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William looks back over at me without warning, catching me in a besotted gaze. My cheeks flush slightly, but I manage a wry smile.
One corner of his mouth lifts in an answering expression, and it’s one of those moments of intense connection that are indescribable but unmistakable. Like we are sharing something real, deep, in the locking of our eyes.
“You don’t have to look so worried, Jade. I’m not angry with you. I was for a while, but I could tell the lying was difficult for you—that it went against your nature, that you didn’t want to trick me that way. Once I got a sense of who you were, I could read you and I knew you weren’t doing it to hurt me.”
“I wasn’t,” I say hurriedly. “I promise I didn’t want to hurt you. The more I got to know and… and like you, the more I hated myself for having to play the role. I hope you can forgive me.”
He meets my eyes again. “I told you. I already have.”
Something in my chest relaxes, and I feel another irrational surge of hope.
But my sense of irony overcomes the flood of sentiment, and I say with a quirk of my mouth, “Well, to tell you the truth, I’m still a little angry at you—for making me suffer for so long after you found out who I was.”
William laughs softly, low in his throat. “You’re just annoyed that I came out on top in our little game—that I outplayed you.”
I shoot him a glare of mock indignation. “Don’t go down that road, or I’ll bring up how long Iwasable to play you.” It’s a deep relief that he was able to tease about the issue since it convinces me he’s telling the truth about not holding it against me.
I think about the first few weeks before Detective Curtis showed up and William realized who I really am. Then I think about how he’s acted since.
“Were you—?” I cut off the spontaneous question before I even get it spoken, my cheeks warming with a deep flush.
William’s brows draw together at the shift in mood. “Was I what?”
“It’s nothing.”
“What do you want to know, Jade?” He leans forward slightly, his skin flickering warmly with the light from the candle.
I give a half shrug. “Were you… were you into Amber? Is that why you agreed to the arrangement with her?”
His shoulders stiffen slightly, clearly surprised by the unexpectedly intimate question.
“You don’t have to tell me,” I add in a rush, filling the awkward silence. “I know it’s private. It’s no big deal. I was just wondering. About… about…”
“I thought she was beautiful. One of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met. That much is real.”
I blush since I look exactly like her.
“But no, I wasn’t into her. In fact, the more I got to know her, the less attractive I found her. I’m not sure if I can even explain it.” He gives me a slightly sheepish look.
“I think it makes sense. Who people are always affects our attraction to them—one way or another.”
“That’s why I was so bewildered when suddenly I was attracted to her again.” He huffs softly. “I couldn’t make any sense of it. Why do I suddenly want to tear this woman’s clothes off when I don’t even really like her?”
I stifle a giggle, both nervous and amused by his bone-dry tone. “You were attracted to her again?”
“To you. But I believed it was her. It really threw me for a loop. Then you were acting different—so completely unlike her. At first I bought that she was genuinely trying to turn over a new leaf, but I never felt settled about it. Something was definitely wrong.”
“So when did you start to suspect?”
“I didn’t know enough to suspect anything specific. Just a general sense that something wasn’t right. I was a mess. Consumed by lust that came out of nowhere—plus slowly falling for a woman I was sure I didn’t like. Loving all the time we spent together but constantly questioning why it was happening.” He gives me a quirk of a smile, rubbing his jaw. “I was a complete disaster. Then that detective showed up and announced Amber had a twin sister. Everything clicked into place. Of course that was what happened. It explained everything. The woman I’d been falling for wasn’t Amber at all. After that, I was also a disaster. Just for another reason.”
I can’t help but laugh again, melting with pleasure over his self-deprecating admission. “You hid it well. I knew you were confused, but you always seemed to have yourself together. I’ve never met anyone so completely in control of himself.”
He shakes his head. “It was all an act.”
“And all that time you knew who I was and didn’t say anything. I’m still not sure I’m okay with that.” My tone is light, playful. He surely knows I’m teasing.
“You’ll have to let me know what I can do to make up for it.”
