Page 14 of Frost and Felines

A flush crept up into her cheeks, but she met his gaze steadily. "Careful, Mr. Striker. This is a business arrangement."

"Of course." Kieran cleared his throat. The tiger in him urged him to ease her embarrassment. "Let me tell you more about the Simmons - they're the reason I'm in this mess in the first place."

"Your competition you mentioned yesterday?" Mallory took another bite of chicken, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

"Gregory and Vivian Simmons. Like I said, they own the Lux Grove hotel down the street." His jaw tightened. "Yesterday, our heating mysteriously failed. Before that, our online booking system crashed. Small things, but they add up."

"And you think they're responsible?"

"Gregory's a chaos witch. These 'accidents' have his magical signature all over them." Kieran stabbed at a piece of chicken with more force than necessary. "But that's not even the worst part. One of our biggest investors, Daniel Sterling, is staying here this week."

Mallory's eyebrows rose. "Hence the urgent need for a wife?"

"The Simmons play up their perfect marriage angle. Meanwhile, I'm..." He gestured vaguely.

"The charming playboy?" A hint of amusement colored her tone.

"Reformed playboy," he corrected, his tiger huffing at her subtle teasing. "See, Sterling's old-fashioned. He likes stability, and family values. The whole works."

"And you think pretending to be married will convince him?"

"It can't hurt." Kieran leaned back, watching her methodically clear her plate. His tiger approved of her healthyappetite. "Plus, it'll drive the Simmons crazy trying to figure out when I got married without anyone knowing."

Mallory's lips twitched. "That part almost makes it worth it."

"Just almost?" He gathered their empty plates, stacking them neatly on the tray. "And here I thought my charming company would be the main draw."

"Don't push your luck."

Kieran stood, satisfied with how the conversation had gone. His tiger wanted to stay, to bask in her presence and that intoxicating scent, but he knew better than to overstay his welcome. "Thank you again for agreeing to this. I know the whole situation is not ideal for you."

"We'll see how everything goes." She walked him to the door, maintaining that distance between them.

"Get some rest. Tomorrow, we start our grand performance." He winked at her before heading down the hall, his steps lighter. Maybe, just maybe, this crazy plan would work after all.

7

MALLORY

Mallory stepped into Kieran's office the next morning. The scent of pine from the decorations in the hallway followed her inside. The room matched the rest of the inn's cozy aesthetic, with dark wood furniture and a small, crackling fireplace in the corner.

"Ready to become Mrs. Striker?" Kieran lounged in his leather chair, his auburn hair catching the morning light streaming in through the window. His presence filled the room, commanding yet playful.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Mallory perched on the edge of the visitor's chair, smoothing her sweater. "Though I'm still not sure how we're going to pull this off."

"Simple. We fell madly in love and couldn't wait." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "The question is how we met."

"Something believable. Not too elaborate." She tapped her fingers against the armrest. "Maybe at a café?"

"Too cliché." Kieran's blue eyes sparkled. "What about an art gallery? You were critiquing the same painting I was."

"And disagreeing with my opinion, I'm sure."

"Naturally. I said it was profound. You said it looked like something a toddler finger-painted."

A laugh escaped her before she could stop it. "That does sound like me."

"Then I convinced you to get coffee, where you proceeded to tell me everything wrong with my taste in art."

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