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"Precisely." He leads me out the door and pulls it shut, then looks at me. "Are you sure you want to do this? Once everyone sees us together, there will be no stopping the gossip train."
"I'm sure."
He seems almost puzzled, but he guides me toward the elevator without saying anything else. We ride in a car with three other people, so I can't ask him what's wrong. By the time we climb into a limo, I've forgotten what I wanted to ask him.
I get into the car first and sit on one of two bench seats that face each other. I expect Hugh to sit beside me, but instead, he settles onto the opposite bench and stretches an arm across its back. A solid partition separates us from the driver.
"Shouldn't you sit over here?" I ask. "We're supposed to be a couple, you know."
"Yes, I'm aware of that." He winces and scratches the back of his neck. "I feel a bit odd about it all of a sudden, like I'm seducing you into becoming my mistress."
"I agreed to this arrangement. Do you think you're so hot that I can't say no to anything you suggest?"
He almost smirks but can't quite do it when he's still grimacing slightly. "I did seduce you into phone sex."
"You suggested it. I agreed. That's not seduction." I wish we weren't talking about our phone-shag incident because it's making me wet and achy. I want to change the subject, but I need an answer to my question. "Why won't you sit over here with me?"
He flattens his lips, drumming his fingers on his seat. Then he jumps over to my side, though he keeps an arm's length between us. "Happy now?"
"Not quite." I shimmy sideways until my thigh brushes against his. "That's better."
Maybe I like being close to him a little too much. No point in worrying about that now. I need to mentally prepare myself for our fake date.
Hugh slides an arm across my shoulders. "I hope I haven't corrupted you with my craven lust."
"Craven? I assume you're talking about our phone-sex incident. That was hot, and I loved it, end of story." I lay a hand on his thigh, not realizing I've done that until he stiffens and stares at me. "I'm the one who kissed you twice, remember?"
"No, you askedmeto kissyouthe first time."
"I instigated it, which is the same as doing it myself. But that's not the point. You shouldn't feel like a criminal for what we did on the phone. I'm a big girl, and I make my own decisions."
"Of course. But—"
I seal his lips with two of my fingers. "No buts. It was amazing, period."
He smiles against my fingers, then peels them away from his mouth. "Have it your way, darling. I'm helpless to deny a woman anything she wants."
When our car pulls up in front of the restaurant, we wait for the driver to get out and open the door for us. Hugh swears that's what proper aristocrats do. He'd rather open the door himself, he tells me, but he needs to behave like a viscount if he's serious about repairing his image.
I congratulate him on committing to the process at last.
And he kisses my cheek, right before he climbs out and offers me his hand to help me step out of the limo. I know he's not faking it. He truly is a gentleman—with a steamy, dirty alter ego.
He keeps a hand on my back while we ascend the steps that lead into the restaurant. Paparazzi snap pictures of us. I knew that would happen, and it's what we need to happen. Being seen in public as a respectable viscount with a respectable date on his arm is the best way to convince everyone he's not a bastard.
At the top of the steps, Hugh offers me his arm, and I take it.
Within thirty seconds of entering the restaurant, we sit down at a table in the middle of everything, exactly where we need to be. Hiding in a corner booth won't show the London snobs that Hugh is a gentleman. He needs to be seen, and that means eating in full view of all the patrons.
Hugh puts on a brave face, but I can tell by his minute facial tics that he's not entirely comfortable being on display for everyone to judge. He rests a hand on the table, which might seem like a casual, relaxed gesture to anyone else. But I've spent time with Hugh, in his office and his flat, and I learned some of his mannerisms. I'll need to learn a lot more if we're going to pull this off.
After the waiter sets water glasses on our table and hands us menus, I lean forward to lay a palm on Hugh's hand. "Relax, you're doing great."
"I appreciate the encouragement, but I think my best course of action is to ignore everyone. Unless someone speaks to me or waves at me."
"Okay. Let's order and then have a nice chat. That's appropriate dating behavior."
"Good. I can do that. I think."
