Bringing his eyes back up, he caught her gaze across the open space. She smiled, a smile that he’d once trusted, and Luc felt absolutely nothing but disgust.
He knew exactly what he had to do.
* * *
When he hadn’t returned her smile, Kate worried. Again she wondered who he’d been talking to on the phone. Something or someone had upset him.
Well, whatever it was, she couldn’t let that hold her back. She couldn’t keep finding excuses to put this discussion off.
“Dinner is ready,” she called, setting the plates on the old, scarred table.
She glanced at the bouquet she’d purchased just the other day at the street market. She and Luc had shared so many amazing memories in such a short time, but she couldn’t even relish them because they were built upon the lies she’d created using the feeble excuse that it was for his benefit. No, it would be to his benefit to know exactly what was going on in his life.
Nervousness spiked through her, settling deep. Kate smoothed a hand down her knee-length halter dress and took a deep breath as she stood beside her chair and waited for him to come in. Luc entered through the patio doors, closed them, set his phone on the coffee table and crossed to her.
“Smells great,” he told her, offering a wide smile.
When he leaned down to kiss her cheek, Kate closed her eyes for the briefest of moments. Getting wrapped up in this entire scenario of playing house would only hurt her more. She wished more than anything that every bit of this scene playing out were true. Wished Luc would always look at her as if he loved her, as if he wanted to spend his life with her.
“My mother called,” he told her after a long moment of silence. “She asked how everything was.”
Kate moved the fish around on her plate, too nervous to actually eat. “I’m sure she’s worried about you.”
“She cares about me. I assume anyone who cares for me would be worried.”
Kate’s eyes slid up to his, a knot in her throat forming when she saw him staring back at her. “Yes. You have a great many people who love you.”
“And what about you, Kate?” He held her gaze another moment before looking back to his plate. “Do you love me?”
Kate set her fork down, reached over to take his hand and squeezed. “I have so much in my heart for you, Luc.”
When he said nothing, they finished eating, picked up the dishes and set them on the counter.
“Leave them,” Luc told her, taking her hand. “Come with me.”
When he led her toward the bedroom, Kate’s heart started beating harder in her chest. She couldn’t let him start kissing her, undressing her or even touching more than just her hand, because she’d melt instantly and not be able to follow through with her plan to spill her guts.
She trailed into the room after him. The bed in the center of the floor mocked her. Never again would they lie there in a tangle of arms and legs.
They never should have.
“Luc.” She pulled her hand from his. “We can’t.”
He turned, quirking a brow. “Can’t what?”
Kate shook her head, glancing away. She couldn’t look him in the eyes. She didn’t want to see his face when she revealed the truth.
“You can’t make love to me?” He stepped closer, resting his hands on her shoulders. “Or you can’t continue to play the role of doting fiancée? Because I have to tell you, you did a remarkable job of lying to my face.”
Kate jerked her head up, meeting his cold, hard stare. All breath whooshed out of her lungs as fear gripped her heart like a vise.
“Apparently my real fiancée has been trying to get in touch with me,” he went on, dropping his hands and stepping back as if he couldn’t stand to touch Kate anymore. “After I heard my mother say that, the pieces started clicking into place.”
Kate wrapped her arms around her waist. “You remember everything?”
“I know you’re my assistant and you lied, manipulated and schemed to get into my bed.” Luc laughed, the sound mocking. “Now I know why we never slept together before.”
The pain in his voice sliced her heart open. Words died in her throat. Any defense she had was moot at this point.