She looked like she had been slapped across the face. I frowned. She had to have suspected. Maybe I should have mentioned it, got her ready for it. Too late, now. I reached across and took her hand.

“I have something for you,” I whispered. I opened the box. Inside was the nine-carat diamond ring I had got my secretary to buy for me that day, from the most exclusive jewellers in the city.

She gasped. The damn thing was so dazzling, it caught every light in the restaurant, shining like a star. I took it out and put it on her finger, making sure it was the right one.

She looked down at it, turning it this way and that. Then she looked up at me. I was astounded to see tears glimmering in her eyes.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered. “It just seems…wrong, somehow. You should be handing this to a woman that you love.”

My eyes widened. Amber, a romantic?

I could feel people’s eyes on us, watching the moment. Which is what I had intended, of course. But now, I felt like I wanted to rush her out of this place, find a little park bench somewhere. Hand this to her in private.

What was wrong with me? This was a public show. For reasons we both had agreed upon. I got up, walking over to her, and knelt beside her chair. I looked at her, then grabbed her head, pulling it towards me. My lips found hers.

I could vaguely hear clapping in the background, but it was faint. The touch of her soft lips was undoing me. I deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth. The kiss was so sexy I felt like I could have stayed that way forever, awkwardly leaning over her in the most exclusive restaurant in Melbourne.

She broke it, suddenly. She moved back from me, her eyes dazed. It took all my strength not to grab her again, continue exploring that sweet mouth for eternity. With difficulty, I smiled, returning to my seat. I acknowledged the clapping, awkwardly.

Amber was staring at me. “You never said you were going to do that.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “But I felt like the moment deserved it. I have just given you an engagement ring, after all. People would think it odd if we didn’t show some emotion.”

“Emotion? Yes, well.” She looked down, trying to compose herself. “Finn, I’m finding this really hard. It’s been so quick, and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed.” She paused. “Do you think we can leave?”

I looked at her. She was trembling. “Of course,” I said. “I will let the waiter know to cancel our order. People will just think we want to be alone…” I trailed off.

I stood up, going behind her to pull out her chair. She grabbed her handbag, and we left. She didn’t speak at all on the trip home. She stared out the car window, as we drove past the famous clocks at Flinders Street Station, veered onto St Kilda Road and finally made our way through the tree lined streets of Toorak.

I glanced at her, worried, as we pulled up. Was she thinking of reneging on our deal? We walked into the house, turning on the lights. I paid the babysitter, and then we were alone.

She turned on me. “You should have told me you were going to do all that!”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I thought you were aware of the charade that we were going to play. I did choose that restaurant deliberately.”

She looked upset. “I just don’t know if I can do this, Finn,” she said, slowly.

I took her hand. “I promise I will inform you when I am going to do major things. Like giving you an engagement ring.” I paused. “Like kissing you.”

She looked at me, lips trembling. The air was suddenly filled with tension so electric I wouldn’t have been surprised to see the room sparking.

“Can I kiss you, again?” I murmured. I stood close to her, so close I could see the flecks of yellow in her brown eyes and the curl of her eyelashes.

She looked so devastatingly sexy in that red dress. I knew it would suit her. And it fitted her like a glove, clinging to her curves. She turned her face up towards me, and then it happened. Again.

A long, slow kiss, exploring each other. I was struck again by how soft her lips were, like velvet. Suddenly, an intense bolt of desire forked through me, making me grab her, clutching her to me like she was the last life boat in a stormy sea.

I could feel her shaking, desire flooding through her. I found her breasts, kneading them frantically. She broke away, looking at me, dazed.

“I really don’t understand what is going on here,” she whispered.

I ran a hand through my hair. I didn’t understand, either. I just knew that in that moment, I wanted her more than anything else on this earth.

“I’m sorry,” I said, for the second time that night.

She looked at me sadly, walking to her bedroom. “Good night, Finn.”

“Good night,” I answered. It took all my effort not to follow her, grab her and fling her across her bed. Claiming her.

Jesus, what was happening? This was supposed to be a business arrangement.

It could only work if it was. No one knew how these things could work out, or not work out. We could sleep together and it might be a big mistake on both sides. And then it would jeopardise the whole arrangement. That couldn’t happen.

I had to keep a lid on this thing between us. It was the only way.