Page 199 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

‘You like this necklace,señora?’

Startled, Elodie turned as the jeweller approached. She saw his sweeping glance take her in—lingering on the fingers she’d spread just below her collarbones. He’d seen the ruby ring. She dropped her hand. No doubt the man would instantly recognise it as ‘artificial’. Sure enough, his demeanour subtly changed. But to her surprise he went from merely polite, to pure sycophant.

‘Would you like to try it on?’ He opened the cabinet and lifted out the glittering piece before she could say no.

‘Just...briefly,’ she agreed weakly.

Moments later she gazed at her reflection, her resolve weakening. Maybe she would amp up her gold-digger facade? Only it wasn’t that. Honestly? She loved the cool weight and drama of it. She’d never thought she’d go for something so intense or so couture but it would contrast beautifully with the light simplicity of the dress she’d chosen. But there was no way she would spend that amount of Ramon’s money.

The jeweller regarded her speculatively. ‘It is sublime on you.’

‘Yes, but I can’t...’ She made the man remove the necklace.

Piotr materialised beside her. ‘Do you need assistance, Ms Wallace?’

‘I don’t think so.’ She smiled at him ruefully. ‘I could never buy it.’

Piotr studied her impassively. ‘What if you could borrow it? With your permission I will inquire.’

‘Um—’

Piotr turned and addressed the jeweller in staccato bursts of rapid Spanish that she didn’t understand a word of. After some time he turned back to her. ‘I will supply a borrow bond and return it immediately after the ceremony. We’ll take it with us now.’

‘Really?’She was stunned.

The jeweller put the necklace into a velvet-lined travel case that Piotr slid into his jacket pocket in return for a swipe of one of those cards.

Five minutes later she couldn’t resist a quiet plea to the taciturn bodyguard. ‘We don’t have to tell Ramon we’ve borrowed it, do we?’

She wanted to let her temporary husband think she’d spent a stupid amount of his money—just a tiny tease. She swore she almost caught a smile from Piotr.

‘My instructions are to assist you any way necessary, Ms Wallace. You can trust that I will take care of your best interests.’

She did trust him, actually. He was a marvel.

Back at the hotel the hairdresser and make-up artist were waiting. Two hours later she stared at her reflection. A veil the hairdresser had produced added a touch more ‘bridal’, the necklace delivered a wallop of luxury, while the sky-high heels would give her a chance to look Ramon directly in the eyes.

But really all this was forher. Last time it had been everything someone else wanted. But this was all for herself and she was going to indulge in the fantasy of it because it sure as hell was never,everhappening again.

Piotr arrived and actually smiled as he offered her his arm like the big brother she’d never had.

The hotel had a stunning private deck that was built right over the stunning blue sea. Enormous white sails screened them from the sun overhead and Elodie breathed in deeply as she walked towards her groom. On her first wedding day she’d been anxious and awkward and scared of screwing up. This was vastly different. It wasn’t meant to be momentous—she could relax—but the flutters in her belly begged to differ.

Ramon was waiting for her beneath a fresh floral arch and was indeed wearing white. His linen suit, perfect for the blazing mid-afternoon heat, accentuated his tanned skin and the vivid blue of his eyes. Excitement trammelled through her at the sight of him. She desperately,dangerously, wanted him.

This was simply adeal. There shouldn’t be any emotion, hell, he mightn’t even particularly like her and she didn’t want to let herself think that hecouldbecause it would tempt her to like him back. He was far too easy to like already. Yet suddenly it was impossible not to smile.

Ramon couldn’t speak. She looked immaculate. This was simply another of her costumes except he couldn’t quite believe it. With a helpless shrug he fell into the fantasy. Her dress had the thinnest of straps and skimmed her slim figure—the pale pink accentuated her stunning hair and was so very pretty. The veil was short and didn’t cover her face, which he appreciated because her eyes were shining. She looked so damned fresh andsincere. He saw her shaky breath as she took her place beside him. She was either a supremely talented actress or she really was nervous. He reached out and took her hand. Tightened his grip when he felt her tremble. They were in this together. Just for a little while.

He repeated the promises, deeply satisfied as she echoed them, laughed when she struggled to put the wedding band on him.

‘I wasn’t prepared,’ she muttered as the celebrant turned to deal with the paperwork. ‘I didn’t realise you’d wear one.’

‘It’s a symbol of my taken status,’ he said, and winked.

‘You could just adjust your social media settings. It would’ve been cheaper.’

‘But money is no object.’ His attention lingered on the diamond collar she wore around her neck. The irony of it being rope-like wasn’t lost on him.

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