‘Hello.’ He put his drink on the table and sat down.

I adopted my most sensual pout. ‘Hello.’

There was a long pause, as he looked at me, drinking me in, before he seemed to realize that he needed to say something. ‘I’m Ben.’

‘Bella.’ I made sure I held his gaze, hoping for a hypnotic effect.

‘Bella,’ he repeated, with a slightly dazed expression. ‘Can I buy you a drink, Bella?’

‘Thank you, yes.’ I hoped he’d say something original, but he didn’t.

‘Champagne?’ he guessed, predictably.

‘Sparkling water.’

Ben raised his eyebrows. It worked every time. It immediately reassured them that I wasn’t a gold-digger.

He stood up and as he did so, he seemed to suddenly remember his friend sitting alone nearby.

‘Oh! Matt … I’m just getting some more drinks in. You’re welcome to join us?’

I felt a momentary wave of panic. That wasn’t part of the plan. It might even ruin it altogether.

Thankfully, his friend responded with a knowing smirk and a shake of the head. ‘Nah, I’m going to call it a night.’ He finished his beer and got to his feet. ‘Have fun,’ he said, patting Ben on the back as he left the bar.

‘So, Ben,’ I asked, as he returned with our drinks. ‘Are you single?’

Ben coughed through his mouthful of beer. ‘Um, yes. I am. Definitely. Single.’

I could feel myself smiling. ‘Good.’

‘Are you?’ he countered nervously.

I dropped my gaze, feigning shyness. ‘I am.’

‘Good. And do you get hit on by lots of men who aren’t single?’

I looked back up at him with a knowing smile. ‘All the time. That’s why it was my first question.’

‘Ah. Well, it looks like you got lucky with me then!’ He seemed to relax and leaned back slightly, a cute grin spreading across his face.

‘It looks like I did.’ I couldn’t believe quite how easy it had been.

‘Another drink?’ he asked eagerly, after we had chatted for a while.

‘I’d prefer dinner.’ It was bold but there was no time to waste.

Ben smiled. ‘So would I.’

Bingo.

Chapter Seventeen

‘I’d like you to meet my parents.’

My heart gave a little leap. We were lying in bed together at his flat a month or so after that first meeting. I had gone home with him that night and never left, knowing it was the only way for my plan to work within my timeframe. Things had progressed faster than I had dared imagine. He was well and truly hooked. Yes, he was obviously a little damaged by his ex dumping him but he seemed to have got over her surprisingly quickly.

‘Really?’ I pushed myself up onto one elbow bunching the white cotton duvet under my stomach and looked down at him. ‘And what do you think they’ll make of me?’

Ben grinned up at me with his slightly lopsided smile, his brown eyes dancing with excitement. Since meeting me, he had visibly blossomed, like a plant bursting into bloom at the onset of summer. The downbeat, hesitant manner that he had shown that first night had been replaced by a relaxed confidence. He reached up and ran his hands through my hair. ‘They will absolutely love you. Just like I do.’