Page 184 of The Temporary Fiancée
“Well… you ordered enough to feed a high school football team.”
“I’m trying to keep you well-fed,” he huffs. “I figured after that much exercise, you’d be hungry.”
“Oh, I am,” I assure him. “I’m starving. But I don’t know if I’mbreakfast for ten peoplelevels of starving.”
He shrugs, smiling easily. “Well, then. I guess we’ll have plenty of leftovers to sustain us for round two.”
I chuckle, shoving a handful of hash browns into my mouth. The warmth and the grease are exactly what I need, and suddenly, I realize just how ravenous I am. Maybe he was right—maybe wedoneed this much food.
While I dig in, he watches me, the smile still plastered across his face. I swallow hard and shoot him an indignant look.
“What? What’re you looking at?”
“You,” he says, leaning on one hand. “You remember our first night together?”
I snort, reaching for the basket of French toast sticks. “Of course I do. How could I forget? I spent the whole time thinking you were crazy.”
“All part of my master plan,” he says. “Trying to win the woman of my dreams.”
I laugh despite myself, shaking my head. It’s impossible for me not to laugh; I feel lighter than air.
We continue to chow down on the breakfast, and make an admirable dent in the food Reed has ordered. Still, by the time we’re finished, there’s plenty left. As we leave the diner, our arms are laden with Styrofoam to-go boxes. He holds the door for me, and I step out onto the sidewalk?—
To the startling sound of a camera shutter.
I freeze, like an animal caught in a trap, as a paparazzo pops out from behind a car parked on the curb. His camera shutter is clicking away, snapping photos of us.
“Hey, Mr. Eastwood! Mr. Eastwood!”
I’m expecting Reed to ignore him. That’s how he usually handles these situations—ignore them and move on quickly. Sometimes, if he really wants privacy, he’ll hide his face, try to make a run for his waiting car.
But this time, he gives me a proud smile and pulls me into his arms. He leans down and kisses the hell out of me, not at all shy about the cameraman or the pedestrians passing us by.
The shutter clicks some more, but I’m too lost in the kiss to notice. As we break apart, I let out a breathless, surprised laugh.
“What are you doing?” I ask him.
“The paparazzi are taking pictures of my future wife,” he says, brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “I want to make sure they get a good one.”
I stare up at him, feeling abruptly dizzy. He’s talking aboutmarriage.About making it real. About the future. Our future.
“Are you…” I trail off, uncertain.
“What is it?”
“Are you sure about this?” I bite my lip, gazing up at him. I can still hear his father’s icy voice in the back of my head, disdainfully remarking upon my unsuitability. I will never be compatible with Reed’s family. I haven’t come from Reed’s world. In order to be with me… “You’re giving up so much for me.”
He grins, then plants a soft kiss on my forehead. There’s so much love in the gesture that for a moment, it’s almost overwhelming.
“I really don’t feel like I’m losing anything,” he says.
He takes my hand, leading me down the sidewalk to the black sedan waiting for us.
“In fact, I feel like I’ve won everything.”
Epilogue
Reed
