“How did you know what color I was wearing?”
“Deshawn told me what you picked,” he says, adjusting his cuff. “So I made sure to coordinate. And for the record—” his gaze drags down the length of me again, slow and searing—“blue has never looked so damn good on anyone.”
Heat creeps up my neck, and I have to look away before I combust on the spot.
He offers his arm, the perfect gentleman. “After you.”
Once inside the car, my nerves finally rear their ugly head and I start twisting my hands in my lap. Worth notices instantly. He takes one of them in his, his thumb tracing lazy circles against my palm. The small, steady motion calms me more than I want to admit.
“It’ll be fine, Kitten. Don’t worry about the cameras or the questions. I’ll handle it.”
I exhale. For all the ways he drives me insane with his bossiness, it’s nice to let someone else take the reins for once.
He reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulls out a slim velvet case. When he flips it open, my eyes nearly fall out of my head. Nestled inside is a diamond necklace so brilliant it looks like it could blind the whole damn city. The stones catch every bit of light, glittering like fire, delicate yet undeniably worth more than my entire student debt ten times over.
“Worth…” My voice is barely a whisper as he takes the necklace out of the case. “I can’t take this. It looks like it belongs in a museum.”
His eyes lock on mine, burning right through me. “Turn around.”
“Worth—?”
“Turn.” His tone brooks no argument, and before I can protest again, I find myself shifting in my seat, my spine straightening, as though obeying him is instinct.
The case snaps shut, and cold diamonds brush against my skin when he drapes them around my neck. His fingers graze my nape as he fastens the clasp, and the contact sends a hot shiver through my body I pray he can’t see.
I catch my reflection in the darkened car window—the necklace glitters like starlight against my collarbone, transforming me into someone I barely recognize. Someone elegant. Someone who looks like she belongs at Worth Miller’s side.
My lips part. “I don’t know what to say.”
Worth leans back into his seat, a smile forming at his lips. “It’s nothing, really. To keep up appearances.”
The words slice clean through the haze, dousing the spark in my chest with ice water. Of course—nothing more than appearances.
I nod stiffly, forcing my hands to rest in my lap, even though every part of me wants to rip the necklace off before it sears me. “Thank you,” I manage, the words dry and brittle.
Beside me, Worth studies me for too long, like he knows exactly what just shifted inside me.
The rest of the ride stretches in silence.
When we finally arrive at the venue, the car has barely stopped before the flashes start. Bright white light explodes in every direction, disorienting me.
“Mr. Miller, is this your new girlfriend?”
“Worth! Over here—can we get a smile?”
“Who’s the mystery woman? Name, please!”
The barrage of questions fires like bullets, and my chest tightens. Worth slips out first, then offers his hand to me. Thesecond I take it, his arm sweeps around my waist, firmly tugging me flush to his side.
Security closes in, ushering us forward, but the photographers keep pressing, voices overlapping, camera shutters stuttering like machine guns.
Worth lowers his mouth to my ear. “Relax, baby. I’m right here. I got you.”
The word ‘baby’ almost makes me stumble. Just minutes ago in the car, he made sure I understood this was only for appearances. Now he’s sweet-talking me like he means it? My pulse spikes at the contradiction, and I force a smile so wide it aches as we pause for the cameras.
He holds me steady, anchoring me with the pressure of his hand at my hip. I mimic his composed stance, angling slightly towards him while cameras flash in a relentless storm.
Once inside the building, my lungs expand for the first time in what feels like forever.