They stared at each other while she mulled over what he suggested. He was a forceful, crusty, determined man. And sexy. If she accepted his proposal, would she be getting into something that she would regret? Yet, only one year in a marriage in name only—how difficult could that be? Dark brown eyes stared back at her, and she felt out of her depth.
“I don’t really know much about men.”
“You don’t need to know much about them to agree to this. You know how large Green Oaks is—we would hardly see each other.”
“With my nephews around, I can promise you we’ll see each other.” She chewed her lip. He might be a good influ- ence for the boys. Lord knows, the man could be com- manding.
Cal waited quietly, again studying the tiny freckles on the tip of her nose. Her gaze swung around to meet his and the worried look vanished from her features. She smoothed her skirt and stood. “I’ll give your proposal thought. We have six months—”
“No, we don’t,” he said, coming to his feet, his casual movement placing him too close to her. She had to tilt her head to look up into his eyes and she was five feet eight inches tall. He had to be over six feet tall. She started to take a step back and then felt annoyed with herself. Let him be the one to back off.
“I remember the will saying we were to marry within—”
“Juliana,” he said in that voice that stopped her words instantly. “I need the money right away.”
Cal’s gaze shifted to a point beyond her. Guilt plagued him, but there was no way he was going to tell her the truth. He had learned long ago the terrible consequences of re- vealing everything about himself. “I’ve been considering expanding my law firm. I want to make commitments right away. I can’t wait six months.” He looked down into her wide blue eyes and saw the rising anger.
“How soon do you have to know?”
“I don’t see any reason to wait. If you give this some thought tonight, I think you can reach the same decision I have.”
“Mr. Duncan—”
“Call me Cal,” he ordered, his voice compelling and husky.
“Cal,” she said, meaning to snap it out because she was angry, yet a prickle ran across her nape and she had a sense of becoming more intimately involved with him just from that simple form of addressing him. And nothing in her tone sounded angry or forceful. He waited, his gaze intent on her. “I have to give this some thought because so many people are involved.”
“That’s exactly why it shouldn’t take you any time to consider my proposal. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. What could you possibly lose?”
The words hung in the air between them, invisible, yet so tangible to her as she looked into his eyes. She wanted to say she was too aware of him as an appealing male, too vulner- able because she had been deceived by Barry. She would have her heart at risk. How easily she could imagine falling in love with Caleb Duncan. There was only one certainty in this—she did not think he ran any chance of falling in love or losing his heart. His love was money.
“You make it sound so simple,” she said with reluctance because just being in the same room with him made her tin- gly. He was watching her, and she gazed back at him and was locked again in one of their staring contests, only this was no contest. She felt caught and held by invisible bonds, while awareness of him magnified and her pulse jumped. He was only inches away, leaning forward. Her skin vibrated and she could all but feel sparks jumping between them. Speculation and curiosity were obvious in his gaze.
“I seem to remember you said something about no mat- ter how sexy and appealing I am—that was an interesting remark,” he said in a low voice.
“Don’t get carried away,” she replied, wishing she didn’t sound breathless.
Cal gazed into her large blue eyes and wanted to put his hand behind her head and pull her the last few inches. He wanted to taste her full lips, to feel their softness, to invade her mouth, yet the logical side to him warned against get- ting involved. Keep the whole arrangement impersonal. It could get incredibly sticky if he didn’t. And he could end up permanently committed, a married man with a wife and three boys, when he had no such intention. Or he could end up as he had with Andrea—getting his heart torn apart.
While part of his mind argued, the other part had one desire. He gazed again into fathomless blue eyes, full, rosy lips that were slightly parted, and knew that under any other circumstances he would lean the last few inches and taste her tempting mouth. Caution, common sense screamed.
“I have to give this thought.” But in her heart, Juliana knew she’d been thinking about marrying Caleb ever since he’d asked her to dinner. How could she not think about it, considering all the good it would mean to the boys? Juliana moved impatiently to the sliding glass door, once again seeking the softer lights on the deck. She brushed past him, bumping against him. As he steadied her, an enticing scent coaxed him to forget what was sensible.
“Sorry,” she said, her cheeks turning a delightful pink. He moved away as swiftly as if he had grasped a burning skillet.
“Just think about the money, Juliana,” he said, follow- ing her out to the deck.
Annoyed, she glanced at him. “I’m thinking about my nephews. At least you should make a good father figure for them. Would you give them some of your time?”
He was silent for a while, as if he was weighing her ques- tion. Faint light shone on the angles and rugged planes of his face. “Yes, I’d do that,”
