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"Yeah, something like that." Declan hadn't used his family money on Diana's engagement ring. They'd both wanted to live on their cop salary, grinding away like they had a mission to prove. His mom had been horrified. His dad? Amused. Declan? A part of him had always regretted it.
So, now was his chance to ditch his moral high ground with money and give Piper what she deserved. He had to admit, it had been fun as hell ringing up his mom's jeweler and getting a private showing, playing the part that he'd refused to play his whole life.
Piper looked over at him. "You're positive this thing is insured?"
"Absolutely. And Neil takes back the stones if the engagement falls through. So just enjoy it."
"I'm going to wind up with a bigger biceps on my left arm, but I guess that's the price to pay, right?"
He grinned. "Money is heavy. You'll adjust. You see April's car here?"
Piper looked around, then pointed at a red Porsche convertible. "There." She took a breath. "It's showtime, right?"
Declan glanced across the parking lot to the patio on the side of the building. He could see diners out among the planters and under the string lights. "We're visible from there."
Piper followed his glance and grimaced. "Yes, we are. I don't see her, though. She's probably around the corner."
"But someone else who recognizes you might be watching us right now. Stay there." Declan got out of the truck, then walked around to Piper's side and opened her door. It had been a long time since he'd opened the door for a woman, and there was something so damned satisfying about doing it. About having the chance to treat a woman like a queen. He leaned on the door and studied Piper after he opened the door.
Piper was wearing a slinky black dress with a slit up the side. High heels. Just enough makeup to tease. She was pure sex and sin, and she was dressing to impress tonight. She was everything he'd rejected about his legacy with the way she was dressed for luxury, but instead of rebelling against it, his whole body thudded with recognition of the woman before him. Hot. Bold. Sexy. "Damn, you look good."
Piper flashed him a grin. "You're pure testosterone, the way you're leaning on that car door like that. She'll never notice you're a jellyfish."
"I'm not a jellyfish." He held out his hand. "Come on, my darling. Tonight is our night."
She took a breath, then stepped out of the car, moving with thegrace of a woman who knew how to be pure class.Shit.He should not find her this attractive. What the hell?
He was glad he liked kissing her, though. She might be okay with kissing a jellyfish, but he'd prefer jellyfish stay in the ocean, and since they had to kiss for the sake of her career, it might as well be damned good.
He slipped his hand around her wrist, and tugged her toward him as she passed. "We're on public display here," he whispered, before he slid his hand around the nape of her neck.
Her eyes widened. "Oh."
"Right? It's jellyfish time, sweetheart." He angled his head and kissed her, a long, sensual kiss designed to make anyone watching feel nothing but pure envy for the heat between them. Piper leaned into him, and when her hand went to his biceps, he felt like she'd burned him with her touch.
The kiss was searing hot, and it rocked him to his core. He wanted more and more, andmore.
Hell.
He broke the kiss, and for a long moment, they stared at each other.
"Jellyfish?" His voice was rougher than he'd intended. He knew there was no jellyfish in that kiss, but he was curious how long it would take her to admit what that kiss was. Pure heat.
Piper cleared her throat. "Totally, but I'm getting used to it."
Totally.He chuckled to himself. She was holding onto that illusion as hard as she could, which he understood. He wasn't here for anything real either, so he understood her walls. He was surprised, however, how much he was enjoying playing the part.
Maybe it was because they both knew it wasn't real, so it was easy to simply let himself enjoy it. No pressure, no future, no promises, other than to be the hero she needed.
Not that he was any kind of a hero, not by a long shot. But he was willing to play one to help her, and he was surprised at how damned good it felt.
Piper stepped back. "Shall we go?"
"Yeah." He took her hand, wrapping his fingers around hers, then tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow, tugging her close. He bent his head toward her as they walked, putting on the appearance of intimacy and connection.
"You're pure seduction," Piper said, sounding a little grumpy about it.
He chuckled. "Is that bad?"
