The dark maroon fabric shimmered over my body as it clasped behind my neck and flowed down my breasts, dipping low at my back, and cupping my hips before falling to my ankles. It cinched at my cleavage with a jeweled pin, and while I tried to tell myself that it was a rhinestone, I knew it was a diamond.

I’d never worn anything like it, and as I stared at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t help but feel like crying. There was a battle raging inside me. I wanted to enjoy these few fleeting moments with Graham, pretend that I could be his princess, but I also knew that it would be over soon, and while I might be in love with Graham Porter, he would never be in love with me.

Pressing my hand to my abdomen, I knew that chances were slim that he’d gotten me pregnant. There was a wild panic in his eyes even though his voice was calm as he explained that he’d forgotten the condom and came inside me. He asked me to keep him appraised of the situation. Logical. Cool. I knew that inside, he was terrified. Getting his personal assistant knocked up was not on his to-do list. Lucky for him, the timing just wasn’t right.

I’d borrowed a little make-up from Crystal. A little shimmer for my lips and some eyeliner and mascara so I didn’t stand out too much in what would be a crowd of glamorous women. Unfortunately, she had the most beautiful dark complexion, so I couldn’t use her foundation.

I’d even borrowed her curling iron and attempted some soft curls around my face. Of course now I sported a burn mark on my arm and the curls were limp, but at least I had tried.

Pathetic.

Everyone at the party would take one look at me and know that I was a fraud, but what could I do? I wasn’t about to give up a chance to spend another night in Graham’s arms.

He’d wanted me to get ready at his house, but I wanted that moment when he’d knock on my door. Now, as I stared at the buzzing light outside my window and the stains on the wall, I realized how ridiculous I was being. My neighbors would take one look at my dress and steal the thing right off me.

Graham no doubt knew that, but he indulged me. When I saw his car pull up in the parking lot, I smiled. He’d been different this week. Quiet and controlled but also a little softer. Part of me wondered if it was because he thought I might be pregnant, and another part hoped that maybe I’d just misjudged him. Maybe the cold exterior didn’t run as deep as I originally feared.

He’d barely knocked before I flung the door open. “I know I’m supposed to make you wait, but I don’t want anyone to try and steal your car,” I said hastily as I stepped outside and locked the door behind me. “I didn’t really think this whole thing through.”

I tried to hurry past him, but he grabbed my elbow. “Let me look at you.” His voice was soft as he stepped back and stared at me. “You really are beautiful, Julie.”

“Anyone would look beautiful in this dress,” I muttered. “And I put on a little bit of makeup.”

“I noticed. Now all I can think about is kissing you until your lips stop looking so delectable.” His fingers brushed over my burn mark, and he frowned. “What happened here?” Kissing it gently, he pulled me a little closer until he could claim my lips. It was a full minute before I could break free and explain about the curling iron.

He held out his arm, and I almost giggled as I accepted it. The whole thing was laughable. The billionaire bachelor was picking me up at the hooker motel.

“What’s the fundraiser for?”

“I believe it’s to raise money for the children’s cancer ward at the hospital.”

Confused, I stared at him. “You don’t know?”

“I receive a hundred invitations a week to charity events,” he admitted. “I gave Darleen free reign to filter them down to ten for me to peruse. It wasn’t until recently that I realized she was only sending me to fancy galas.”

“I haven’t seen any charity invitations.”

“That’s because I have them brought directly to me. I didn’t know you well enough to trust that you’d put some thought into it, and I was upset by Darleen’s methods. I wanted to make sure that I was more hands-on in some of the other events.”

He opened the door for me, and I thought I heard a strange clicking noise. Frowning, I turned my head and looked around, but I didn’t see a single soul in the parking lot with us. Sliding into the car, I waited for him join me. “What do you mean by hands-on?”

“I like working with my hands,” he said with a shrug. “Whether it’s building houses or volunteering at the wildlife center.”

It was hard to imagine buttoned-up Graham in his silk ties hammering wood together or shoveling manure. My silence must have spoken volumes for he laughed harshly. “You think I’m the kind of man who enjoys sitting behind a desk bossing people around.”

“Not at all,” I said quietly. “I guess I just didn’t think you understood that it’s okay to shed the Porter lifestyle every now and again.”

He was quiet, but it was a comfortable silence. When we arrived at the gala, all the butterflies returned to my stomach as I watched the women in beautiful dresses enter the hotel.

“Hey,” he said softly as he reached over and took my hand. “I won’t have you intimidated by anyone here, do you understand? There are going to be women in there who are like Darleen, and they’re going to be jealous.”

“Because I’m gracing the arm of Graham Porter instead of them?” I asked wryly.

“Because you are a genuine and beautiful woman.” He reached over and kissed me gently, and my heart skipped a beat.

Why couldn’t he have been someone just a little more attainable for me?

The valet opened the door and helped me out. I wasn’t alone long before Graham walked around and took my arm, but before we could enter the hotel, people swarmed us and flashbulbs went off in our faces.

“Are you Julie Dennings?” they shouted at me. “Is it true that Tyler Dennings is the son of Jonathan Bright?”

Shocked, I froze. It was like something out of a nightmare. For a moment, Graham’s arm loosened around me, and I pulled away. The questions continued as the press blocked my path into the building.

“Is it true that you were once engaged?”

“Are you living out of the Sunny Side Up Motel?”

“Are you working for Graham Porter or sleeping with him?”

“Does your son know who his father is?”

“Enough,” Graham snapped as he grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly back to the valet station. “Take her home,” he growled as gave them his address. The next thing I knew, they were pulling me into a service limousine. The door slammed shut behind, and I watched through the window as Graham pushed his way through the reporters and into the hotel.

Terrified that they’d find Crystal, I knocked on the window. “Excuse me. He gave you the wrong address. I need to go to the Sunny Side Up Motel. I need to get to my son.”

The driver looked at me in disbelief, and for a moment, I thought he was going to ignore me. Fumbling with the buttons on the door, I finally got the glass lowered. “Please. I can’t let them get to my son. If you’re not going to take me, then you need to let me out, and I’ll call a taxi.”

“I’ll take you,” he said quietly. “But I don’t think Mr. Porter will be very happy.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said tightly. “I don’t think Mr. Porter is going to care one way or another where I end up as long as I don’t end up back in his life.”

I couldn’t think of Graham’s reaction to my dirty secret right now. The only thing more terrifying than the press discovering my secret was Jonathan discovering it, and I knew that if they put my picture in the newspaper, he wouldn’t be far behind.

When we turned into the parking lot, my heart sank. There was already a limo waiting, and I knew that Jonathan hadn’t followed the press.

They’d followed him.

Quickly, I reached for my phone. “I need you to do me a favor.”