Page 64 of Lie For Me

‘Of course,’ he replied and crossed the room to her in a few long strides.

She turned so he could reach the clasp and the zip and felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as his fingers brushed against her bare skin.

‘Uh, how do I…’ he tugged on the dress. ‘How does this work?’

His breath fanned the strands of hair that fell loose from the bun. She could feel the warmth of his damp chest close to the bare skin of her back.

‘What kind of fake boyfriend are you?’ she joked. ‘Do the zip first, then you should be able to do the little clasp.’

She shivered as his fingers brushed against her.

She felt the zip slide smoothly up and the dress sit properly on her waist. Then Jack was swearing as he tried to get the tiny hook and eye to meet.

‘Done!’ he announced.

‘Thank you.’

Lucy breathed in and turned to face him.

He cleared his throat and stepped back.

‘As your fake boyfriend, I feel it’s only right to tell you that you look,’ his eyes ran over her face, ‘beautiful.’

Lucy blushed and struggled to meet his gaze.

‘And as your fake girlfriend, I am flattered that you think so.’

She reached inside the wardrobe and pulled out a box with a pillbox fascinator with long feathers and an enormous bow. She fixed it on her head and stood back to admire the finished effect.

‘Wow, what is that? Are you trying to receive radio signals?’ Jack asked.

Lucy jabbed him in the arm. ‘It’s a fascinator.’

‘I am certainly fascinated by it,’ Jack said, eyebrows raised. ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to take my eyes off it all day. In case it pokes my eye out.’

He reached up to adjust the feathers.

‘What are you doing?’ Lucy asked.

‘Just trying to see if I can get Classic FM,’ he said with a straight face.

Lucy laughed and batted his hand away.

‘It’s classic wedding attire,’ she said.

Jack shook his head slowly in wonderment.

‘I knew there was a reason I hated these things.’

He grinned as he grabbed his bag and disappeared back into the bathroom to dress.

He emerged a few minutes later wearing a light grey suit with a pale blue shirt which highlighted his light tan; the collar was unbuttoned, and a tie was looped around his neck. He winced as Lucy scrutinised him up and down.

‘What, not up to snuff?’

‘No,’ Lucy managed, taking it all in. ‘You look good. Very handsome.’

The last word sounded slightly strangled, so she added, more lightly, ‘You won’t show me up at all.’

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