AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She swallowed, her throat clenching with how much she still wanted him after all this time. He might've proposed a marriage for business purposes but deep down she knew there wasn't a chance in hell she'd be able to keep her hands off him. And considering he'd kissed her, twice, she had an inkling the feeling was mutual.
So where did that leave them? What would the boundaries of their marriage be? Monogamous? Casual?
He straightened and stepped closer. 'Stop over-analysing this. Give me your answer and we'll go from there.'
With her heart pounding and heat from his proximity prickling her skin, she wrenched her gaze from his chest within tantalising touching distance and slowly raised it until wavering blue locked with questioning brown.
Her voice barely above a whisper, she said, 'My answer is yes.'
Chapter Ten
Nick snuck in the side entrance of the conference room, not wanting to intrude but driven by curiosity.
Since Britt had agreed to his proposal, she'd morphed into a businesswoman dervish, throwing herself into work at a speed that made him, a confirmed workaholic, seem like a snail. She'd commandeered the business centre of the hotel and turned it into a hive of activity in less than a day.
He shook his head, beyond impressed at her work ethic. He'd never seen her like this: focused, determined, driven, issuing orders and delegating to the team she'd assembled in record time.
Watching her in a power suit the colour of ripe plums, her hair twisted in a fancy topknot and her brow creased in concentration while she tapped on a keyboard with one hand and shuffled documents with the other, he understood why she'd said yes to his proposal.
Her job meant everything to her and while he empathised with her ambition, he couldn't help but wish her agreement stemmed from the sexual tension strumming between them.
A surge of heat at the memory of kissing her had him sliding a finger between his neck and too tight collar. Their marriage might be motivated by business but who said they couldn't have a real honeymoon?
Her head snapped up and their gazes locked, as if he'd inadvertently transferred his thoughts, and he grinned, not surprised when she frowned and gestured at the stack of paperwork in front of her.
She didn't want him here.
His cue to saunter across the room and drop into the vacant chair next to her. 'How's it going?'
Frowning, she barely glanced at him. ‘I’m busy.'
'So I see.'
'Don't you have work of your own to do?'
Leaning back, he linked his fingers and stretched. 'I'm taking a break.' He smothered an outright laugh as she glared at him. 'Anything I can do to help?'
'No, all under control.'
Her laptop screen flickered and she swore, making a mockery of her previous statement.
'I've got the latest technology in my office if you need it.'
'I said I was fine,' she snapped, rubbing the bridge of her nose before mustering an apologetic smile. 'Sorry. I'm used to having my team in London around me. It's harder trying to get a cohesive unit together so quickly here.'
'Why the rush?'
He knew she'd see right through his innocuous question, knew she'd understand what he was really asking: how long are you staying?
With her gaze firmly fixed on her laptop screen, she said, 'Deadlines. I'm sure you understand.'
Placing a hand on her arm, he leaned across to murmur in her ear. 'How long are you staying, Red?'
She stared at his hand as if it was a tiger snake before finally raising her eyes to his. 'I don't know. This pitch is big. Huge. The managing director didn't set an exact timeline but he knows I'm a fast worker. As long as I deliver, it's up to me.'
He wanted to push the issue, wanted to discuss how long they'd have to make this marriage as real as it could get, but now wasn't the time or place.
Squeezing her arm, he released her and glanced at his watch. 'I do have an appointment, but we should get together later to discuss our other business.'
