The Billionaire's Best Friend(39)

“I . . . Kevin, I don’t know what to say.” Somehow she managed to get the words from her brain and out her mouth.

Kevin’s lips curved upward. “Usually a woman says yes when a man asks her to marry him.” He pulled the ring from the box and held it toward her.

Yeah, but usually they love each other. “We’ve only been together a few months.” She fought down the hysterical laugh threatening to escape.

“So? My parents only knew each other a month before they got engaged. They’ve been married for thirty-eight years.”

He trailed his hand down the side of her face. Again, she couldn’t help but notice how smooth and soft his hands were. The complete opposite of Nate’s. His hands had been callused and dry. The single thought of Nate’s hands brought back memories of their kisses. Not now. She couldn’t let him into her thoughts now. Not with Kevin’s gigantic ring in front of her. Lauren jumped to her feet, turned, and took several steps away from him. “Kevin, we don’t love each other. At least not yet.”

His immediate laugh surprised her, and she spun back around.

“What does that have to do with anything? Marriages are a lot like business deals in my family.”

Okay, had she walked into an alternate universe or something? “Business deals?” Maybe she’d misheard him.

In one smooth motion, Kevin rose. “My parents were married to solidify the Walsh and Miles merger. Olivia’s marriage to Greg expanded the company on the West Coast. In both relationships they respect each other and support each other, but they didn’t marry for love.” Kevin moved closer. “We respect each other. Have fun together. Share a lot of the same interests. Get along well. What’s the problem?”

He wrapped his arms around her waist. The weight of his arms pressed down on her. “So if marriage is all about business, how does marrying me make sense?”

“I can give you financial security for life. You could stop teaching and open the dance school you told me about. In fact, you could open several. You could travel. See those places in Europe you have up on your walls. You’d be part . . .”

He rubbed her lower back as he spoke, but rather than help relax her, the movement increased her unease. The more Kevin spoke, the more she wondered if she’d left planet Earth.

Lauren pressed her index finger against his lips. “Stop, please. I get the benefits to me, Kevin. But what do you get out of this business deal?” I’m not going to like the answer.

Before he said another word, he pulled her hand back and kissed her knuckles. “A solid friendship with the Talbots and Sherbrookes. A personal connection would help in the bidding war for the contract to construct Sherbrooke Enterprises’ newest resorts in California. Not to mention the extra boost it’d give me when I run for a seat in Congress in another year.”

Her mind flooded with a jumble of thoughts. For a moment, she felt as if she were back in Mr. Tasca’s senior calculus class. The one and only class she’d ever failed in high school because nothing the man had ever said made any sense to her.

Rubbing at the sudden throb in her forehead, she took a step back. For the first time that night, she really looked at Kevin. No one would deny that he was a handsome man in a sleek metro way. He always wore the best clothes. His hair always appeared just right. And they did have fun together. They had similar senses of humor, enjoyed the theater and the latest music. He treated her with respect. With the exception of his proposal, she always knew what to expect from him. He was safe and predictable. And at the moment he was offering her the world.

That’s what I want. The thought ran through her mind, yet she held back from accepting the diamond. Even with everything he offered, something told her to hold off. A marriage treated like a business merger may protect her heart, but was it what she wanted? Since she’d gotten her first bridal Barbie, she’d dreamed of marrying her own prince charming. A man head over heels in love with her, that she’d have children and eventually grandchildren with. The future Kevin presented didn’t come close to her dream. At the same time, though, he could give her everything else she’d always dreamed of. And who knew? Maybe someday they would love each other.



Beneath his hands, her back tensed as the silence stretched out. He’d expected Lauren to be surprised. Never during their time together had they spoken of marriage. Still, he’d assumed she’d accept his offer tonight. Why wouldn’t she? Most women would jump at what he offered her. Lauren didn’t strike him as any different.

“If you want a long engagement, we can do that. The wedding doesn’t need to be next month. We could wait until the fall or after the holidays if you want.”