”
“Yes.” He raises the window.
“That’s areal diamond!” I raise my voice without meaning to, panicking. How much is it going to cost to replace it? No matter how much I hate Chad’s guts, it wouldn’t be right to keep the ring, which technically belongs to his wife. “Can you turn the car around?”
“In this traffic?”
I flop back against the seat and close my eyes. Josh is right. There are way too many cars on the road. Not to mention, how would I look for the ring anyway? It’s so small, and I’d be lucky if the L.A. drivers didn’t run me over in road rage.
I slap my cheeks a couple of times, panicking.
“What’s the problem? Tell me,” he says.
“I was going to return it to Autumn!”
He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “And apologize?”
Oh, God.He overheard the bet. “Of course not. I didn’t do anything wrong, but neither did she.”
