Page 16 of Her Fantasy Husband

“Yes.”

“And you probably feel you don’t need to work,” her grandmother said. “Lexi no doubt has enough money to keep you happy.”

“Yes, but I like to keep busy and out of Lexi’s hair. You can’t spend all your life in bed.” There was a shocked silence, and he almost grinned. “Just most of it.” He dropped his gaze to the swell of her breasts, then lifted it back to her face. She’d hardly touched her food. “Eat up, honey. You need your strength for later.”

Her lips twitched, but she sent him a warning glare. Was he going too far? But hell, he was almost having fun. And he had taken money from Lexi. He would have struggled to start the business without the cash she had given him. That made him feel a little uncomfortable.

“So what do you do to keep busy?” Melissa asked.

“I work in…security.”

“Well, I suppose there are limited options for a man like you,” Daniel murmured.

He’d so like to smash his fist into that smug face right now. The thought surprised him. He’d always been in total control of his emotions. “Yeah, but the job’s okay, and I like the uniform. It saves me having to make difficult decisions first thing in the morning.”

A little snort escaped Lexi. Then she tightened her lips and shot him another warning glare.

He sent her anI’ll-be-goodlook in return. But these people wound him up.

Their main courses arrived then. He had chicken. Lexi had some sort of vegetarian option, and she glanced at his plate disapprovingly.

“It’s organic,” he said. “It said so on the menu. This chicken probably had a great life.”

“Before it met its untimely end,” she replied.

They all ate in silence for a few minutes, which was a relief. Josh sipped his single glass of wine, but he couldn’t quite enjoy his chicken. He ate a bread roll instead and watched Lexi nibble at her vegetables. Finally, she stopped even making a pretense at eating, put down her knife and fork and picked up her glass of wine, drained it in one gulp, and held it out for more. Once the waiter had refilled it, she took a ladylike sip and then turned to face her grandmother. “You said you had something to discuss?”

Her grandmother wiped the napkin delicately across her lips. “Actually, Daniel has a favor to ask you.”

“He does?”

“Only a little one. I’m sure you’ll find no hardship.”

Lexi’s expression remained bland, but her fingers tightened around the glass.

“Harry is thinking of staying in London for a while,” Daniel said. “Looking up some old contacts. He hates staying in hotels, and we thought he might stay with you instead. A friendly face as it were. You can spend some time together.”

Not in this lifetime.

Josh didn’t like the guy; he was creepy like his dad.

A look of alarm flashed across Lexi’s face, quickly blanked out. “I’m not sure there’s room.”

“You have that huge house, Alexia,” her grandmother said. “How can you be so selfish? Of course, if you sold it, you could buy an apartment for us to use when we’re in the city. A single girl hardly needs eight bedrooms.”

“She’s not single,” Josh pointed out mildly.

“Of course not,” Daniel said. “But all the same, the two of you hardly need a house that size.”

“I like my house. It belonged to my mother.”

“Sentimental nonsense,” her grandmother snapped.

A flush was spreading across Lexi’s cheeks, her eyes flashing. Then the anger was wiped away. “Of course Harry can come to stay. I’d love to spend some time with him.” She pushed her chair back. “Now, I’m sure you’ll excuse us, but Josh and I have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Really, Alexia, finish your dinner.”

He watched the war of wills between the two women. He thought Lexi was going to fold, but she squared her shoulders. “Thank you, but I’ve had enough.”

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