Page 78 of Ruthless Heir

Think about her?

Does it even matter, Harper? Asher Le Blanche is offering you a chance to be with him. Even if it’s fake.

“I’ll do it,” I hear myself say

At first he looks surprised then his brows furrow. “Don’t you need more time to think?”

“No. I don’t. I’ll do it.” I nod with certainty. “Does this mean my debt will be repaid?”

“Every last cent.”

“That’s a very expensive deal. I’m not sure it’s comparable.”

“To me it is. Thank you for agreeing.”

It feels good to do something for him for a change. “You do realize this is a very crazy idea, right?”

“Yes. I do realize that. But it will serve its purpose.”

“As long as it helps. What do we need to do?”

“We just need to act like a real couple in front of everyone.”

Oh… my.

Act like a real couple… so we’d do real coupely things.

“Are you…going to be okay with that? I mean you… may have to kiss me.” I feel like a shy twelve year old, too nervous to say words likekissorsex.

Asher’s eyes fill with that spark of desire I’ve seen from time to time. And like always it disappears within seconds.

“We’re just acting so it should be fine.” The overly certain tone of his voice makes me think he’s trying to convince himself with that explanation. Maybe he is because he needs me. “Will you… be okay?”

“Sure. It’s acting,” I answer in near enough the same tone as him. “I’ve had to do things like that many times.” No. Not really. And not like this.

Pretending things were fine when I was living with Nick is not like this at all.

“Then we should be good.”

“Yes, of course.”

“My father is the one we need to worry about most. We need to make him believe we’re real. He already likes you and my mother adores you so we’re halfway there.”

I’m sure his parents would be thrilled if we ever got together. It makes sense now why his father was looking at me the way he was last week. He probably thought I was on Asher’s list of potentials.

“The first time you’ll see my family will be at a charity dinner on Wednesday evening. That’s when we’ll really have to perform.

“Um… what about Josh? Are you going to tell him?”

His eyes cloud with an emotion I can’t quite put my finger on. “No. I want us to keep this between us.”

His answer surprises me. “You don’t think we should say something? I’m sure he’d understand that I was just helping out.”

“No, it’s best we say nothing. Josh would hate the idea.” The flatness in his tone suggests something more to the answer and I wonder if there is. Like maybe Josh said something about me before. “I don’t want him worrying over you for nothing. This is just a temporary plan for the next three months. We still have another eight before he’s back. By then I’ll be married and this will be old news.”

“Oh, right.” The thought of us being old news tugs on my heart. “I guess you’re right. Josh doesn’t need to know.”

“If the press get photos of us together they’ll assume that we’re dating anyway, whether we are or not. It’s just something that happens. As long as we’re not doing anything obvious we should be fine.”

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