“We don’t have to do this,” Josie whispered once they were alone. “I don’t need an engagement ring to be engaged. My ex-fiancé didn’t even buy me a ring.”
“Why didn’t he buy you a ring?” Colin asked.
“I guess because he didn’t want to waste money on one when he never had any intention of marrying me.” She shrugged. “At least, that’s what he told Scarlet, which she kindly passed on to me.”
She smiled, hoping to play it off as no big deal, but she could tell Colin wasn’t buying it. Anger flickered in his eyes as his face settled into hard lines. “Your ex-fiancé didn’t deserve you. And I have no idea why your sister would say something like that, but I wholeheartedly agree with Mrs. Dalton. You deserve a beautiful ring to show off.”
Warmth flooded Josie’s body as she replayed his words over in her mind. How could a guy who said things like wholeheartedly look so sexy? “You think so?” she asked in a hushed voice. “Even if this is all a ruse?”
He looked at her for a long moment, his lips pressed into a tight line. “You’re looking at this all wrong,” he finally said.
“I am?” Josie asked.
“Look, no one needs to know how or why we got together.” Colin’s eyes softened as a smile emerged on his perfect lips. “But right now we are together, and technically, once I put a ring on your finger, we will be engaged.”
Josie bit her bottom lip and considered his words. He had a point. They were picking out an engagement ring and would, for all intents and purposes, be engaged. “I guess you’re right.”
“I am.” He nodded his chin toward the display case. “And I’m right about you deserving a beautiful ring.”
Smiling shyly, Josie glanced down at the glass case of glittering diamonds. Scarlet didn’t like to be upstaged and was going to be so irked if Josie’s ring was more beautiful than hers. Even if the ring she picked wasn’t flashier than her stepsisters, Josie was confident about one thing…her fiancé was Colin Wilde, and it was going to drive her stepsister and stepmother absolutely crazy that he belonged to Josie.
Chapter 10
Colin
Over the next hour, Colin watched Josie as she deliberated over each ring, pointing out what she did and didn’t like. Her eyes sparkled as much as the diamonds, making him wish Josie was truly his fiancée and that he had the money to buy her whatever ring she wanted. Her family didn’t value her, neither had her previous boyfriend. Colin might not be suitable husband material, but he could be the best boyfriend Josie had ever had.
She finally settled on a stunning princess cut stone in a wide platinum setting with channel-set baguettes on either side.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said, holding her hand up to admire it. Under the lights, it was as dazzling as the woman wearing it. “What do you think?” she asked Colin.
“It’s gorgeous,” he said in a rough voice. He gently cleared his throat and looked at Ruth Anne. “We’ll take it.”
“Wonderful,” Ruth Anne said as she held up a digital camera. “Now move in close, and I’ll take a picture of y’all to add to our Forever in Love board.”
Colin hesitated, feeling like a vice was squeezing his heart. They weren’t a forever couple. Josie would probably return the ring within a couple of weeks for a full refund. Not looking at Josie, he scooted his chair close to hers and put his arm around her shoulders. The smile he gave felt as fake as their relationship.
“Perfect,” Ruth Anne said, clearly not picking up on his vibes. “Now let’s get one of y’all kissing.”
The air in Colin’s lungs felt trapped as Josie went perfectly still. He’d already resolved there wouldn’t be any kissing between the two of them. Not if it made Josie uncomfortable. That, and he didn’t want to risk liking her any more than he already did. Still, none of it mattered because right now, he desperately wanted to kiss her.
He shifted on the seat and met her pensive gaze. A current of awareness connected them as her eyes flickered down to his mouth and then back up. While Colin wouldn’t ever claim to know what a woman was thinking, he got the message that Josie wanted him to kiss her. Without questioning her, he lowered his head and leaned in close enough to feel her warm breath mingle with his before he touched her lips softly.
Josie sucked in a quick breath and pulled back slightly to end the kiss before it had even begun. Her body trembled beneath his touch, and he felt terrible about reading her wrong and making her do something she wasn’t ready for. Colin started to edge back from her, prepared to tell Ruth Anne they weren’t comfortable with public displays of affection. He’d only moved a few centimeters when Josie closed the distance and pressed her mouth to his.
The moment their lips touched, it was like being sucked into a vortex of emotions so intense he had to hold himself back, so he didn’t scare her off. He took his time, savoring the feel of her mouth as his lips moved slowly over hers. A heady rush of warmth spread through him when she returned the kiss, her body melting against him. She was soft and smelled so good. It was difficult to not pull her onto his lap and kiss her more deeply.
The sound of Ruth Anne’s giggles reminded him they weren’t alone. Reluctantly, he ended the kiss and drew back.
“Y’all are so adorable,” Ruth Anne said. “That was just about the sweetest kiss I’ve ever seen.”
Colin wanted to tell her that was the sweetest kiss he had ever received but didn’t want to embarrass Josie further. Her cheeks were flushed, and she avoided looking at him again. He wondered if that kiss was the only one he would ever get from her.
“I need to visit the lady’s room,” Josie said as she stood up.
“Of course, sweetheart.” Ruth Anne held out her hand with the palm up. “I’ll polish the ring for you and finish the transaction with your beau while you’re gone.”
Josie’s hands visibly shook as she twisted the ring from her finger and gave it to Ruth Anne. “Excuse me,” she said, sliding past Colin with her gaze averted from him.
“Bless her heart,” Ruth Anne said with a chuckle. “I never understood what a blushing bride is until now.”
Thankfully, Ruth Anne didn’t stick around for Colin to respond to her comment. He followed her to the cash register, hoping the ring didn’t cost more money than he had. Ruth Anne gave Colin a price that made him swallow hard. Either she noticed his sticker shock, or she just threw out a large number so the discounts she started to ramble off would be more impressive.
“Mrs. Dalton is one of our best customers,” Ruth Anne said, giving Colin the grand total, which left him with a little over eight thousand dollars on the credit card. “You got a fantastic deal on a gorgeous ring your fiancée can be proud of.”
As he signed his name and typed in an email address for a receipt, Ruth Anne went over the return policy. He felt guilty when the sales clerk told him she’d never had a ring returned and that she’d love a wedding announcement.
“Y’all can just send the invite to the store with my name on it,” she said, handing Colin a business card. Then she gave him a black velvet box with the ring fitted snuggly inside. “I wish you and your bride many years of happiness.”
“Thank you.” Colin was grateful when Ruth Anne went to help another customer who had just come in.
Holding the ring box tightly, he walked across the room to wait for Josie. His body hummed with nervous energy. The effects of kissing her hadn’t worn off yet. It was crazy because he’d kissed a lot of women over the years, and much more passionately, but none of those kisses compared to what he’d just experienced.
Popping the lid open, he stared at the beautiful ring, thinking of what it symbolized. Forever was the word that came to mind. Diamonds lasted forever. The ring itself represented eternity, a never-ending circle. Was a forever kind of love even a reality? His parents’ marriage hadn’t lasted forever. They’d split up long before his mum passed away from cancer.
Gran’s marriage had ended when his grandfather was killed in an auto accident. Colin
barely remembered the man, only the scent of pipe tobacco, his deep laugh, and his lilting Irish brogue. But he knew his grandparents’ marriage had been good from all the stories his grandmother had told him. It had broken Gran’s heart to know her only daughter had married someone like Harvey.
The sound of a door opening brought his head up. He snapped the lid to the ring box closed as Josie walked toward him. She met his gaze and gave him a tentative smile. Such a small thing and yet it lit Colin up like London’s giant Ferris wheel at Christmas time.
“Hey,” she said, stopping a few meters away from him. “Sorry I took so long.”
“No worries.” Tension radiated between them, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do now. Was he supposed to get down on one knee and pop the lid open like he’d seen in the movies?
“This is hard for me—” She exhaled heavily and pushed a lock of her dark hair away from her face. Colin’s nerves felt raw at the strained expression on her face. Was she about to break up with him? Not break up…back out of the deal.
“What is it?” he asked, bracing himself for the rejection.
She bit her lip and lowered her eyes, so her dark lashes swept against her cheek. “I just feel stupid for acting like an idiot when we…um…kissed.”
Relieved, Colin almost laughed out loud. She was so different from any girl he’d ever met. She was sweet and genuine, and he doubted he would ever find another woman like her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, pleased when she looked up at him. “I agree with Ruth Anne about that being the sweetest kiss.”
A small smile emerged as she let out a breathless laugh. “I feel silly asking you this, but I kind of blanked out…I did kiss you back, right?”
“Yes, you kissed me back.” He took a step toward her. “Quite satisfactorily too, I might add.”
“Seriously?” She looked at him shyly. “You’re not just saying that?”
He laughed. He’d never had a conversation like this before. “Actually,” he said, taking another step closer. “Now that I think about it, we may need to give it another go. Just to be sure.”
“Now you’re teasing me,” she said with a smile.
“On the contrary,” Colin said, closing the final distance between them. “I’m quite serious about kissing you again.”
Chapter 11
Josie
Butterflies raced around in Josie’s stomach from the look in Colin’s eyes. Her skin buzzed at his nearness as the scent of his yummy cologne swirled around her. Kissing him had been like the time she’d ridden the world’s tallest rollercoaster, giving her a rush she’d never experienced before and making her want to ride it again and again.
She drew in a shaky breath as he lifted her left hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss on the center of her palm. “But first, I’d like to put the ring back on your finger.”
This isn’t real, Josie. This isn’t real. No matter what others thought, she needed to remember the truth. This wasn’t real, but oh how she wanted it to be real. Wanted it as much as she wanted to kiss him again.
Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he flipped the lid of the velvet box open with his free hand and then removed the ring. Her hand trembled beneath his touch as he slid the diamond ring on her finger.
This isn’t real. This isn’t real. This isn’t real. The mantra grew fainter and fainter as Colin wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his body. She wasn’t going to blank out this time. She wanted to remember every tiny nuance of this moment.
Her lips parted slightly, and her eyes fluttered closed as he covered her mouth with his, kissing her long and slow. A delicious warmth spread through her limbs as the world around her began to blur until it was just Colin and her. Heat pooled in her stomach as the pressure on her mouth intensified, and he kissed her more deeply.
Josie’s head was spinning, and her legs felt like noodles when the kiss ended. Needing to catch her breath, she leaned back and looked into his stormy gaze. “This isn’t real.” A disapproving look flickered in his hazel eyes, and she realized she’d spoken the words out loud. “I mean, this all feels like I’m dreaming.”
“That’s better,” he said, the corner of his mouth edging up into a half-grin. He started to lean in for another kiss when Ruth Anne appeared next to them.
“Y’all are causing quite a stir,” she said, fanning herself with her hand. “It was getting so hot in here we almost had to call the fire department.”
Colin let go of Josie and ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry about that,” he said. “I guess we got a little carried away.”
“Don’t you dare apologize, young man,” Ruth Anne said. “I just wish I could’ve captured that kiss for my Forever in Love board.”
Josie glanced down at the sparkling diamond ring on her left hand, knowing her forever was doomed to end in a week. A feeling of dread closed in around her. She should return the ring. Miss Ruth Anne could delete the photos, and no one would ever know about the engagement. She would just have to deal with the fallout from Scarlet and Monica.
A spark of electricity shot through her as Colin slid his hand in hers, threading their fingers together. “Ready to go, love?” he asked, giving her fingers a little squeeze.
Colin Wilde had just called her love. He’d just kissed her senseless, and bought her a diamond ring. She couldn’t back out of the deal. Not when he’d told her how important doing this was to him.
“Yes.” She smiled at Ruth Anne. “Thank you so much for your help.”
“It was my pleasure.” She shook a finger at them. “Now, I’m expectin’ a wedding announcement. Don’t y’all forget me.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Josie answered, feeling guilty for deceiving the salesclerk. The poor woman would be heartbroken when she didn’t get an announcement, and the ring was returned.
Offering another thank you to Ruth Anne, Colin led Josie across the showroom floor. He opened the door for her, but she had to step out of the way as three young women entered the store.
The first two girls absently thanked Colin without really looking at him, but the last of the trio paused at the entrance and removed her sunglasses. “Thank you,” she said, giving him a smile. Then she did a double take, and her mouth dropped open. “Oh my goodness,” she said with a tiny squeal. “You’re Colin Wilde.”
He didn’t really have a chance to respond as the girl frantically waved at her companions. “Y’all, get back over here. It’s Colin Wilde from Wild Card.”
Josie wasn’t prepared for the chaos as the two other girls joined their friend, bombarding Colin with praise and adulation. She felt invisible as they swarmed around him, forcing him to let go of her hand so he could take selfies with each girl. Colin wasn’t bothered by the attention and took it all in stride.
Ruth Anne, along with the other employees and patrons inside the store, gathered around him. Josie had mixed emotions about the whole thing. She wasn’t sure Colin remembered she was there until it was Ruth Anne’s turn for a selfie.
“Come on over here, Miss Josie,” she said, motioning for Josie to come over and stand by her. “You need to be in the picture too.”
Josie wasn’t comfortable with all the attention directed at her, but she also wanted to stake her claim, even if her claim was only temporary. As she made her way through the small gathering, Ruth Anne proudly announced their engagement and that she’d helped them pick out the engagement ring.
“Y’all are engaged?” one of the girls asked as Colin took Josie’s hand and pulled her close to him.
“Lucky,” another girl said with a sigh.
“I’m the lucky one,” Colin said, tightening his hold.
Even though Josie knew he was just playing a role, she melted into his side and smiled for the picture with Ruth Anne. She knew that eventually, the pictures would end up on social media. That worried her a little. The lines of reality were already blurred. Seeing it online would only complicate matters when th
is all came to an end.
Once Ruth Anne was satisfied with the picture, Colin thanked her again and then addressed the small gathering. “It’s lovely meeting you all,” he said, wrapping an arm around Josie’s shoulders. “Have a good day,” he added as he opened the door and led her outside.
As soon as they were outside, he let go of her long enough to take her hand. “Sorry about all of that,” he said. “I didn’t think anyone would recognize me.”
“Why?” she said with a laugh. “Because you’re just a regular bloke?”
“Exactly,” he said as they crossed the street.
The sound of her cell chirped with an incoming call. The ringtone belonged to her father. “I should get this,” she said, letting go of Colin’s hand. “It’s my dad.”
“Hi, sweetheart,” her dad said when she answered the call. He hadn’t called her sweetheart for a long time. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
“Is everything okay?” Josie asked when he didn’t say anything more.
“Not really.” He cleared his throat. “Josie, I need you to be straight with me. Are you really engaged?”
Josie looked down at the ring on her finger and remembered what Colin had said. “I am,” she said. “And I have a gorgeous ring to prove it.”
She heard her father relay the information to Monica. The woman didn’t take the news well as she demanded to talk with Josie. Sometimes cell service was spotty on the drive from Savannah to Mitchel Creek. This was one time when Josie really wished the call would drop.
“Your mother needs to have a word with you,” her dad said, almost sounding robotic. Josie hated it when he referred to Monica as her mother. She couldn’t recall a time when the woman had ever treated her like a daughter.
“Josie,” Monica said with obvious irritation, “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing but I won’t stand for it. I need the name of your fiancé so I can properly vet him.”
Moonlighting with the British Rock Star: A Georgia Moon Romance Page 9