Page 35 of Wife By Accident

“Oh, are you sure?” A shadow crossed Olivia’s face. “I’m happy to pay my share.”

Again, Leo saw how honest Olivia was. Surely she wasn’t trying to take his money.

“I appreciate that, but please, let me. You can treat me another time.”

“Okay.” They smiled at each other — and then the oven timer beeped.

“I’ll be right back.”

Olivia dashed inside to fetch their dinner, and Leo followed. He set the table while Olivia dished up the food — it was the kind of domestic scene he’d never imagined himself being a part of. Even as a child, the chef and the housekeeper had done tasks like this, while the Barclay family had just shown up to eat.

Olivia was right, though. It was kind of nice to set the table himself — and even better since Olivia was there, too. He kept looking back at her, wondering what she was thinking about.

Over dinner, they chatted more about nothing in particular. They didn’t speak about anything especially deep, but Leo found that he enjoyed just talking with Olivia. It felt easy. Right. Last night had been a little stilted, but they seemed to be finding their groove again.

And Leo was very much looking forward to spending the day with her tomorrow and showing her New York City.

CHAPTER 16

OLIVIA

“All right.” Olivia stood in front of the elevator with her hands on her hips. She’d gone back and forth about what to wear and settled on her own jeans and T-shirt, laundered the previous day. She’d been tempted to loop her camera around her neck to take pictures, but had decided not to risk looking too much like a tourist. Instead, she’d spent too long braiding her hair and putting on makeup, just enough to bring out her eyes. She still wanted her new, temporary husband to think she was pretty.

“Where are we going first?” She turned her gaze to Leo, who was standing beside her. He’d also opted for jeans and a T-shirt, which made him look less like a billionaire and more like a guy she might have run into at the grocery store or the park. It made her like him even more.

“Breakfast, obviously,” Leo said.

“Obviously,” Olivia replied with a smile. “What’s for breakfast?”

“I told you last night; no spoilers about the day’s activities. I want you to be surprised.”

“With you, I always am,” Olivia said. She nudged his shoulder with her own. “Like when we woke up handcuffed together. That was a surprise.”

“Let’s hope today doesn’t get that wild,” Leo said. “Unless…” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and Olivia laughed — though part of her wanted him to finish that sentence. Just then, the elevator arrived, and they got in.

Down on the street, Leo led her a few blocks on foot to a bagel shop with a line that wound out the door and down the sidewalk. Olivia looked at the line with some dismay.

“This must be a popular place.” She’d hoped to spend her first day out in New York exploring, not standing in line, but maybe this was unavoidable in such a crowded city.

“Sure is.”

To Olivia’s surprise, Leo bypassed the line, going instead to a small window beside the main door. He rapped once with his knuckles and the window slid open, revealing a smiling man in an apron.

“Leo!” The man in the window had a faint Slavic accent.

“Igor!”

“The usual?” the man, Igor, asked.

“Yes, for me. And what would you like, Olivia?”

“Whatever you’re having,” Olivia said.

“Another usual, but with cream and sugar in the coffee, please,” Leo said. Olivia was touched that he remembered how she took her coffee.

“Coming right up.” The window slid shut. Then, a moment later, it reopened, and Igor handed out a paper bag. Leo handed him a few bills, and they continued down the street.

“How did you meet Igor?” Olivia asked.