Page 43 of Her Fantasy Husband

“Jesus. You want tohelphim.” He sat back down and ran a hand through his hair, irritation coursing through him. “You can’t fucking help everyone.”

She turned her chair so she was facing him. “Why not?”

Her question stopped him short, and he searched for an answer. “Not everyone deserves helping. Besides, he’s a slimy bastard, and I don’t like him.”

She grinned. “Maybe. Anyway, you won’t have to spend time with him. I think I see a phone call coming up. A really important job you can’t get out of.” She reached across and patted his arm. “Don’t worry. I can handle Harry alone.”

“No.”

The word was out before he thought better of it, and he wasn’t sure where it came from. Except he didn’t want herhandlingHarry. Not alone or any other way.

“No?”

“They’ll definitely think it’s suspicious if I leave now. No way will they believe such a convenient job.” He was making this up as he went along, his mouth running away with him. And that wasn’t right. He was a planner; he didn’t do spur of the moment.

“They’ll think it even more suspicious if you don’t have an excuse and you’re not here.”

“Then I’ll have to be here.” There he was again, running off at the mouth.

“You can’t stay here.” She sounded shocked.

“Ha. I don’t see why not. Everyone else does.”

She studied him for a moment, lips pursed, eyes calculating. “We’d have to share a room. Nobody’s going to believe we’re married otherwise.”

“Not a problem. I think I can keep my hands to myself.” It occurred to him that he might be overly sure of himself there. But he’d been celibate for five years. He could manage a few more months. For a good cause. A lot of good causes actually.

Something flashed across her face. Annoyance? “That’s nice to know. And I’ll do my best to restrain myself.”

“That’s settled then.”

“Thank you. I know you don’t have to do this, and don’t want to do it. But it means a lot. I appreciate it.” She leaned across and kissed him chastely on the cheek. “We’ll be like brother and sister.”

He didn’t want to be like brother and sister.

“It will be fun,” she continued.

Why did he doubt that? He could feel the softness of her lips on his cheek. There was still time to do the sensible thing and go away. Far away. Chances were she would be okay. She’d managed without him around all this time. He stood up, meaning to say he’d changed his mind. His words didn’t come out that way. “I’ll go pick up some stuff and get back before Harry.”

“And I’ll arrange a meeting with everyone. Get them straight on the story. Can you be back by six?”

“Yeah.” By “them” he presumed she meant her motley bunch of hangers-on. “Can you trust them?”

She looked surprised at the question. “Of course.”

You’d think, considering her past, she’d have a greater sense of self-preservation. How the hell had she survived this long all alone in the big bad world? It was amazing no one had taken advantage of her before now. Well, no one except her family.

He pushed himself to his feet. “I’ll see you later.” He had a bad feeling that he’d somehow backed himself into a corner and now he was stuck there for the foreseeable future.

With no chance of sex in sight.

At least none that he was allowed to even think about.

When he pulled up in front of the house three hours later, he still hadn’t managed to shake the bad feeling. In the army, he’d learned to listen to his gut feelings. His gut was telling him to run.

Lexi Slater was trouble.

She might look all cute and soft, and she might act all sweet and good. But for fuck’s sake, no one was that nice. He also had the strangest feeling that she’d played him again. He remembered the feel of that chaste little kiss on his cheek.

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