“Sure they would. For a night, at least.”
“I hate to say this, but if your father's going to be shrewd, then we should beat him at his own game.”
My heart fluttered with affection for her. She was crazy cute when she got all serious like this.
“Now you're talking my language. If you thought like this for the past five years, y'know, maybe you could have built your shop into something really great.”
Annoyed, she nibbled on an ice cube. What she didn't know that her display was turning my brain into mush and making me so freaking crazy for her, a single breath on me was sure to make me explode.
“I didn't come to talk about my business failings.”
“Aw, I know you didn't.” I put my hand over hers on the table. Oh, so warm. “You came to ask me to marry you. Ain't that so?”
She turned red and stammered for a while, refusing to look me in the eyes. Was I a dick for teasing her so badly?
Probably, but Christ, look at her. What an angel this woman was.
“W-well, um... Don't act so full of yourself, Asher.”
“But it's the truth. I'm not an idiot. Neither are you. We've both figured out for ourselves this has to happen.” I rubbed the shiny cocktail glass. “Frankly, it's a smart move in my book.”
She looked surprised that I agreed. Honestly, I never in my life thought I'd say something like this. Never thought I'd ever say the words “I do.”
“You understand that this is all a farce. Less than a month to find and marry a girl for real is simply not gonna happen. Even if one did agree – such as the charming Rosa – I'd be reluctant to go for it. How am I to know they'd not sic a lawyer on me and take me for every penny I have?”
“And you don't believe I might not do the same?”
“I highly doubt it. You know why? Your business is as much at stake as mine is. You have a very good reason for going along with this plan.” I traced circles in her palm; she shivered. “We'd have to trust each other – and I know I trust you far more than some nut job from the mail-order bride store.”
“You trust me,” she repeated softly. “You don't even really know me.”
“I know enough about you to realize you're not gonna bankrupt me for alimony in the divorce.”
Her face fell at the word “divorce.” Uh-oh. Hoped she didn't think this little sham marriage of ours was gonna last any longer than it legally had to.
Then again, why would she think that? I was a playboy, always had been and would always be. She knew that. Everyone in this city knew it.
“So...” She shuffled her feet on the carpet. “How do we go about this?”
Talking about this crap wasn't what I had in mind when I invited her up here. I finished my drink and put my arms around her from behind.
She let out a mild gasp of protest, then settled into my embrace. A wicked smile crossed my face as I rested my chin on her shoulder.
I had her now.
Five years of lusting over her. Five years of her playing hard to get, of her denying the pleasure she knew I had to offer.
Finally, I had her on the edge. She was giving in. Yes, tonight, she would be all mine.
“How we go about it,” I murmured into her ear. “Easy. Tell our families we've been in love for years.”
“Somehow I doubt you've ever kept a girl long enough to love her.” She trembled as my lips brushed the arch of her neck. “I wonder how you can possibly keep up such an act. There will be no trouncing around town picking up a new lady every night, you know. If your dad found that out...”
“Cute. I haven't even put a ring on your finger yet, and here you are already making demands of me.” Another soft kiss; she melted into my chest with a whimper. “Lucky for you that you're beautiful enough to get away with it.”
“Asher, I'm serious.”
“Mm-hmm. You don't possibly expect me to remain celibate the whole time, do you?”
She wriggled in my grasp. “I suppose, for you, that's a monumental challenge.”
“A man must have his needs met somehow.”
“That's what your hand's for.”
I whirled her around. She yelped; I caught her before she landed on the couch.
“If you're gonna be my 'wife,' I think it's your responsibility, isn't it? To tie a man down with marriage and not take off his pants now and again... That's just cruel.”
“But this isn't a real marriage.” She scowled. “You'll do anything for sex, won't you? I don't know how you run a business thinking with your dick all the time.”
The stiff drink she'd polished off had loosened her lips, that was for sure. Okay by me. I liked it when she talked dirty to me.
I'd prefer if she did so without the clothes on, but hey, one step at a time.
“I'll do anything to have your sweet naked ass in my bed, yes.”
I moved my hands to her butt, testing the waters a little more. Mm, so soft. I'd been dreaming of this moment for a very long time. How many days had I spent admiring her deliciously curvy body from afar?
She tensed, but allowed my touch. “W-we're supposed to be coming up with a plan.”
“We'll announce our engagement tomorrow. From there, we've got a month to make all the arrangements. There. That's the plan.”
I dropped to my knees and kissed her bare calf. Her knees buckled; she shook harder as I moved further up her thigh.
“Do
