Page 46 of Stronger Than Love

“You’re being a dick!” Her fist bunched in my shirt.

“I know you happen to like my dick, so I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Oonagh released a low growl that made my smile widen. She was trying to convey her annoyance, but she had the opposite effect. “You sound like a sexy tigress.”

Her body stilled and she tried to cant back to stare at me. I snatched a kiss and set her on the ground beside my car. The assistants packed her bags into the boot, and waved to us as they went back into the store.

“You’re not paying for my clothes,” Oonagh said, her hands on her hips.

“Baby, there’s no way you can go to our engagement party in jeans and a T-shirt.”

“We’re not engaged,” she pointed out like a smartass.

“Technically, I didn’t say anything to Dermott. That was all on you. I have a massive deal pending with him and there is no way I’m going to look like a liar and cancel ourengagement. I guess you’re stuck with me until we can sort out this mess.”

Any second I expected the steam to come swirling out of her ears. Oonagh stared at me, her jaw grinding. “Well then, I guess I’m going to need a ring.”

Fuck! I wanted to punch the air in victory. Instead, I ushered her into the car. As soon as the door closed, I stared up at the sky and said a prayer of thanks to whoever was finally on my side and granting wishes.

***

Chapter Seventeen

Oonagh

Trays of sparking rings winked up at me like stars in the night sky. My heart raced in excitement while Liam stood beside me with a hand on the bottom of my back.

Several times I attempted to pick smaller rings, but Liam rolled his eyes at me and now had the selection down to half a dozen at the front of the counter. A simple princess cut ring with smaller diamonds in the band called to me, but the price was horrendously high and there was no way anyone was spending that amount of money on a fake engagement to save Liam’s deal.

I pointed to a ring a quarter of the price. “That one.”

Liam picked up the princess cut ring instead. “We’ll take this one.”

My eyes narrowed into the best glare I could muster, even though my heart fluttered that he picked the ring I wanted.

“What?” Liam asked. “You kept looking at that one. Honestly,” he said to the jeweller. “She’s always trying to save me money.”

He gave a knowing smile and discretely removed the tray and the other runners up.

I emerged wearing the ring, my hand feeling heavier than usual, weighed down by thousands of pounds.

“Liam, we can’t do this.”

“Do what?”

I grabbed his hand. “If we don’t curtail this, we’ll end up married with three kids before your deal is sorted.”

His body pressed me against the solid frame of the car. “I can think of worse fates,” Liam murmured with a faint smile.

“Be serious.” I tried to push his chest.

“When have I ever not been?” His words permeated my head, but no response would form. Liam sighed. “Look, let’s get through the next few weeks and your birthday and we can worry about it then. Okay?”

I nodded my head, my teeth catching my bottom lip. “Please don’t break me,” I said in barely a whisper.

Liam’s fingers under my chin delicately lifted my face to his. “I couldn’t even if I wanted,” he replied before his lips met mine.

Why did this have to be pretend?

---