Page 5 of Impulse (Infinitus Billionaire #1)
Jillian prided herself on never letting anything or anyone shock her, but Lex had just sucked the breath out of her lungs and driven thoughts from her mind. Then all sorts of possible explanations flashed through her head like a tsunami.
It was a joke.
She was dreaming.
No, she couldn’t be.
Lex was seated across from her in his custom-tailored dinner jacket, sexy smile on his lips, and those gorgeous gray eyes fixed expectantly on her. How did he expect her to react? Jump and kick her feet in joy? It was the kind of offer that could either make a woman very happy, if he loved her, or question his sanity. Like she was doing now.
She could just see the headlines:
Crazy Billionaire Buys a Wife for Millions of Dollars.
No, Lex Fitzgerald was too powerful and too industrious to be insane. Eccentric? Maybe. Playing mind games? Definitely. The man ordered caviar like most people ordered burgers and fries. It didn’t matter that she hated the taste of caviar. Men like him didn’t marry women like her.
“Your wife?”
Jillian managed to say when she could speak calmly without screeching.
“A fake, temporary wife,”
he corrected and leaned forward, bringing closer that potent sensual aura he oozed. Her reaction to it was the same—warmth unfurled deep in her belly and her heart did that stupid murmur as though trying to find its rhythm.
“Allow me to explain,”
he added, totally oblivious to the effect he had on her.
“Oh, please do, because from our earlier discussion, you said you wanted a bodyguard. A bodyguard, Lex. Someone to shield you from unwanted attention from other women.”
It had sounded ridiculous over the phone, and it sounded worse now.
“At no time during that discussion did you mention the word wife, temporary or… otherwise.”
Her voice trailed off when he picked up her hand. Funny how his touch could be so stimulating at times and other times so calming. Like now.
He nodded.
“Shielding a husband is essentially what a wife does. Nothing stops other women more than a beautiful woman with your ring and rights to your time and body.”
He just had to go there, didn’t he? A wife would have a right to touch him, kiss him, and ride that gorgeous body of his whenever and wherever. She didn’t want to be thinking about such things now, not when he wasn’t asking for a real wife.
“Bodyguards and wives are two very different, uh, things.”
His thumb stroked the sensitive skin between her fingers, completely distracting. He had large hands, long fingers, and neatly trimmed nails. She imagined those hands on her body, teasing her. Pleasing her. Heat shot between her legs. Jillian yanked her hand from his and placed it on her lap.
If her action bothered Lex, he didn’t show it. His voice was gentle when he spoke.
“I personally believe that husbands and wives protect each other. I didn’t mean to mislead you when we spoke earlier, Jillian.”
He peered at her.
“I needed to know what kind of person you are. Call our phone conversation an audition if you like. I had to know how you’d react in certain situations. If you had what it takes to be my wife.”
“To act as your wife,”
she corrected him. Audition made sense, but she still didn’t like being blindsided.
“I’m not an actress, Lex. I’m a stuntwoman. My audition was me beating you during that ride on Ortega Highway.”
He chuckled.
“You didn’t beat me. I let you ride ahead and had every intention of finding out who you are and how to reach you.”
Jillian studied him. “Why?”
“I was looking for an actress for hire.”
She hadn’t expected that.
“You went to that field to find a temporary wife?”
“Narrow down the list was more like it. Nothing like watching someone in action and unaware to know exactly what kind of person they are.”
Jillian gave an unladylike snort. Around the set, everyone acted fake.
“Let me see if I’ve got this right. You had a list of actresses you planned to interview for this part you’re offering me?”
“Yes.”
“Was I, uh, on the list?”
“No.”
No apologies or hesitation.
“But after we met, I tossed it.”
Presumptuous of him to assume she would accept his proposal. On the other hand, it was flattering he’d been impressed by her… what? Looks? She’d been in full stunt gear, makeup, and wig when they’d met. And by the time she’d changed, he’d already left. She wondered when he’d chucked the list.
“You may have to retrieve that list, Lex. I suck at acting,”
Jillian said.
“But that’s where you’re wrong. You are a natural.”
The waiter appeared with their appetizers and went about placing the bowls and plates on the table while Jillian silently came up with every possible reason to reject Lex’s proposal. As soon as the waiter left the room, she pounced.
“No, I’m not. I don’t follow scripts.”
Lex reached up and pinned her hand.
“No, Jillian. You are perfect for the part. All you have to do is be yourself. You are smart, quick-witted, and you know your self-worth. You,”
he stressed.
“don’t take crap from anyone.”
Jillian gawked at him. How could he have read her so quickly? She’d had no choice but to stand up for herself at age ten when her mother married her stepfather and Jillian went from being an only child to having four boys around the house. Two brothers and two cousins. She either had to swim or sink, and she’d swum, giving the boys hell as much as they’d given it to her.
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
Lex asked, sounding too smug for her peace of mind. Bet he was never wrong about anything.
“No, you’re wrong.”
She picked up her spoon and scooped the creamy soup. She needed to think. Holy smokes that tasted good. She hummed and watched Lex shift in his seat as though uncomfortable. He watched her with unnerving intensity. “What?”
“Do you always hum when you eat?”
he asked in a voice gone husky.
She paused with the spoon halfway to her mouth.
“Is that a deal-breaker?”
He chuckled. “No.”
His utter belief in his crazy plan was mind-boggling. She watched him as he started on his appetizer, topping each piece with caviar and bringing it to his mouth. Everything about him was mesmerizing, from his wavy hair to the sensual curve of his lips. Then there was that dimple on his chin. She wanted to stroke it. Ever since she’d stepped inside his Rolls Royce and encased herself in his masculine scent and leather, she’d thought of nothing else but him.
Walking into the restaurant and watching him stand up like a sleek panther had shot her nerves to hell and back. The man had a hypnotic sensual aura mere mortals couldn’t resist, and she was only human. The laid-back grace of his walk, his masculine scent, and the natural acceptance of his place at the top of the world were all designed to make a woman want him. And Jillian had wants and needs she hadn’t known existed until she met Lex. She’d even started to wonder what it would be like to have all that energy and power focused on her.
Now she was searching for a reason to tell him no. Walk away.
Their eyes met, and heat sizzled between them. Then he smiled. Oh, he knew she was attracted to him. Knew and liked it. Arrogant bastard.
A bit miffed, Jillian said the first thing on her mind.
“You know there are a few less Beluga in the world because of you.”
Lex cocked his eyebrows. “Why?”
“You know why.”
She stared pointedly at his plate.
He made a face.
“These are from farm-grown, not wild ones.”
She sighed.
“That’s even worse. You make belugas suffer the indignity of being removed from their natural habitat, deprive their predators of food, and mess with the ecosystem.”
Lex put his spoon down, steepled his fingers, and rested his chin on top. The tiny smile curling his lips said he knew she was deliberately yanking his chain.
“What are you having there?”
“Veggie soup,”
she said triumphantly.
“But if my memory serves me correctly, you ordered fish.”
Jillian shrugged.
“It’s not my fault they landed on my plate. They should have listened to Dory. She told them to… just keep swimming… just keep swimming...”
Lex laughed, the sound coming straight from his gut. Jillian even forgot about being pissed at his arrogance and enjoyed the moment. Could he look any more gorgeous?
“I think Marlin said that to the other fish and saved them, not Dory,” he said.
Oh, he got her joke.
“Let me guess. Nemo is your favorite movie.”
“My nieces’,”
Lex said.
“We watch Nemo every time I babysit them. It’s the only movie my nephews will watch without moaning about girls.”
Jillian stared at him in utter disbelief.
“You babysit?”
“You don’t have to say it like that. I happen to be everyone’s favorite uncle.”
He went back to his food.
“And my brothers, sisters, and cousins have no problem leaving them with me whenever they can’t find a sitter. That’s one of the things you’ll help me with.”
His arrogance was showing its ugly head again, but she loved kids. Probably came from being an only child the first ten years of her life and the youngest within her new family.
“What if I don’t like kids?”
That sounded like she was agreeing to his crazy proposal. What kind of a man would pay someone to be his wife? Not that she was complaining. Her family could use the money. And she was intrigued to be honest, possibly excited by the prospect of being close to him. Still, a woman had pride.
“Would that be a deal breaker?”
“No.”
She liked that he knew exactly what he wanted, and at the moment, that was her. Somehow, the thought didn’t scare her. Lex with a bunch of kids was something she would love to see.
“Now I understand why everyone I know likes this place,”
Jillian said after the waiter replaced their appetizers with the main course.
“This is amazing.”
“I’ll let the chef know. Try mine?”
Lex extended his fork with a morsel of cod. All Jillian could think about was that the fork had been in his mouth. Her pulse quickened.
“It’s very good,”
Lex urged when she hesitated.
She opened her mouth and let him feed her. Their eyes met and locked, the moment stretching until Jillian started feeling faint. She realized she was holding her breath. How stupid. He was the first to look away, and she exhaled.
The food was exceptional. Lex kept the conversation light. He neither pushed her for an answer nor acted disappointed that she was still wavering. Every time she looked up, she caught his eyes on her. He wasn’t even trying to hide his interest. How could they work together when he stared at her with such heated eyes?
Listening to him and watching the play of emotions on his face as he talked about his family, Jillian decided that pretending to be married to him might not be a bad idea. The man was interesting. And not bad-looking either. The chemistry between them was something else, but she didn’t hop into bed with any man that stirred lust in her. On the other hand, sleeping with Lex a few times might fix her lustful fascination with him. Men tended to bore her in bed. They lacked imagination. At least the ones she’d dated had. Or maybe she was just too adventurous for the average Joe.
Halfway through their meal, a petite blonde paused in the doorway, wiped her hands on her pants, and entered the room. From the smile on her face, she was nervous. Something about her face seemed odd. Lex was busy sharing a story about his recent business trip and didn’t realize they weren’t alone until the woman spoke.
“Sorry to interrupt your dinner, Lex,”
the blonde said, coming to stand by their table. He started to get up, but she quickly added.
“Don’t get up on my account, please. I just wanted to make sure that everything tastes okay.”
Despite her protest, Lex got up, palmed her arms, and planted a kiss on her cheek. The poor woman looked ready to faint.
“The food is exceptional as usual, Deanna. I want you to meet my guest, Jillian Finnegan,”
he indicated Jillian with a nod.
“Jillian, this is our gifted chef, Deanna Marshal. She’s family.”
That explains the privileged treatment.
“My sister Nikki is married to his younger brother Chase,”
Deanna corrected, laughing as though to downplay the relationship.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Finnegan.”
“Jillian, please. Your food is exceptional.”
She smiled.
“Thank you. If you need anything else, just tell the staff and we’ll provide it.”
She glanced at Lex, who was still standing, and stepped back.
“I’ll leave you to finish your meal.”
She threw them another smile and quickly left.
Lex sat, but the frown on his face said he was bothered about something.
“You make her nervous,”
Jillian said.
“I noticed.”
He tilted his head sideway as he studied her.
“I don’t make you nervous.”
He did. “No,”
Jillian lied, but it was time to find out the truth. She put down her fork.
“Why do you need a wife, Lex? And please don’t say it’s raining naked socialites in your bedroom.”
He grinned.
“I do have problems with women,”
he insisted.
Who wouldn’t want a taste of him.
“Of course, you do. Probably started when you hit puberty, but you’re now…?”
“Thirty-nine,”
he supplied.
“Then you must be an expert at dodging them. So why do you really need a fake wife?”
He wiped his lips with the napkin, placed it by his plate, and leaned back, his shirt stretching across his masculine chest. Nice. She found herself wondering whether he worked out. Then she realized she was staring and quickly looked at his face. He wore a smile that said he knew she’d been staring.
“When my father died,”
Lex started.
“he asked me to watch over my brothers and sister, make sure they settled in their chosen careers. As years went by, cousins joined my immediate family because they either lost their parents or because their parents got divorced.”
His expression softened.
“My mother can never turn anyone away. She welcomed them into our family, and they became my responsibility. I’ve spent the last seven years making sure each and every one of them realized their dreams.”
She was impressed.
“How old were you when your father died?”
“Eighteen. I grew up fast. I had to be there for my twin brothers, Chase and Baron, and my sister Jade. Then there are my cousins—Ashley, Faith, and Eddie. Everyone is settled in their lives, except Eddie.”
Greg had mentioned various Fitzgerald playboys earlier before they left her place. There were even a few scandals in the family involving some of them, but Lex’s name wasn’t one of them. Obviously, he was the one in the background holding the family together.
“He was with the LAPD until he left the force two years ago to follow his passion—building motorcycles.”
“Leeds?”
Jillian whispered.
“Yes. Eddie is very gifted.”
There was affection and admiration in his voice as he continued.
“There’s no engine he cannot pull apart and modify, but he’s still learning the business side of things, so he asked me to be his partner. I handle contract negotiations, while he handles the production. He has assembled the best engineers to perfect the designs of his engines.”
Where did being his wife fit into all this.
“So Leeds is really a combination of Eddie and your name?”
“Yes, but Leeds is his dream, his livelihood. He’s newly married, a father to a little girl, and has another on the way. For a large-scale production of the bikes, we need parts. Most are produced by companies around the world.”
Jillian understood only too well. She grew up listening to bike talks. Chinese or Australian wheels. Showa forks from Japan. Brakes from Italy.
“I’m in negotiation with a distributor run by a very old-fashioned man.”
Lex pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned back. For the first time since they sat, he seemed uncomfortable.
“He equates marriage with stability, reliability, and productivity, so he doesn’t do business with unmarried men.”
Jillian gave an unladylike snort.
“What if Leeds was owned by a woman? Where did this Neanderthal crawl from?”
“Yoshi Hujimura is from Japan.”
Lex’s face tightened, his eyebrows slamming down.
“In a way, I understand where he’s coming from. Single people are vulnerable, and a scandal can have a ripple effect, stalling negotiations, causing mistrust, and even affecting the reputation of businesses. Hujimura is thinking of taking his business to our competitor instead.”
There weren’t many bike companies in the country. Harley-Davidson was the most famous. “Who?”
“Montenegro,” he said.
“What? That company produces third-rate bikes. Their Monte XD could be the last bike on a lot and I wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole.”
His gray eyes warmed with genuine mirth.
“When we unveil the next bike, I should hire you as a spokesperson.”
Jillian laughed.
“If it’s a stunt bike, maybe you should. I’d like to meet Mr. Old-Fashioned Japan and show him what a woman can do with a bike.”
Lex sobered.
“If you take this job, you might just get the opportunity to do that. Montenegro brothers are all married with families. I’m not. Mr. Hujimura is visiting the U.S. next month, and he plans to tour Leeds and Montenegro.”
“Sounds like you only need someone to pretend for a month.”
“A year. The Hujimura contract will be renewed a year from now. Marriages don’t last a month. Twelve seems feasible. After a year, we’ll get divorced and go our separate ways.”
Jillian’s breath caught. He couldn’t possibly be serious.
“You want us to actually get married? Justice of Peace, vows, the whole nine yards?”
“No justice of peace.”
Lex spoke with resolve.
“A wedding dress and a walk down the aisle. My family must never suspect our marriage is not real. My mother has a thing about marriage and about men like Yoshi Hujimura. The last thing I need is my mother coming out of retirement to prove something to the old man. We have to make everything look real. That’s why I needed an actress. Three weeks of visible courtship, a quick talk with Father O’Malley, and a wedding.”
Jillian blinked, her mind processing everything at a snail’s pace again. Before she’d discovered bikes, she’d played wedding with her dolls. Fairy tale weddings. Then her mother had gotten married and it had zero resemblance to what she’d imagined. A local county clerk had performed the ceremony, and the only attendants had been people who worked for the Finnegans. Her brothers and cousins had followed the same tradition, so Jillian had stopped dreaming about walking down the aisle with her family watching, flower girls, her husband-to-be waiting at the front and staring at her like she was a princess, his queen…
Get it together, Jillian.
Her throat tight, Jillian reigned in her overactive imagination. This wasn’t real. Lex wanted a fake wife, so the wedding would not be real. Still, it was a perfect solution to her financial problems.
“You think you can fool your family and this, uh, Mr. Hujimura?”
“With your help, yes.”
He leaned back, confidence written on his face.
“I’m willing to pay whatever you ask.”
Jillian blew out a breath. This could be an actress’ dream, a nest egg. She could retire and never do stunts for some snooty Hollywood bitch ever again. Bottom line was she needed the money and he wasn’t doing this for selfish reasons either. His cousin needed him.
“Okay, Lex. I’m in. I’ll do it. I’m okay with the figures we discussed, but I’d like to discuss other terms.”
The waiter removed their plates and another came with the dessert cart. They both declined dessert and went with coffee. Lex reached inside the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and a monogrammed pen.
“This is a rough draft of the contract. Take a look at it, add or change whatever you want. Then we’ll discuss it and draw up the final draft.”
*
Lex sipped his coffee and studied Jillian as she read the document. It was simple and to the point. He’d drafted it, not wanting his lawyers involved.
Her teeth sunk into her lower lip, making him wish he could lean forward and sooth the soft flesh. Until they decided to take their relationship to the next level, he was going to be in a constant state of arousal. She frowned, and he stopped focusing on his needs.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I can buy my own clothes,”
she said, throwing him a rebellious glance.
“My wife is expected to dress a certain way, otherwise people will think I’m not a generous husband.”
“Fake husband,”
she mumbled.
He chuckled.
“You are not to use your money for expenses during our contract, Jillian. I have accounts you can use at various stores, and I plan to set up more in your name in stores catering to women only.”
She opened her mouth, but he shook his head.
“This is not negotiable.”
“You’re a bully, Alexander.”
He grinned, not in the least repentant. He knew he was being selfish and manipulating the situation, but he wanted this woman and planned to have her.
“I’m also keeping my condo.”
Lex nodded.
“That’s a sound business move. You can rent it instead of letting it sit idle.”
“It won’t be idle. It will become handy for cool downs.”
He didn’t like the sound of that.
“What’s that?”
“When you piss me off and I need to vent instead of chucking something at your head.”
She gave him a sweet smile.
“You know, anything to avoid a scandal.”
He cocked his eyebrow.
“I have better cool down exercises.”
Pink tinged her cheeks.
“Bet you do. The condo is not negotiable,”
she added, throwing his words back at him. Her head dipped as she read the bottom, her eyes narrowing. Then her head whipped up. She stared at him like he was crazy.
“So I’m not allowed to see other men until the contract is over? For a year? Are you nuts? I have needs and I can be discrete.”
Lex shrugged, but his blood boiled at the thought of her with another man. He had needs too, and he loved indulging himself. Jillian was going to be a joy to seduce.
“It’s a reasonable request, Jillian. Remember, I’m trying to avoid anything that could potentially jeopardize this deal, and that includes my new wife seeing some idiot behind my back. The word discreet doesn’t exist in my world, sweetheart. Someone always finds out.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“What if I meet someone?”
Over his dead body.
“You won’t have time.”
She laughed.
“Time has nothing to do with falling in love, Lex. I could meet someone at work or on my way there.”
“You don’t date people in Hollywood. You told me so. And Douglas or Mathews will be with you at all times to and from work.”
“No, they won’t.”
She pointed the pen at him.
“You’re not turning me into a prisoner just because I’m your wife, pal. I’ve been riding my bike to and from the studio and will continue to do so. Oh, narrow your eyes all you want. You’re not turning me into a Stepford Wife or one of your women.”
He cocked his eyebrow.
“One of my women?”
“You know, blueblood, born with a silver spoon, and can’t lift a finger except to order a servant to fetch something. I’m riding my bike. Who’s Mathews?”
“My pilot. The helicopter comes in handy during high traffic. He can fly you in and out of the studio lot or nearby filming location. If you’re headed out of town, you can take the jet.”
She opened her mouth, closed it, and shook her head.
“I’m not dignifying any of that with an answer.”
Then she chuckled, eyes twinkling.
“What?”
“I’m imagining, uh, the chopper hovering behind me all the way to the studio and the mess that might cause on the highway. You cannot put me through that, Lex. I’m riding Rod and that’s that.”
She named her bike.
“We’ll have to compromise on that then. At times you ride and at times you don’t, depending on our evening plans or morning ones.”
He could keep her in bed just a little longer to get his way.
“We’ll see,”
she mumbled. Then as though she’d read his mind, she tapped the contract.
“Are you sure you can go without sex for a year? Because if I’m flying solo, you sure as hell must fly solo.”
He choked on his coffee and took a moment to wipe his lips. Fly solo? Was she saying she would be pleasuring herself in the bedroom next to his? From the grin on her face, she’d deliberately worded that last sentence to get his reaction.
He could be celibate, but he didn’t intend to. He’d give them a week, two at most. Or he might just make her wait until their wedding night.
“Yes, Jillian. I can be celibate.”
She sat back and tapped the pen against her lips while studying him quizzically.
“Okay. This is going to be an adventure, I think. I just need to add my demands and we’re good.”
His phone buzzed. He checked the screen and saw Douglas’ name.
“I need to take this. Excuse me,”
Lex said and stood.
“Oh, you need a lawyer to take a look at the final draft before you sign it.”
She nodded.
“Greg will. He has a law degree.”
She went back to scribbling on the paper. Watching her, Lex grinned. He couldn’t wait to see what she was adding to his list.
He left the room and headed to the bar. Douglas was talking to a familiar sandy-haired man and nursing a drink. Likely club soda. Drinking on the job had destroyed his military career, but he’d been sober for six years.
“We should be ready to leave in five-ten minutes,”
Lex said, joining Douglas.
“I’ll bring the car around, sir.”
Douglas drained his drink and left the bar.
Lex waited until he was gone before he turned his attention to the sandy-haired man—Greg Underwood’s partner. Lex had also seen his pictures in the agent’s office. He’d been at Perris Valley Skydiving Field with Jillian, too.
“Hank, the usual,”
Lex told the bartender. The bar was nearly empty except for him, the bartender, and Greg’s partner.
Lex didn’t wait long before the man faced him. He neither cracked a smile nor offered a hand in greeting before saying.
“Alexander Fitzgerald? I’m Chris Lander.”
“I expected Underwood to be lying in wait for me, not his partner.”
“I sent him home because you and I need to talk alone.”
Lex cocked his eyebrows. “About?”
“Jillian.”
The bartender placed a finger of amber liquid in front of Lex.
“Thank you.”
Lex sipped the drink and savored its silky taste as he debated how to deal with the situation. According to Greg Underwood, Jillian worked exclusively with this guy.
“Mr. Lander, I’m aware that you work with Jillian, but I explained to Underwood that she won’t need your expertise while working for me.”
Chris’ eyes narrowed.
“Greg told me the same thing, but this is not about me. This is about you. Why do you need a bodyguard when you have an ex-CIA employee?”
Douglas must have talked. Strange, he rarely discussed his career with the CIA.
“One can never have enough bodyguards, Mr. Lander.”
“In other words, this bodyguard business with Jillian is a sham. What concerns me the most is you only met her this afternoon, yet you’re ready to sign a contract binding her to you.”
“I think you’ve been misinformed,”
Lex said, eyeing the man with annoyance.
“She will finish her present contract.”
“But afterwards—”
“Mr. Lander,”
Lex said firmly.
“I don’t owe you an explanation, and Jillian is a grown woman. If she chooses to work for me or someone else, it’s her decision. No one is forcing her. Frankly, it’s none of your business what she does when not working with you.”
Lander moved closer.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Fitzgerald. I’m her uncle, and her father put her in my care when she came to Hollywood. Her cocky, tough exterior hides a vulnerability ruthless people might exploit. So if this is some elaborate game you’re playing, stop now before you hurt her.”
His voice lowered.
“Because if that happens, you won’t be able to hide behind your lawyers or country club buddies, Mr. Fitzgerald. I’ll come after you. I’m a special effects guy, and there are things I could do to make your life miserable and you’d not prove it was me responsible. Then there are her brothers. They’re the meanest bastards you’ve ever met, and they don’t take kindly to anyone messing with their only sister. Consider yourself warned.”
Then he turned and walked away.
Lex watched the man, his mind racing. He drained his drink and placed the glass on the bar. Without making eye contact with the bartender, he went back to find Jillian. She’d never mentioned siblings.
Jillian looked up when he entered the room and handed him the contract. Still mulling over Lander’s words, he sat and glanced at her provisos. He could work around them, except the last two. He didn’t realize she’d gotten up until she was peering at the contract over his shoulder. Her feminine scent and warmth washed over his senses.
“What’s the problem, Alexander?”
No one but his mother called him Alexander. He turned his head and, at the same time, leaned back so their faces were only a few inches apart. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t move back.
“I have to convince your family that I’m crazy about you?”
Lex asked.
She grinned, her eyes twinkling. “Yep.”
“Why?”
“Like your mother, my father has a thing about marriage. You’ll have to ask him for my hand in marriage.”
He’d expected that. He hadn’t met a family he couldn’t charm.
“And I have to make you happy or you’re divorcing me?”
She grinned.
“My needs are simple. Just meet them and we’re good.”
Back to needs again. The woman was screwing with his head.
“And what are those needs?”
She straightened.
“What fun is there in telling you? If I’m going to jump through hoops to convince your family and business partners that you are a happily married man, you’d better make me happy.”