"See that man right over there wearing the fedora?" Billy leaned over close to Amanda to point out the street musician playing the saxophone. They were sitting on the same bench as the day before near the honeysuckle. "I think that's our guy. He took the pictures yesterday."
"I do remember seeing him, but Billy, I think he's blind," Amanda said taking in the man's Stevie Wonder type black out glasses.
"The glasses could be part of his act and his cover if he's taking secret photographs of people unaware, that's the perfect disguise. He might have a hidden camera in his sax."
"Nahhh, I don't think it's him. I think he really is a musician and a talented one at that."
"Well, I think it's best to have all bases covered. Just in case, you should kiss me."
"What here?" Amanda asked, alarmed.
"You want the press to believe we're engaged, right. They'll never believe that I, Billy Abbott simply took a stroll through the park with my fiance two days in a row and nothing happened. Not really my style."
"Oh, so you're into the whole PDA thing?"
"With a woman I plan to marry, it would be an absolute non negotiable must. If I behave differently with you then people might suspect something is off which is not what you want. Right?"
"You know what I want. I want for pictures of us to be plastered all over the internet so that my ex gets the message."
"So kiss me."
Amanda stared at him and for a moment, Billy doubted she'd go through with it, but then with her eyes wide open, she closed the short distance between their mouths and brushed her soft lips against his. Every nerve in his body went berserk and he fought to maintain his cool and allow her to have the lead. What he really wanted to do was whisk her away to her someplace much more private so he could thoroughly explore her lips not to mention the rest of her luscious body which was off limits to him the night they got drunk and slept together.
Amanda drew back a few inches to look at him again and he could feel her breath quicken as her breasts rose and fell before his eyes. Then her lips were on his again and her hands went inside of his jacket. They were on a park bench in public or he would have began the disrobing process for the both of them. Amanda's tongue touched his and she moaned. He swallowed the small sounds she was making and attempted to deepen the kiss when she pulled away. "Maybe it's not a good idea to include tongues in any public kissing," she said searching his eyes.
He cupped her face and attempted to resume their lip lock until she pulled back further, "Billy, we probably need to set up some ground rules before this goes any further."
The corner of his mouth twitched and he removed his hand from her face and stretched both of his arms along the back of the bench. "I suppose you'll want to put that in the contract too. No tongues during public kissing. Will there be a special clause on what can be done in private?"
"Don't make fun of me. It's for your own protection."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Seriously? I'm not exactly afraid of you, Amanda Sinclair."
Her face broke into a coquettish smile. "Suppose..." She reached out to toy with the button on his shirt. "Suppose I was up to no good and this was not about me and my horrible ex." She lightly kissed him on the side of the face, a lingering touch of her lips and she continued to talk, her face so close, her sweet breath seeped into his skin, tantalizing him. "What if that was just a cover and I was running a long con?" She kissed him again then again.
"Like I said, I'm not worried about money." Billy closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her lips branding his skin with heated caresses, her hands were basically feeling him up on top of his clothes. He almost laughed when she hit a ticklish spot around his abdomen. Then bit back a moan when he felt the press of her soft body as she slid closer to him. The last thing he wanted to do was to break the seductive spell.
"But what if I was after something else?"
"Like what?"
Amanda moved away abruptly and clapped her hands together. Billy's eyes flew open and he felt like he'd been awakened from a dream.
"That's my point, Billy," she said. "Who knows what my end goal could be." She poked his chest with her finger. "You should be more vigilant about protecting yourself."
For the first time since he'd met Amanda otherwise known as "Kim" the hackles raised on the back of his neck and he grew wary of her. Not just curious as he had been, but straight suspicious. She went from doubtful and unsure of whether she wanted to kiss him to straight fem fatale then back to herself in a matter of seconds. To prove a point perhaps, but she was too good, too convincing in each of those roles. Who was she?
"Good thing you have me now. I'll protect you." She patted his chest and laid her head on his shoulder. "I hope somebody is getting all of this. I don't see anyone with a camera." She held onto his arm.
Billy looked down at Amanda warily but couldn't fight the intense attraction even if she was executing some kind of elaborate scheme to do God knows what to him. It's not like he was some kind of saint in fact he had a con of his own going. No one would take their picture and even if they did, it wouldn't be published or appear online. He felt no guilt about not sharing this information with Amanda because he did not believe for a second that she had an ex she couldn't handle. There had to be something else going on. He'd figure it out by spending time with her.
"It's getting late," he said. "How about we head over to the theater."
"I don't think I've gone to the movies two days in a row since I was in high school and we cut classes during senior week."
"I can't remember the last time I did this either," Billy mused almost to himself.
When they came out of the movie theater debating about who was the better actor Paul Newman or Steve McQueen, Amanda thought they would go their separate ways for the rest of the day. She was surprised when Billy suggested they figure out something else to do together. Amanda suggested they return to Chancellor park. She was quickly falling in love with the small oasis right in the middle of the city.
"I'm waiting for Devon Hamilton to give me another date so I can meet with his attorneys, but other than my volunteer gig, I'm free. You on the other hand mister, don't you work?"
"I'm working right now." They were strolling slowly along a path paved with stepping stones inscribed with famous citizens of Genoa City. He gave her a devilish smile."Being your fake fiance." She could see the warmth in his brown eyes as he teased her.
Amanda chuckled. "I appreciate this Billy, but you do not have to hang out with me all afternoon."
"I want to. You're new in town and I don't mind being your guide. If we were really engaged, I wouldn't leave you to wander around on your own."
"Billy Abbott, you are so nice," Amanda squeezed his arm which she was holding as they walked. "You're too nice."
"No, I'm not really," he shrugged.
"You are a good person. Who else would do this for someone they barely know?"
"It's no big deal and I'm enjoying your company. Unless there's something you're not telling me," Billy said.
Amanda immediately tensed. She'd been debating whether or not to tell Billy the full story about Ripley, the order of protection and how Josie had him under constant surveillance. It was just so much to lay on someone you just met. Out of the goodness of his heart, he was willing to be her fake fiance for a few weeks and in return he was getting one of the best attorneys in the country free of charge, for life. She did not want to trouble him any further.
"Is there something else I should know?" Billy repeated looking directly into her eyes.
"Nope, I think a few pictures of us together and a statement from you should send the right message…" Amanda saw a man in the distance with a camera pointing it toward the trees. She stopped and turned to Billy winding her arms around his neck. "See that guy over my shoulder with the big camera?"
"I sure do," He bent his head to whisper in her ear.
"What do you think, nature photographer or tabloid reporter?" She moved her arms and circled his waist instead, remembering how he looked just a few days ago when she woke up in the motel room and saw the perfection of his half naked body. She could feel the lean planes of his physique. Being so close to him felt good like they naturally fit together and belonged to one another..
"Hard to tell." Billy ran a hand softly up and down her back.
"Is he pointing the camera this way?"
"Not sure."
"Can you hold me like this just in case?"
Billy didn't respond, He embraced her tightly kissing the top of her head.
"My goodness you give nice hugs, Billy Abbott." Amanda smiled and leaned her face against his chest where she could feel the steady beating of his heart. Meanwhile a swarm of butterflies took flight in her unsuspecting stomach. Without warning she was overwhelmed by a pleasant, floaty, fluttery, emotion she couldn't name. Tightening her grasp around him, she closed her eyes. "A girl could get used to this," She paused when Billy remained silent and quickly added, "I didn't mean that literally. So don't panic, I'll have the contract solidifying expectations drawn up by tomorrow."
"I never panic and we don't need a contract."
She leaned back to look up at him. "You never panic? Not even in the most dire of circumstances?"
"I once lost a boat that belonged to my family company on a gambling table. I was the CEO at the time. I felt awful but I never panicked."
"God, so what happened? Did you get fired?"
"Nope, my brother helped me out of that one."
"Aaahh...that explains it." She snuggled back up against him. Any onlooker would think they were whispering sweet nothings to each other, not having a general conversation. "You know you have someone to catch you if you fall. I'm not so fortunate, so your girl has been known to panic once, twice, sometimes daily. Good thing for me I've mastered the art of not letting my opponents know when I'm in my feelings. So I hope I can count on you to never tell anyone." She held up a balled fist. "Otherwise fake finance or not, I'll have to hurt you."
He covered her small fist with his much larger hand. "Your secret is safe with me. And if you'd keep that tidbit about the boat quiet I'd appreciate it as well."
"Of course. I'll bet you have quite a few interesting stories."
"Oh yeah I could tell you some stories. You'd never say I was a nice guy ever again tho."
"I'm your attorney for life, remember, you can tell me anything."