Page 34

Eden

I looked down at the six-thousand-dollar ring adorning my finger, then over at the man driving the car. Bishop was focused on the road ahead, one hand resting loosely on the steering wheel. His other arm was propped against the window opening on the door.

“You’re staring.” His focus didn’t change.

“You just paid six thousand dollars for a ring like it was a plastic toy from the Dollar Store.”

“Appearances are important. Can’t introduce you as my wife to Crosby with a cheap reproduction on your finger.”

“Yes, but six thousand dollars , Bishop. There were cheaper rings.”

“I didn’t like the cheaper ones.”

“Does it matter? It’s not like I’ll be wearing it for long, anyway.”

“It matters.” He turned his head toward me briefly, brows dipping into a frown. “Don’t you like it?”

“What? No. Of course I like it. It’s beautiful. That’s not the point.”

“What is the point?”

How could he not see the problem?

His gaze returned to the road when I didn’t reply. “If you don’t like it, we can swap it out for something else on the way back.”

“I do like it. I just don’t understand why it was necessary. There were so many cheaper options.”

“I told you. I didn’t like the cheaper options.”

“Is that your reason for replacing the wedding band as well?” My eyes dipped back down to the gorgeous blue stone surrounded by diamonds set on a platinum band. He’d taken the cheap wedding ring he’d bought in Vegas off and replaced it with a new one that matched the engagement ring.

“They needed to match.” He glanced over at me again. “Anyway, these suit your coloring more.”

I gaped at him.

“Suit my coloring?” I managed to squeak out eventually.

His hand left the steering wheel briefly to wave toward me. “The aquamarine of the stone goes with your hair, and the platinum band suits your skin tone.”

“Did the jeweler tell you that? You know he was just trying to get you to spend more money, don’t you?”

“No, I told him that. I haven’t gotten to where I am in life by being unaware of the things around me, Eden.”

How could he be so casual about a wedding ring set that cost more than I’d earned in six months?

“You can always sell it once we’re done. It’ll give you a nice little extra in your savings.”

“What savings?”

“The savings you’ll have when our contract is done and it’s time for you to move on.”

I stared at him, then shook my head. He made it all sound so simple.

“How do you know what colors suit red hair and my skin tone, anyway?”

One corner of his mouth curled up. “I have eyes.”

The car turned into a long circular drive which led up to a large two-story house. Bishop parked in front of a fountain and cut off the engine.

“Time to get into character, Eden. Are you ready?”

I took one last look at the rings on my finger, the weight of them felt unnatural. I ran my thumb over the bands.

“They’re never going to believe us.”

“Of course, they will. Stay there.” He climbed out of the car and walked around to open my door. Holding out a hand, he helped me out. “What you have to remember is that people see what they expect to see.”

“You really believe that?”

“Shall I prove it to you?”

Instead of backing away to let me pass, he moved closer, crowding me against the side of the car, then dipped his head to my ear. His hand lifted and he trailed his fingers along my jaw.

“All anyone looking our way right now sees is a man taking a moment to adore his woman after a long car journey.”

His lips brushed against my ear, and I shivered.

“It really is that easy to convince people.” He pressed a finger beneath my chin and tipped my head up. “All you need to do is look at me as though I’m your entire world, and I’ll behave like I will burn down the world if that’s what it takes to make you smile.”

His mouth hovered over mine. “What do you think, Songbird? Do you think you can do that?”

I couldn’t move my eyes from his. There was a gleam in the darkness of his gaze, and I felt like I was tumbling, drowning , with no way to stop my fall. My stomach was doing backflips, my lungs were tight with the need to suck in oxygen. Every nerve ending beneath my skin had activated and my entire being was focused on the thumb brushing over my lip, back and forth in a hypnotic rhythm.

“Put the girl down, Bishop!” A new male voice broke the spell he was weaving around me, and I jumped.

Bishop’s head tilted slightly, and his eyes tracked over my face, his expression shifting into something new and then he laughed softly and turned to meet the man coming toward us.

“Crosby!”

I remained where I was, leaning against the car, and willed my heartbeat to slow down. My vision wavered in and out as I sucked in one shaky breath after another.

What had just happened? What was that?