Anna did what she usually did when she had no idea what to do—smiled. Big. Warm. Inviting him to laugh it all off if he wanted.
“I think we should get to know each other better before we go in front of the priest.” She threw in a wink for good measure.
Gabe leaned forward. “What do you want to know? I’m an open book.”
He was not an open book. They had their jokes and conversations, but Gabe didn’t talk about home or his family very much. He certainly hadn’t mentioned anything as earth-shattering as the fact that his grandmother had cancer. Anna knew from tidbits he’d dropped into conversation that his parents had long since passed away, but aside from those drive-by facts, she didn’t know much about him.
Except, of course, that he was extremely handsome, with golden blond hair that made him look like he’d just stepped out of a magazine. That and the gray-green eyes, piercing and gorgeous. And the cut jaw. And don’t forget the lanky frame, kept in shape by near-daily runs.
Handsome. Driven. Talented. Rich. It had Anna at a loss for words. “You’re sure you’re not kidding about this?”
Those piercing eyes met hers again, as though he were planning something in his head. “I’m sure. I want you to be my fake fiancée.”
Maybe he was a little bit crazy. Bad news could do that to a person. They’d had a long day at the expo, and the day had stretched out into the evening. People often made rash decisions when they were tired. Anna didn’t know how often those decisions amounted to “come home and pretend to be my fiancée.” But it was certainly within the realm of possibility.
She scanned the restaurant, taking in all the other couples enjoying the view. They weren’t so much looking out the window as they were at each other, eyes alight in the candles from the centerpieces. Those were real couples. It wasn’t feasible to expect she’d pull off an act like that with Gabe. Not without having her breath stolen away. And the way he was looking at her now...
It seems real. But obviously, it wasn’t.
“I don’t know if I’m up for the part.” She gave him a cheeky smile, one she hoped covered her nervousness and the fact that she wanted to lean in close to him. Flirt with him—even more than they’d already been flirting. But then, with a man like Gabe, it wouldn’t be all fun and games. There would be press and public recognition of their engagement at some point. And then Anna’s past would come out. “Maybe you should hire an actress.”
“If I did that, I’d have to get to know an actress. I already know you. And I already like you. I want you, Anna, not some random woman from a casting call.”
I want you. The words came out in a seductive tone that made her swoon a bit. Not too much, but a little. Anna sat bolt upright in her seat, quietly assessing Gabe.
He leaned in close, his eyes alight, and focused on her. He was flirting with her. Wanted her. For a fiancée if nothing else. And it would be nothing else—she decided that right away. Her last boyfriend hadn’t thought she was worthy enough to be seen in public with him. Anna wouldn’t make the mistake of giving anyone the power to hurt her again. Relationships were a thing of the past.
“My family’s not nearly as big-time as yours,” she said, trying to keep her voice in check. “We might not fit on paper.”
“What does that matter?” Gabe cocked his head to the side, gray-green eyes skimming over her skin and heating her up from the inside. “This is only a charade, not a real engagement, and even if it was a real engagement, a person’s past doesn’t matter nearly as much as the present. And the future.”
“It could matter,” she argued, keeping her tone light and pretty. “Wouldn’t that kind of thing matter to your grandmother?”
“She’s not going to dig into your past if that’s what you’re saying.” A grin flashed across his face and disappeared. “She’ll be preoccupied with the holidays and being happy. She’ll like you, Anna. That’s why I want you to come with me. You’ll be wonderful for her.”
I could be wonderful for you, too. But she didn’t say that out loud.
“Listen.” Gabe leaned in another inch, nudging his plate out of the way so he could speak to her in a low voice, one