cheek. “I don't like to see you cry.'
The look he was giving her was the same one he gave her in the house, when he was on one knee asking her to marry him. Her heart fluttered, a lethargic warmth stealing over her body. She sighed softly. “Why haven't you ever married?” she asked.
'I haven't ever found the right woman. Well, until yesterday, apparently.'
His finger was still softly stroking her cheek, running over the curve of her jaw, and Macy noticed his other arm was still holding her close to him. “And what is your idea of the right woman?” He stared at her for long moments before he leaned down and kissed her. Macy was shocked by the move, even more so when he deepened the kiss, the hand on her face climbing into her hair to hold her to him.
She leaned into him, her arms snaking inside his coat to wrap around his waist. She pulled away from him to take a breath and asked the only thing going through her mind. “What happens when all of this is over?'
'What do you want to happen?'
'I asked you first,” she said.
He sighed, his fingers threading through her hair. “I dated my last secretary and it turned into a disaster, hence the mess you found when I hired you.” He looked down at her and shrugged his shoulder. “I don't know, Macy. I said I'd never date another employee but you seriously make me want to break that little rule.'
'I do?” she asked.
He smiled. “Would I be standing in the snow kissing you while freezing my ass off if I didn't?'
'I don't know. Would you?'
He answered her by kissing her again. If what he felt for her could be judged by the kiss, Macy was sure to get her heart broken if he stuck to his ‘no dating employees’ rule. He kissed her breathless again, stopping only when the sound of laughter forced them apart. Macy turned, looking over her shoulder and saw her brothers Derek and Matt on the back porch looking at them.
'Macy, Mom is looking for you,” Derek said, grinning. “I wouldn't suggest any hanky-panky out here, either. Snow in your unmentionables will put a real damper on the evening.” They laughed again and jumped off the porch, heading to the woodpile.
Macy watched them for a few minutes before looking back at Sean. “I guess we should go and try to figure a way out of this before it's too late.'
'Well, not that I mind my current position but… I can't feel my toes.'
Macy grinned before letting him go. “Come on, city boy. Let's go get you warmed up.'
Chapter 7
'It's useless,” Macy said, flopping down on the edge of the bed. Sean shifted and turned to look at her. “Mom is determined to do this regardless of what I say. She's even called that preacher, Tim, to perform the ceremony.'
'So the whining didn't work then?” he asked, sitting up and leaning back against the headboard.
She rolled her eyes at him and said, “No. No matter what I said, she had a quick answer for me. She's going to do this regardless of what I say.'
'What about the marriage license? Did you mention that?'
'No. In all their careful planning they've completely forgotten about that little detail and I was scared if I mentioned it they'd hustle us into town to get one.'
'Hmm,” he said. “Good idea. Don't mention it then. If they've forgotten hopefully it'll be too late to do anything about it by the time this wedding is supposed to take place.” He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to look at her. “By the way, when is our big day?'
Macy looked at him and scowled. “Don't smile at me like that, Sean. You're in just as much trouble here as I am, you know.'
'I know,” he said. “But come on, you have to admit it's pretty funny.'
'In what bizarre world would this be funny?'
He laughed and said, “The one where you named me as your live-in boyfriend. A make-believe boyfriend who asked you to marry him and is now going to have to do exactly that.'
She hung her head and groaned. “You're going to hate me when this is all over, aren't you?'
'No, I'm not going to hate you,” he said, leaning forward and running his hand over her head. “Come on. We're in this together, remember?'
She sighed and sat back up. “Yeah. I know.'
'Well, stop worrying so much. It'll end up all right. I promise. Once this farce wedding starts, I'll conveniently remember the marriage license and that'll be the end of it. We can't have a wedding without that little piece of paper and luckily for us, no one but us has even thought of it.'
Macy nodded her head and stood, walking to her closet. She opened the door and pushed the clothes stored there away, revealing an assortment of gowns.
'What are you doing?'
She turned and gave him a peeved look. “Mom sent me up here to go through my old formal gowns. She said, and I quote, ‘As many dresses as we've bought for you over the years, Macy, I'm sure you have something suitable to wear for your wedding day.’”
'Formal dresses?'
She nodded and blushed, ducking back into the closet. “I uh, used to do a lot of pageants when I was a teen.'
'Pageants? As in beauty pageants?” Another nod of her head was all he got in return. He grinned and crawled off the bed and crossed the room, stopping behind her. “You mean to tell me I'm marrying a beauty queen?'
She laughed. “Stop teasing me, Sean.'
'I'm not teasing.'
'Yes you are,” she said, pulling a pale ivory dress from the closet. It was strapless and looked low cut. And small. Sean grinned while looking at it. “This one will have to do.'
'I like that one. What pageant did you wear it in?'
'The Miss Ashville pageant.'
He grinned when she blushed again. “Did you win?'
'I was first runner up.'
'Ah, so I am marrying a beauty queen. I think I like that idea.'
'You're a twisted man, Sean Mathis.” She tucked the dress under one arm and walked to the door. “Get dressed,” she said. “Derek is waiting in his room for you. It's time for
'Which is when?'
She grimaced and opened the door. “Christmas Eve.” She left without another word. Sean stared at the door for long minutes before walking back to the bed and sitting down.
He lied when he told her everything would be all right. He didn't want to worry her more than she was but he was seriously worried. They had no choice but to go ahead with the wedding idea or reveal their little lie to her family and neither of them wanted that. He wouldn't let her take the blame for it alone but he didn't want to incur her family's wrath either when they found out they'd been lied to. He wasn't sure how they'd react. Well, he could imagine how they'd react. With wicked left hooks and head jarring punches. He sighed and looked around Macy's room. It was pink with every frill a young girl could want. He smiled while looking at the things scattered on the dressers. Pictures of her and friends, a pair of cheerleading pom-poms tossed into the chair by the window and awards for this and that hung on the walls.
He was ashamed to say he didn't know very much about her. In the three years he'd known her, he hadn't asked. Asking would mean he cared and letting her know he cared was dangerous. For him and her. Admitting he cared even to himself was dangerous but he had to face it. He did. He cared more than he should. Especially after spending the week with her, getting to know her and her family. He knew what made her laugh now. What made her sad. He also knew what made her gasp in pleasure and cling to him like she never wanted to let him go. It also
