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The frown deepened. ‘I... How on earth do they remember that?’
Her surprise was genuine, and Zander realised that Gabby really had no idea how memorable she was. He wasn’t sure he could put his finger on it himself. She was undoubtedly pretty, but it went deeper than that. Perhaps it was the depth of expression in her hazel eyes, a sense of vulnerability...some elusive facet that etched her on people’s memory banks.
‘Anyway, I wasn’t planning on staying.’
‘But it would be a shame to waste it,’ he said smoothly. ‘And also I didn’t have a chance to mention an important part of my proposition.’
There was a hesitation and then she sighed and sat down, picking up her spoon with an expression that indicated a determination to speed eat her way through the tiramisu.
‘I didn’t mention the fee.’
Now she looked up. ‘The fee is irrelevant—because I’m not applying for the role.’
‘I understand that, but if you were to agree to this I’m willing to pay you one hundred thousand pounds plus expenses.’
The spoon clattered to the table. ‘Are you nuts?’
‘Nope.’
‘I guarantee you can get someone a lot cheaper than that.’
‘I don’t want someone else. I want you.’
Silence stretched taut as awareness joined the party—an awareness that swirled itself around them as he realised the truth of the words. He did want her. Right now he wanted to lean across the table and kiss her, taste the chocolate on her lips, entwine his fingers in the glossy sheen of chestnut hair, and then he wanted to...
Stop!
‘You are the obvious choice.’ The words sounded forced, his voice hoarse, and he picked up his espresso. ‘You are the woman I kissed. The woman Edna saw.’
Gabby took her time replying, her cheeks still flushed as if she was able to read his mind. ‘I doubt Edna could pick me out in an identity parade.’
‘Maybe not, but I’d rather not risk it. I get that this isn’t your sort of gig, but think what you could do with the money.’
A dreamy look entered her eyes and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth in clear indecision. Then, ‘You’re right. The money would be great. But I can’t accept the job because it wouldn’t be fair. I couldn’t pull it off. It’s not only the limelight factor.’ Pushing her empty bowl away, she leant forward. ‘In real life I wouldn’t go out with you. So how on earth could I fake it? No one will believe it.’
To his surprise, chagrin punched his chest at her words. ‘Why wouldn’t you go out with me?’
‘Does it matter?’
‘Yes. Because if you tell me then I can work out if we can overcome it or not.’
‘For a start, I would never agree to a temporary, fun, strings-free relationship.’
‘Because you’re looking for a happy-ever-after?’ Try as he might he couldn’t keep the wariness from his voice.
She reached out to cover his arm in an instinctive gesture of comfort. ‘I’m sorry. I know your happy-ever-after ended in tragedy, and I understand why you may want a temporary relationship, but I... I still want a shot at it. One day.’
‘So you won’t embark on any relationship unless it’s with Mr Right?’
‘Let’s say I don’t want to embark on a deliberate relationship with someone who is definitely Mr Wrong.’
‘Fair enough. But you wouldn’t be. This would be a fake relationship.’
‘But I would find it hard to maintain a pretence that goes against my character and my beliefs. That’s hardly going to be easy to pull off, especially when I will be so far out of my depth I’ll be in constant danger of drowning. You’re a “catch.” I’m ordinary and my ideal man is ordinary. You aren’t that.’
A dark memory crossed his soul. Again Claudia’s voice echoed in his imagination.
Why can’t you be happy with what we have, Zan? With what you have? Be happy to be ordinary instead of striving after an extraordinary dream that may ruin us.
