The Arrangement(6)

“I know.”

“How long would the marriage last?”

He smiled. “So you’re considering it?”

“More like feeling it out. How long?”

He shrugged. “A couple of years, maybe more. It takes a while to build up a campaign. And we’d have to stay together throughout the election.”

“And you think you can be faithful or at least discreet for that long?”

His eyes narrowed. “I can be faithful. And I’d expect you to be also.”

She grabbed a handful of sand and allowed it to stream out of her loosely clenched palm. She watched it form a pyramid. “That won’t be a problem for me.”

“Despite what you think of me, I haven’t been that guy since college. I admit it. I was a screw up. It would be a shame for my teenage antics to jeopardize my father’s career.”

She believed that he was committed to this idea and that he wanted to do this for his father. “I need to time to think about it.”

He nodded. “I understand.” He cleared his throat, his gaze focused on the water. “So…are you still in love with this guy?”

“Daniel? No. I know that’s over. Even if I was still in love with him, I don’t think I could ever forget what he did.”

“Good. You deserve better.”

She studied him through narrowed eyes. “You don’t have to butter me up. I said I’d think about it.” Which was more than she should do. She had strong beliefs in the sanctity of marriage. Was a phony marriage really necessary to protect herself from a few days of embarrassment? She’d be stuck with Asher—a man she’d actively avoided since high school—for two years.

He pulled his shades down from the top of his head and dropped them onto the bridge of his nose. Standing, he brushed sand from his flanks. “Thanks. Let me know soon. And I wasn’t buttering you up. You…” He shook his head. Offering her a slight smile, he took off on a stroll down the beach. His shoulders were broad and his waist was trim. He had one damn sexy silhouette. Women turned to stare after him. Ariadne heaved a sigh.

“I heard that,” Erika said with a laugh. She’d been frolicking in the water with Ted when last Ariadne had checked. So tied up in her conversation with Asher was she, that she hadn’t noticed her friend’s approach. “Could it be that you’re finally softening towards Asher?”#p#分页标题#e#

Ariadne rolled her eyes. “Not likely.” She nibbled her lower lip. What would Erika say about his proposal? Her friend would no doubt think she was crazy for even considering it. She probably was, but still…the idea of walking into the reunion   with him on her arm had taken root. Instead of being an object of pity, she could cause a sensation. Asher was rich, gorgeous, and sexy. He was annoying as hell, but she couldn’t deny that the man was a catch. Imagining the looks on Janice and Daniel’s faces, she thought it might be well worth it.

Erika sat down, taking up the space that Asher vacated. “I’m glad to see the two of you getting along.”

“It’s only been a couple of days. Don’t plan on handing out any awards yet.”

Erika laughed. “Still, it’s nice. When Ted and I plan parties and getaways, we try to arrange buffers to keep the two of you apart. It’d be a relief to not have to do that anymore.”

She wasn’t aware that she’d caused her friends so much trouble. She decided she would try harder to get along with Asher. He was usually the instigator of trouble, but she didn’t have to rise to his bait every time.



“So have you given any more thought to my proposal?”

Ariadne watched him from the corner of her eye as she sipped her cola. He was very neatly dressed in slacks, a pale blue linen jacket and a shirt that was open at the collar. He managed to appear simultaneously casual and classy. His attention remained focused on the remnants of scotch in his tumbler.

“I’m still mulling it over,” she murmured. It had been two days since he’d asked her to marry him that day on the beach. Asher had not mentioned it since. She could almost believe that she’d imagined his proposal. She watched Erika and Ted twirling around on the dance floor, laughing and having a ball. It had been Erika’s idea that they go out after dinner.

“Don’t mull too long or it will be too late. When is that family reunion   of yours again?”

She opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a waitress bringing Asher another drink. “I didn’t order this,” he objected.

“The redhead at the end of the bar sent it over.”