Page 14 of Her Fantasy Husband

There was a car in front of them, and they stopped for a moment. She fidgeted with a loose strand of hair then turned to him. “Do I look okay?” she asked.

He studied her, head cocked to the side. She wore a wrap-around black dress that molded her curves and showed off her cleavage, black stockings, and high-heeled black pumps. Her hair was up in some sort of knot on the top of her head, exposing her slender throat. She was beautiful, and for a moment, he couldn’t drag his eyes from her.

She squirmed under his scrutiny, biting her lip.

“You have lipstick on your teeth,” he said.

“I do?”

He nodded. “There are tissues in the glove box.”

She pressed open the door and stared. “Oh.”

He followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow.

“You have a whole box of condoms in your car.”

“They were a present.” Logan had given them to him, saying that if Josh was going to get laid, he needed to be prepared—hence the condoms.

She reached past them tentatively, as though she might catch something from touching the box. She really was amazingly naive. For a married woman. For the first time, he wondered whatshe’dbeen doing for sex all these years. Had she had boyfriends?

She grabbed a tissue and wiped off the lipstick, then bared her teeth at him. “Okay?”

He nodded, and looked down over the rest of her, lingering on the deep V of her cleavage, then lower. He stretched out a hand and touched one finger to the run in her pantyhose, where he could see her creamy skin through the tear.

“You have a run. I don’t suppose you have a spare pair.”

“Not a chance. I’m never that organized. I’ll just have to do.”

His hand was still on her knee, and his finger moved without his conscious thought, stroking up her thigh, pushing her skirt out of the way.

A horn blared behind them, and he snatched his hand back.

What the hell?

He moved the car forward and switched off the engine. “Let’s get this over with.” He knew his tone was harsh as she gave a little flinch. She didn’t wait for him, just scrambled out of the car and stood, foot tapping nervously on the pavement. After getting out, he handed the keys to the valet, came around, and stood beside her.

She appeared a little distant. “Just girding my loins,” she muttered. “Come on.”

“You’re really nervous about this?” They crossed the reception area. He’d never been to the Ritz before. It wasn’t his sort of place even after he had the money to pay the prices.

“Yes. I don’t want you to think I’m a wimp or anything. Usually I’m pretty tough. But it’s hard to undo the conditioning you receive when you’re young. I grew up disappointing my grandmother at every turn. For years I tried to be the sort of person she wanted me to be—I think we all need to impress the ones we feel we should love, however little they seem to appreciate the effort.”

It occurred to him how that could be applied to his own upbringing as well. He’d done his best to please his mother. She’d never really cared. Lexi halted to speak to the hostess and then followed her across the restaurant. The place screamed elitism with the clink of crystal and the low murmur of polite conversation. The atmosphere put his back up, and his feet slowed. Then Lexi’s warm hand slid into his and pulled him along. She gave him a small smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll look after you.”

He almost stopped as shock side-swiped him. No one had ever offered to look after him before. He knew she was joking, but all the same, the words twisted something deep inside him.

He’d looked after himself from the moment he could walk, and looked after his mother much of the time. Then after Evie had been born, he’d taken care of her as well. It had never occurred to him to ask for help. Now he didn’t ask or expect it.

Lexi squeezed his hand, and he realized they’d arrived at the table. Four people were seated around it with two empty places. Lexi’s grandmother was as perfectly presented as he remembered. Next to her sat a man who appeared considerably younger. With gray eyes and immaculately cut blond hair, he radiated an air of privilege. But his expression was amiable enough. He’d stood up as they approached, and now he came around the table.

“Lexi, sweetheart.” He clasped her in a hug. Josh tried to read their body language, but he guessed these people had perfected the art of hiding any natural feelings. The hug went on way too long. Lexi was smiling politely as she stepped back, but a tenseness in her expression suggested she wasn’t entirely happy with the embrace.

“Daniel.” She gave him a brief nod and took a step toward Josh. “And this is Josh, my husband.”

He stepped forward and held out his hand. Daniel looked at it for a moment and then took it in his own. His palm was soft and warm, and Josh had to resist the urge to wipe his own down his pants leg afterward. Something about the man put him on edge.

“And this is Daniel’s son, Harry, and his daughter, Melissa.”

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