Panic closed Megan’s throat, and she forgot all about having to confess her love. “What? Are we being kicked off the show?”
Megan got the distinct impression Doctor Lemon was trying not to laugh. “No. You are going on a date. You’ll be spending the weekend on a romantic beach in Florida. We’ve booked two rooms for you at a five-star resort.”
Relief flooded through her a second before the realization hit. This was it. This was when Adam would propose. Of course they’d do something extravagant like this. She tried to smile and show a little enthusiasm for the surprise getaway. “Wow. That’s…great.”
Why had she agreed to do this? Her acting skills obviously stunk. And now the nerves inside her had grown big enough to have little baby nerves to terrorize her. She flashed one last pathetic smile toward Doctor Lemon and fled to her room.
She tossed some things in her suitcase. In all honesty, she wasn’t paying much attention. Hopefully she wouldn’t get there and realize she’d only packed shirts. She threw in her makeup kit and zipped her rolling case, then proceeded to drag it down the stairs. This was going to be a nightmare.
Adam stood by the front doors, his travel bag by his feet. Seeing him made her nerves run rampant. He looked up at her, and a hint of a smile played across his features. “Hey.”
Why was he so good looking? Why did her heart have to pound like she’d never seen a handsome man before? She gripped her case and took the remaining steps toward him. Oh, dear. He smelled good. “Hi.”
“I guess they’re sending us to a resort.” He turned away. She’d have thought he was acting shy if she didn’t know him better.
“Yep.” Had she packed her swimsuit? She wasn’t sure. Didn’t matter. No way was she going swimming with Adam. Better to stay away from wearing skin-tight barely-there things around him.
He stared out the tiny window. “Have you ever been to Florida?”
“Hmm?” His words took a second to register. “Oh, no.” Her fingers tingled and felt numb. Was it possible to lose the feeling in your extremities because of stress? Could nerves do that? She stared down at her hands, twisted into a tight knot. Oh. Maybe she was just strangling the blood right out of them. She shook her hands and let out a breath.
“They’re here.” Adam picked up both their bags and still managed to open the door for her. “After you.”
It wasn’t a limousine this time, just a regular taxi. The driver was chatty, and Megan was thankful the camera man wasn’t with them. A few of the crew had already flown out so they could set up at the resort.
When they got to the airport, they boarded a private jet. Megan decided she could get used to that. No long lines, far less waiting, and luxurious accommodations. They even had champagne, although she didn’t drink any. Her nerves were making her nauseous.
The clock read six thirty-five when they touched down in Florida. Adam grabbed her hand and pointed out the small airplane window. “Look at the sunset.”
Of course the sky was gorgeous. He was gorgeous. The stupid plane was gorgeous. And she couldn’t enjoy a second of it because she knew what was coming.
Megan took a small bite of her shrimp. She’d been pushing her food around her plate for the last half hour. Adam had finished and was staring at her with this weird expression on his face. Was he about to pop the question?
Worrying about when he was going to ask was ruining everything. She needed to get a grip. There’d be no enjoying the weekend if she couldn’t get past the proposal. She set her fork down and took a cleansing breath.
“You seem tense.” Adam placed his hand over hers, and she jumped, and a completely embarrassing squeak came out.
Heat seared her face, and she hoped the microphone hadn’t picked that up. “Uh, yeah. I guess. Sorry. I’m not used to hopping on a plane and flying off to some island resort.”
“It is a little weird.” He chuckled, his dimples turning her nerves into butterflies.
The camera man walked around the table to get a better angle on her, and she tried to ignore him. She stared off the patio at the expanse of darkening sky over the tide coming in. The light breeze carried the scent of seaweed and salt water, and a hint of Adam’s cologne. Her gaze fell on him.
Was he going to propose tonight? They’d just arrived. Surely he’d wait until they were more settled. Right? It was too early to do it. She studied him, trying to gage his thoughts.
“Listen, Megan…” He squirmed in his seat as his voice trailed off.
Oh, crap. This was really it. He wasn’t going to wait after all. And she hadn’t even confessed to Doctor Lemon that she loved him. Would it be unrealistic for her to accept a proposal if she’d never even admitted that she loved him?
He took a breath to continue, and she panicked. “I love you,” she blurted. Unfortunately, the force of her words caused a blob of spit to fly out of her mouth and land on Adam’s cheek.
Mortified, she stared at the saliva slowly sliding down his face. Should she apologize and wipe it off? Ignore it? Her throat closed. Ignore it or wipe it?!? What should she do? Maybe he hadn’t noticed. She wasn’t sure if the stunned look on his face was because of what she said, or the ball of slobber leaving a wet slug-like trail down his skin.
“You, um…what?” He picked up his napkin and subtly patted his cheek. “Say that again?” A sexy half-smile formed on his face.
Relieved when he didn’t call attention to the fact that she’d spat on him, but rather successfully dealt with it without being obvious, she giggled. It came out high pitched and hysterical. Now she felt silly for confessing her love. Maybe he really hadn’t heard her. “What did I say? I’m not sure. Who knows?”
His grin grew, and his gaze flickered to the camera. “You said ‘I love you.’”
A blush warmed her face. “Did I?” No getting out of it now. She had to go with it. “I mean, yes. Yes, I do.”
He raised his eyebrows.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Maybe getting this whole thing over was best. Rip it off, like a Band-Aid. “I love you. So, if you have something you want to tell me, go ahead.”
He blinked, his face blank. “What?”
“You were going to say something before I interrupted. Sorry. Go ahead. I’m ready now.” She waved her hand to encourage him to get on with it.
His lips twitched, like he was trying to hide a smile. “I was just going to ask if you wanted to call it a night. You look tired.”
Really? That’s what he was going to say? She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “Oh.” She picked up her glass and took a big gulp. Her hand shook so bad she almost slopped water all over the table.
“You seem to have been thinking I was going to say something else.” The corners of his eyes crinkled in a hidden smile.
“Nope.” She set her glass down. The warmth in her face spread until she was sure she looked like she’d had an allergic reaction to the fish. “Not at all.”
He seemed to be enjoying her discomfort way too much. “I see. Maybe before we head back to our rooms, we should take a romantic stroll along the beach.” He stood, grabbed her hands, and pulled her up on her wobbly knees. “I think there’s something we should probably discuss.”
Oh, this was it. He really was going to propose now. She tried to calm her thudding heart as she walked alongside him to the water’s edge. “All right.” Her voice came out breathy and weak.
They walked through the sand, the camera men trailing behind them, and Adam’s thumb rubbing slow circles over the back of her hand, driving her crazy. The beauty of the moonlit beach provided the perfect setting. Any minute now he would get down on one knee.
Adam stopped and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his muscular chest. “You look beautiful tonight,” he whispered into her hair.
Her pulse raced, and she fought to keep control of her head. “Mmm. Thanks.”
Adam leaned down and kissed the spot below her earlobe, and she swooned. Come to think of it, she wasn’t sure how a person would do that, but she couldn’t think of any other word for it. He kissed her jaw line, then brought his lips to her ear. “Doctor Lemon gave me one last trust exercise to do while we’re here.”
Her heart pounded in her ears so loudly, she could barely hear him. “What is it?” she asked, breathless from what his kisses were doing to her.
He grinned. “You’ll find out.” He tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow and began walking them back to the resort.
The dirty rat. He knew she was expecting the proposal. He knew exactly what she would be thinking. And he was toying with her.
She glared at him, and all he did was chuckle in response.
This was going to be a long weekend.
21
Adam knew exactly why Megan looked like she was going to throw up as they boarded the plane. She’d guessed the purpose of the trip, and it obviously scared her to death. After the first misunderstanding, he decided to make a game out of it. Before breakfast he wadded up a napkin and stuck it in his shirt pocket, making it look like a ring box bulge. Every time he patted his pocket, Megan’s face blanched. When he finally reached in and took out the napkin, her wide eyes narrowed and the familiar ‘I’m going to kill you’ look came into her eyes. But then she relaxed, and a hint of a smile played on her lips.
As they walked along the pier, he knelt down on one knee, only to tie his shoe. She laughed at that one, and relaxed even more. By dinner, she was back to her old self, carrying on normal conversations and throwing her usual zings his way when he got under her skin. That was when he decided it was time.
The setting sun set the perfect backdrop. A light breeze blew as they sat on the deck of the restaurant and ate the most amazing grilled seafood. Megan sat back in her chair, staring at the streaks of pink and orange that lit up the sky.
He leaned forward and took her hand. “Megan, dating you has been an experience like no other.” A suspicious look passed over her face, but she replaced it with a smile. “From fine dining off the kid’s menu, to surprise karaoke, I never know what I’m going to get with you.”
Her smile turned into something more akin to a smirk, and she appeared to be biting the inside of her cheek, trying not to laugh.
“But through it all, I’ve grown closer to you.” He drew her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I’ve grown to love you.”
Her eyes widened, but then she relaxed, a knowing look on her face. He slipped from his chair onto one knee, pulling out a ring box from his pants pocket. “Megan Holloway, will you marry me?”
She blinked a couple of times, as if what he’d said hadn’t sunk in yet, then she gingerly took the box and opened it. She stared at the gigantic rock that ABC had purchased, a stunned look on her face. Then she plastered on a stiff smile and threw her arms around his neck. “Yes, I will marry you!” Then she elbowed him and looked at him through her eyelashes. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Her reaction was totally fake. He knew it was going to be, but it still sent a small thrill through him to have her say yes to his proposal. His pretend proposal, he reminded himself. This wasn’t real. He had to keep that in his mind, otherwise he’d lose himself in this fantasy of marrying Megan.
But he couldn’t do that because Megan was not into him. She was playing a part. She’d made it perfectly clear the marriage was not going to be real.
And if he wasn’t careful, he’d end up with a broken heart.
As soon as Megan accepted Adam’s proposal, they whisked her away and reminded her that she had signed a contract promising she wouldn’t reveal the outcome of the show or she’d have to give back the hundred thousand, be responsible for other fees for damages, and give up her first born. She hid the ring, and she and Adam weren’t to be seen together. Even their morning show went to reruns.
Being out of the public eye for a couple of months helped Megan relax. It was almost like she wasn’t even engaged. She was flown to LA in a super-secret jet for a gown fitting, but other than that, she had nothing to do with the wedding planning. The rest of the summer flew by, and before she knew it, the show was on the air.
Megan was amazed at how, through editing and camera angles, they were able to make Adam look like he was completely smitten with her. Even she found herself rooting for Adam to win her heart. They had also managed to make Luc, Anthony, and Kyle look like real contenders. They had cut and spliced until the kisses with each guy looked heated and she appeared to be struggling to decide between them. When Kyle left the show, they made that into a huge cliff-hanger episode, implying that the reason he left was because he was in love with her and didn’t think he could win above Adam.
The show skyrocketed to the top of the charts, and Megan found herself in a whirlwind of activity. She was suddenly faced with the kind of popularity she’d never dreamed possible. People recognized her everywhere she went. Her email box quickly filled, and her phone rang constantly. It seemed absurd, but she decided to hire a personal assistant to handle all the requests for interviews and appearances.
The day after the proposal aired, she and Adam were flown to LA to hit the talk show circuit. Suddenly, they had to act like a happily engaged couple. Megan found herself backstage at the Ellen show, twisting her engagement ring nervously as she waited for them to usher her in front of the cameras. Adam was already talking to Ellen, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying.
A guy with an earpiece and black T-shirt motioned for her to follow him. She stepped out onto the stage, the bright lights and screaming fans hitting her. She forced a smile and a polite wave. The cheers grew louder.
Adam stood and crossed the stage. He pulled her into an embrace, and whispered into her ear, “You okay?”
She nodded, even though it was a lie.
He pulled back, grinned, then kissed her. It started out normal, but soon a passion grew, a hunger in his kiss she’d never felt before. Her pulse raced, and electricity tingled through her. When he broke the kiss, she raised her eyebrow in an unspoken question, trying to catch her breath.
“I’ve missed you,” he said in his sultry tone, much to the delight of the crowd, who went wild with hoots and cat calls. They made their way to their seats, her head still spinning from the kiss.
Ellen laughed. “You have had to keep your engagement a secret until today. How has that been for you?”
Adam slung his arm around her shoulders. “It’s been torture. I’ve wanted to shout out to the world, ‘She’s mine, so get your slimy French lips off her!’” He winked, and a blush touched Megan’s cheeks.
Ellen grinned at that. “He was good looking. It must have been hard watching her date and kiss other men. Especially when they all looked like that.” She pointed behind them, where a photo of the guys from the show splashed on screen. They were posed, putting all the models from GQ to shame.
Adam’s arm tightened around her. “Yes. But I really didn’t get to watch what happened on their dates until the show aired.”
Megan was surprised how pained his expression came across. Dang, he was a good actor. He actually looked upset. If he only knew what had really gone on, how disgusting Luc’s slobbery kiss had been, or how juvenile Anthony was. The cameras had made him look like a smooth rock star. She bit back a giggle and tried to pay attention to what Ellen was saying.
“Now you’re engaged, and the wedding is only two weeks away. How romantic, getting married in Acapulco.”
Two weeks. That was all there was left before the fake wedding. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Strike that. The wedding would be real. A real minister…a real marriage certificate. She glanced down at her hand. Even a real ring. And tho
ugh she didn’t want to admit it, she couldn’t deny her love for Adam was real as well.
She shook her head. What did she think she was doing?
Show after show, Megan came onstage to be greeted with a kiss by Adam. And each time, the kisses knocked her off kilter. Why did he have to do that?
Listening to the audience, she knew why. They loved it when he kissed her like he wanted to devour her for dinner. She, however, was coming undone. If he didn’t stop, she was going to inject her lips with Botox to numb them up so she could keep her head on straight.
The one nice thing about her busy schedule was the fact that she had no time to fret about the wedding. When it finally arrived, she hadn’t even worked herself up over it. She’d been too busy.
But now, staring at herself in the mirror while a zillion people buzzed around her yanking her hair and applying makeup, it finally sunk in. Today she would get married. To Adam.
When they finally had her hair and makeup perfect, she slipped into her dress. Some designer had made it especially for this event. It was gorgeous, of course. Form fitting until it flared out below her waist, with pearls and lace, and a material that shimmered. She felt like a beauty queen wearing it.
Someone attached a train to the back and a veil to her head, and she was ushered into a room for photos. Apparently they were afraid she wouldn’t look as good after the ceremony, because they spent an excruciatingly long time capturing her image in a zillion different poses. Then she was shoved into another room for a live pre-ceremony interview.
She sat on a hard wooden chair and stared at Doctor Lemon, trying her best not to smack the smug look off her face.
Reluctantly Married Page 14