"You met Annabelle."
He nods. "She was already in the pub, and I sat down beside her at the bar because all the other stools were taken. We got to talking, and I…did what I usually do. I flirted with her. I didn't know who she was, and I thought she had no idea who I was. When she asked me to go upstairs to her room, I knew exactly what she wanted. In my condition, I had no business seducing a woman, even if she initiated it. But I thought I would never see her again."
"I'm confused. How did she know who you were?"
"Not sure, but I assume she rifled through my wallet. Things weren't in the same place in the morning, and my driving license was sticking out of it." He wipes a hand over his eyes, his lips warping into a slight frown. "Annabelle left me a note thanking 'Lord Steamy' for showing her a good time. And she signed the note as 'The Duchess of Wackenbourne' as if she wanted me to know I'd just made a monumental mistake. She wasn't wearing a wedding ring, but still…"
"That's horrible. She must've told her husband about you, right?"
"Yes, she did. I have no proof of that, but I'm sure it's what happened. After the things I've done lately, I deserve to be punished."
He thrusts an entire éclair into his mouth.
I wait until he finishes chewing, then I lay a palm on his cheek and force him to look at me. "You do not deserve to be punished. Making a mistake is not a capital offense, and Annabelle should've told you from the start who she was. The Duchess is the one who needs to atone for her actions."
"So do I. But if Sommerleigh Sweets falls, I will never forgive myself."
"You are not solely responsible for the scandal."
"I know, but I'd never done anything reckless in my life, not until that night in the pub." He closes his eyes and sighs. "Now one mistake might ruin my family and my employees."
"That won't happen." I touch my lips to his. "You've got me on your side, and I will not let a silly scandal ruin anything. Trust me, this is what I do. Whatever it takes, however long it takes, we will prove to the world that you are an upstanding citizen."
"Do you fight for all your clients this way?"
"In bed? No." I kiss him again. "You're a special case."
"You know what I meant. The way you're determined to save me seems to go above and beyond your job description." He winces. "Or maybe I'm being an arrogant arse, assuming you—"
I seal his lips with my fingers. "I've never cared this much about helping a client before. I do my job and do it well. But I like you more than I've ever liked anyone else, either clients or men I dated. This has become personal, and I need to do this for you."
"Pretend to date me. That's what you need to do."
"Yes." Maybe I want it to be more than that, but right now, we should both focus on fixing the problems that nasty duke has created. First, though, I need to convince Hugh to face up to his issues, starting with the most obvious one. "Do you have a date for Callum and Kate's wedding?"
"No. I was planning to go alone." He squirms and clears his throat. "Though since you are my fake girlfriend, maybe you wouldn't mind…"
"Yes, I'll be your date."
His entire posture relaxes visibly, and he gives me a grateful smile. "Thank you, Avery."
"No problem. It's my job."
"Before the wedding, though, I think I need to, ah…introduce you to my family."
"I've met your mom."
He stares at me for a moment. Then he hisses under his breath, "Bollocks. I forgot about that. How can you be my fake girlfriend when Mum hired you? This will never work."
"Since we've established ourselves as a couple, in public, it's too late to back out. Besides, I bet your mom will be thrilled. She likes me."
"But she paid you to be my image consultant, not to get involved with me."
"Chill out, Hugh. Everything will be fine."
He raises his brows. "Chill out? That's not a professional word."
"I'm naked in bed with you. This isn't the time to discuss business or to worry about what might happen tomorrow or the next day." I sneak my hand down to clasp his dick. "Let's see how fast you can get in the mood."