The Arrangement(9)

There was a long silence and then Sierra said, “Ari, where exactly are you going to find this man?”

“Why is it that no one ever questions a man about being alone? Why is it assumed that when he’s alone it’s because he wants to be yet when a woman is single, she’s on her way to becoming a spinster?”

“Hey, I’m on your side. I already offered to kneecap the bitch for you.”

Ariadne laughed. “I don’t want to start an inter-family feud. Hold off on that guy, okay? Um, I just might have someone.”

“Really? Who?”

“It may be nothing,” she hedged. Sierra was a good friend, but she couldn’t keep a secret to save her life. No way was she going to tell her that she was thinking of entering what was essentially marriage of convenience.

“So I’ll keep Kenny on the hook until you lock down your other guy.”

At that, Ariadne did pull a pillow over her head. Her family was going to drive her crazy. Long after she’d ended the call with Sierra, she laid awake thinking about Ash and his proposal. Tonight at the bar, he’d been different…. He was more mature. The Asher she remembered would have danced with the redhead and probably brought her home with them. Instead he’d sat at the table with her all night, turning down invitation after invitation from other women. He’d asked her about work and her family and really seemed to be interested. It had to be a scheme, but he’d proven to her that they could have an amiable relationship.





Chapter Three



The next morning Ariadne found Asher in the kitchen alone sipping from a tall glass of orange juice. He was shirtless. Swim trunks hung low on his lean hips. His feet were bare. “You’re up early,” she said coming to a halt and glancing around for Ted or Erika.

He gave her his signature slow smile that tipped up on the left before the right side of his mouth realized that he was amused. “Yeah, we’re alone. God, you make me feel like the big bad wolf.”

She tugged at the hem of her shorts. They were shorter than her usual attire, stopping just above mid-thigh. Asher’s eyes followed her hands, his long lashes hiding his green irises for a second, but when he looked up she could see the heat in his gaze. His pupils were large. Ariadne cleared her throat and tried to ignore her reaction to him. They were about to enter an arrangement where there would be no room for complications. She would make sure that he understood that. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Yeah?” He emptied his glass in one big gulp and then put the glass in the sink. “You’ve made up your mind then?”

She nodded. “How soon did you want to get married?”

Asher’s face lit up and he laughed. “Hell, how about today?”

“Wait!” She held up a hand. “Before you get too excited, I think we should settle some things.”

“Like what?”

“I want a pre-nup. I don’t want you thinking that at the end of two years I’m going to change my mind and try to take half your money.”

“I know you wouldn’t do that, but if that’s what you want, I have no objections. I can have my assistant e-mail me a basic one and we can print it at the library. I don’t think they have a computer here.” He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “What else?”#p#分页标题#e#

“I don’t want to move.”

“Fine, I’ll move in with you. My father has been itching to open an office in Greenville anyway.”

She nibbled her bottom lip. “My house isn’t grand or anything. It’s a new build, but it’s probably not what you’re used to.”

“I’m not a snob. I’m sure it will be fine.” Then he laughed. “And if it’s not, we can always buy a new one.”

Ariadne crossed her arms over chest to hide her tightening nipples. Could she also demand that he stop laughing? Or, hell, change his laugh? Probably not reasonable. “And no smoking in my house. You’ll have to go outside.”

“I quit smoking.”

She arched a brow in surprise. He’d been smoking since high school. From what she’d heard, he’d smoked more than a pack a day. Despite that, the scent didn’t cling to him. Maybe he always smoked outdoors. Whatever the reason, he only smelled of expensive cologne and man. Smoking had given him a gravely, sexy rasp to his voice, but the bad habit was just another thing she hadn’t approved of about him. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t seen him with a cigarette this entire trip. She couldn’t recall the last time she had seen him with one. “When did you quit?”