Page 28 of The Return of Her Billionaire Husband

‘I brought one with me. You don’t have to waste money buying me expensive—’

‘I insist, cara.’

Something flickered across her features. A tightening. A guardedness. ‘Are you concerned I won’t dress appropriately?’

Joe mentally kicked himself. He should know by now how proud and sensitive she was. He took her by the hands and brought her close to his body. ‘You always look amazing in whatever you wear. Indulge me, tesoro. Let me spoil you this weekend.’

Her gaze slipped to the open collar of his shirt, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. ‘I feel guilty about all the money you’re spending. This hotel, first class airfares, designer clothes.’

He tipped up her face to meet her gaze. ‘Don’t you think you’re worth it?’

Her eyes swam with doubt. ‘It’s not about that...’

‘Then what is it about?’

Her teeth did another nibble of her lip and she slipped out of his hold. ‘We’re not exactly acting like a soon-to-be-divorced couple, are we?’

‘I wasn’t aware there was a strict protocol we had to follow.’ Joe couldn’t remove the note of bitterness from his tone. The divorce word was becoming worse to him than the birthday and funeral words. Every time he heard it, his heart stopped and his gut clenched like a fist.

Juliette turned to pick up her silk scarf from where she had left it on the bed. She looped it around her neck and turned back to face him. ‘It feels wrong, taking gifts off you when we’re not—’

‘Does it feel wrong sleeping with me?’

Her expression faltered for a moment. ‘No.’ Her cheeks pooled with a tinge of pink and her gaze drifted to his mouth. ‘It doesn’t feel wrong at all.’ Her voice was a few decibels shy of a whisper. ‘But I can’t help feeling it should.’ A frown pulled at her forehead as if she was trying to solve a deeply puzzling mystery.

Joe placed his hands on her hips, his body responding to her closeness with a hot rush of blood to his groin. ‘It would only be wrong if one of us didn’t want to. Or if one of us was involved with someone else. But, for now, we’re involved with each other.’

Her mouth flickered with a vestige of a smile. ‘Right.’ She took a serrated breath and released it. ‘For now.’ She said the two words as if she was underlining them.

‘If you’re not okay with that, then you need to tell me.’

Her grey-blue eyes were clear and still as a lake but he sensed a disturbance just below the surface. ‘I’m okay with it.’ Her tone was confident, assured. Her smile a little too bright to be believed.

Joe reached for one of her hands and brought it up to his mouth. He pressed his lips to her bent knuckles, holding her gaze with his. ‘Then let’s make the most of it.’

* * *

A couple of hours later, Juliette felt as if she had stepped into Cinderella’s shoes. Joe took her to various designer stores, where he proceeded to buy her not one, but several gorgeous outfits. She tried not to think about the money he was spending or why he was spending it on her. It was wonderful to be spoilt like a princess and wonderful to be in his company, walking hand in hand along the streets as if they were just like any other couple.

‘Time for a coffee?’ Joe said when they came across a street café.

‘Lovely.’ Juliette sat opposite him and took in the surroundings while they waited for the waiter to arrive. The leafy trees along the footpath created a canopy of dappled shade. The afternoon was mild with a light breeze that every now and again set the leaves above them into a shivery dance that sounded like thousands of pieces of tinsel. In the distance she could see the ancient cathedral of Notre Dame in various stages of repair after the devastating fire that had threatened the entire structure. It reminded her of her relationship with Joe—the savage fire of loss had ripped through their lives and left them both scarred shells of themselves. But maybe this time together would rebuild the framework of their marriage, making it stronger and more resistant to damage.

The waiter took their order and within a short time an espresso was placed in front of Joe and tea and a buttery croissant set in front of Juliette. She was conscious of Joe’s gaze resting on her as she broke off pieces of the croissant. She glanced at him and held up a portion. ‘Want some?’

He shook his head, his smile indulgent, and he patted his rock-hard abdomen. ‘No, thanks. I have to think of my figure.’

Juliette laughed and put the piece of croissant back on her plate. ‘Now you’re making me feel guilty.’

There was a small silence.

‘I’ve missed hearing your laugh.’ He brought his cup up to his mouth, taking a sip without his gaze leaving her face.

Juliette could feel a light blush heating her cheeks. ‘I can’t remember the last time I laughed.’ She sighed and added, ‘It seems like a lifetime ago.’

He put his cup back on its saucer and reached for her hand across the table. His fingers gently squeezed hers, his expression sombre as he looked down at their joined hands. ‘I think I was probably five or six years old when I first heard my father laugh. A proper laugh, I mean.’ His thumb stroked the empty space on her ring finger. ‘I asked him about it once. He said he felt guilty about being happy.’ His eyes met hers. ‘Like he was betraying my mother’s memory.’

Juliette placed her other hand on top of his. ‘It must have been so hard growing up without your mother. Mine drives me crazy at times but I can’t imagine not having her in my life.’

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