Page 52 of Personal Escort

“Like in a year, when you move to Australia?” He gives me a sideways glance, all warmth and understanding.

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“We’ll make it work. Maybe I’ll spend a few years focusing on an Asian expansion out of my Sydney office.”

“You don’t have a Sydney office.”

“Obviously an oversight I should correct immediately.” He lifts his hand to shift gears again as traffic starts moving, then returns it immediately to my thigh. He squeezes gently. “Are you really worried about me missing too much work?”

I laugh. “Right. I guess nobody’s going to fire you.”

“I’ll give myself a stern talking to at my next self-performance review.”

“No, I’m not worried, exactly. I just don’t want this to become too much.” My chest tightens as I say that. He is just my fake husband, after all.

“Not a concern from my end, I promise.”

I cover his hand with mine, and the ring he bought me glitters in the sunshine streaming through the window. That’s not fake.

He takes the Bridgehampton exit and heads toward Sagaponack.

My pulse picks up.

“It’s going to be fine,” he says, not taking his eyes off the road ahead.

“Of course it is,” I whisper. Will they see? Will they know?

The next time Toby reaches for me, it’s not my leg he curves his fingers around. It’s the back of my neck, his fingers gently rubbing up into my hairline as he pets me like a nervous kitten.

He sees me. He knows.

We drive through the village in silence, and by the time we see the dunes around my family’s beach house, I don’t think I could say anything else. I concentrate on the hypnotic stroking of his fingers on my skin and try to convince myself nothing else matters.

“We could keep going,” he says completely straight-faced.

I choke on unexpected laughter. “And find a place to stay on the long weekend?”

“I have some resources at my disposal.”

The understatement of a century. “What, would you buy a house in Sag Harbor so we could hide on the other side of the island?”

“Excellent plan.” He accelerates, making as if to overshoot the beach house, and I giggle.

Then I lean over and squeezehisthigh. “No. Let’s go and face the music.”

He pulls into the drive, an easy, cocky grin on his face, and I shake my head.

My sister’s car is already here. My brother hasn’t arrived yet, which floods my body with relief. “Music-facing may have a slight delay. It doesn’t look like Ben and Nana have arrived yet.”

“The traffic was crazy. I’m glad we decided to fly into East Hampton and rent a car instead of coming out from the city with them.” Toby squeezes my hand. “While we’re waiting for them, why don’t you sneak me into your bedroom?”

“That’s an excellent idea.” I grin and we both leap out of the car at the same time. Toby pops the small trunk and we grab our weekend bags, then we climb the stairs to the front door.

Elana is waiting for us on the other side. I’m not sure how she thought she was going to hide the fact that she’s pregnant again, her tiny baby bump has totally popped.

“My baby sister, the bride!” she exclaims, throwing her arms wide before squeezing me tight. “I promise I haven’t gone overboard—”

“That’s code for you totally have, right?”

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