Page 19 of One Time in Paris
“Wait.” He grasped her wrist. “Wait.”
His gaze traveled toward the dancing fountains, calm and peaceful, a sharp, discordant sight contrasting with the turmoil inside him.
Whatever had happened last night had clearly shaken Isla.
He didn’t want to be a villain to her. More than just her opinion was at risk because Callum would never forgive him.
He swallowed hard, trying to fight against his initial, ugly instinct at the thought of blackmail.
This is Isla. Someone I know and trust.
Calm the fuck down, Camden.
He couldn’t let women like Lola poison his view of other women. Isla wasn’t like her, right?
And if she was blackmailing him, maybe she’d earned the right.
He did feel guilty, after all.
Horrible.
“What sort of sponsorship are we talking about?” Aiden asked at last, releasing her wrist.
“I don’t know. You’d have to talk to Davy. She’s handling the finer details.”
Aiden blinked a few times. This wasn’t a money thing—God knew he could afford it—it was a question of honor.
And if this was the price it took to redeem himself, so be it. He didn’t want another woman out there believing he was an arsehole.
Another thought struck him. Lola hadn’t believed him this morning that Isla had been there for business, but what if this was a way to prove it? Cover his tracks? Whatever pitiful threats Lola might make against him could vanish—and this might go a long way to help him with the Ipolymer problem.
He could show Lola—publicly—he was, in fact, in a business deal with Isla.Lola won’t have a leg to stand on.
And maybe he could prove he wasn’t in a relationship with Isla at the same time.
“All right, I’ll do it,” Aiden said, straightening. “But I have one stipulation. Solo hosting is boring. If I’m going to sponsor, I want you to do it with your boyfriend. A couple hosting would be more interesting.”
She gave him a baffled look. “I don’t have a boyfriend. You know that.”
He shrugged. “I’ll leave you to figure that out. It doesn’t have to be real. You’re a good actress, if I remember correctly.”
Isla held his gaze. “I don’t even have any men I’m currently friends with. Except for Sergio and Kyle Winnick, and that’s only because Sergio works for me and Kyle is down atLa Haciendaevery few weeks to go surfing.”
“Perfect. Ask one of them.”
She gawked at him. “I can’t just ask my sister-in-law’s brother to pretend—on a television show—to be my boyfriend. And it couldn’t be Sergio. I’m going to need his help at the inn so I can host.”
Aiden lifted his chin. “Sponsorship comes at a price, Isla, and these are my terms. Take them. Or walk away.” He didn’t like the words even as he said them, but pride had a death grip on his mouth today. Maybe he could explain the whole situation with Lola, but he didn’t feel completely in the mood to after this conversation.
A sudden breeze brought the damp mist from the fountain toward them, and he almost shivered.
Then Isla nodded. “Okay.” A determined look set in her gaze. “Let’s talk to Davy.”
9
ISLA
SAMARA, COSTA RICA
