Page 56 of Reputation (Tempt)

Well, at least, she had been until about twenty-four hours ago when I’d imploded her career without her knowledge. Without her consent.

And now she was my fake fiancée.

I mean…how did she even really feel about me? About this engagement?

I kept thinking back to that night at Brooklyn’s slumber party and our game of truth or dare that had almost gone too far. Then there was last night and what she’d said to me. How she’d looked at me when she’d told me my smile was devastating.

But then I remembered that she’d been loopy from the Benadryl, and she probably hadn’t meant a word of it. Hell, I wasn’t even sure she remembered it. Part of me was dying to ask, and the other part was afraid to know. An even bigger part of me worried she’d resent me forever.

The door shut behind the nurse with an audible click, leaving us alone once more. I stood and faced Emerson. This was it. The moment of truth.

“Before we step out of this room, we need to know how we’re going to handle this,” I said. “So, you tell me. What do you want?”

It was her choice. Did I want to have to retract my announcement? No. But would I if that was what Emerson asked of me? Yes.

I just really hoped she didn’t.

We both knew I could give Trinity what she wanted—the jewelry or the money. But it was the principle of it. That necklace had belonged to my mother. And my daughter belonged with me.

Emerson glared at me, but the dark circles beneath her eyes spoke of exhaustion. I felt as if I might burst out of my skin while I awaited her answer. Even so, I remained silent. She had to agree on her terms.

Finally, she sighed. “How would this work as far as Brooklyn’s concerned?”

We discussed our options. I offered to hire a full-time or part-time nanny, but Emerson refused. She wanted to keep that continuity and routine for Brooklyn. Something I appreciated more than she could ever know.

Instead, she suggested we hire a nanny as needed, for additional support when she had a competition or I had work events that she’d need to attend. But otherwise, life would continue much as before. To the outside world, we were engaged. But at home, everything would remain the same.

I apologized for roping her into this mess, and I meant it.

Finally, perhaps sensing that our time was growing short, she held out her hand. “Okay. You have a deal.”

I should’ve been fucking relieved. And I was. But a bigger part of me was consumed by guilt. Overwhelmed with the enormity of what I’d asked and what we’d both just agreed to.

But it was too late to back out now.

“So formal for a fiancée,” I teased. “Maybe we should seal the deal with a kiss instead.” I wasn’t kidding, not entirely.

“Ha-ha.” She wasn’t amused.

“What?” I lifted a shoulder. “Don’t couples usually kiss when they get engaged?” I joked, desperate to wipe the weary look from her face. Eager to see her skin flush with color like it had earlier when I’d mentioned sex.

“Yeah. They usuallyasktheir partner to marry them before announcing it to the world too.”

I bit back a laugh, trying not to antagonize her further. Even if it was a relief to see her back to her usual, spirited self.

Instead, I took her proffered hand and shook. We locked gazes and then dropped our hands just as quickly. Did her skin tingle like mine? Did she feel it too?I couldn’t help but clench my hand as if to hold on to the feeling of her skin against mine.

The door swung open once more. “Ready, lovebirds?” the nurse chirped, backing in with a wheelchair.

Emerson scrunched up her face in disgust, but she smiled and leaned into my side as soon as the nurse turned to face us. “Yep. Thank you for everything.”

I wrapped my arm around her. Maybe she was a better actress than I’d given her credit for. Already, she was off to a great start.

“Of course,” the nurse said. “Hop in, my lady.” She gestured to the wheelchair. “And we’ll get you out of here without anyone knowing.”

I highly doubted that, but I appreciated the nurse’s determination, nevertheless. Shockingly, Emerson didn’t put up a fight about the wheelchair. But she did ask, “Don’t I need to sign some discharge paperwork and pay my bill?”

“It’s been taken care of already,” she said.

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