Fiancée For Sale

by Lila Kane

  She picks up her fork again. “It doesn’t really affect what’s going on with us.”

  “Doesn’t it?” I ask softly.

  She shrugs.

  I guess that depends on what this is. I lean back in my seat, stuffing down my frustration to try to get to the bottom of this.

  “If this is an arrangement—just a show, part of our contract,” I say, “then you’re right. Our history doesn’t affect what’s going on with us.”

  Brianna’s eyes flash with something I can’t define. Fear. Hurt. She takes a long swallow of her wine and then stands and walks to the rail.

  Part of me is pissed off at myself for ruining dinner, and the other part figures it’s about time we have this conversation. We’re a month into this thing and there’s something between us. Not just a flicker or a small spark of interest. It’s a big thing. A truckload of interest that has me reeling because it’s something I’ve never felt before.

  I walk to the rail and stand next to Brianna. In the waning light of the evening, I glance over, trying to see her face. When I catch sight of a single tear sliding down her cheek, my heart clutches.

  “Brianna,” I say, reaching for her. “What’s wrong?”

  She sets aside her wine glass and tries to wipe away her tears. “I’m sorry. It’s—”

  “Stop apologizing.” I gentle my voice. “Please. Just talk to me.”

  She sniffles, and then wraps her arms around my neck, hanging on tight. All I can do is be her rock until she’s ready to talk—and this is the first time I’ve wanted to.

  I want to be here for Brianna, and I want her to trust me.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Brianna

  I don’t want to break down in front of Michael. And really, I’ve shed enough tears over my family and my situation with them, there’s not much left to cry about. It’s also not worth the energy anymore. But I do need to tell him.

  I drink the rest of my wine, and Michael grabs the bottle to fill my glass again.

  “Thanks,” I say, grateful. If I’m going to tell him my secrets, I’m going to need a little liquid encouragement.

  “I don’t really talk about my family with anyone.”

  Michael takes my hand and guides me to a lounge chair at the side of the deck, still giving me a view of the mountains. Instead of sitting on the chair next to me, he sits on the end and sets his hand on my leg.

  Support. Even Chet hadn’t been the this supportive when I told him about my family or my worries or anything else. He’d usually just shrug and say the past is the past.

  “There are a lot of things I don’t talk about with other people, too,” Michael says. “I keep things close—which kills my family. My mom and my sister especially because they love to share.”

  I smile. “That sounds nice.”

  “It can be. A blessing and a curse. It makes me feel like I don’t fit sometimes.”

  I clasp my hand over his. “You’re lucky to have a family, though. I guess…that’s why I was so devastated when everything happened with Chet.” Michael’s jaw clenches at the mention of my ex-fiancé, and I clamp my mouth shut.

  I take a long swallow of wine and point to the table. “I can clean this up.”

  “Not yet,” he murmurs. “You’re opening up to me—don’t stop now.”

  When I open my mouth, trying to think of an excuse to get up, he leans in and kisses me. With my wine in hand, I scoot forward just slightly so I can reach him better. And so I can lose myself, even if just for a moment, in him.

  Michael brushes his fingers down my cheeks, and the tenderness there nearly breaks me. My eyes fill with tears again.

  When he leans back, I drop my chin. “I haven’t seen my parents in ten years.”

  Michael’s eyebrows furrow. Of course that’s strange for him to hear—he sees his family almost every week.

  “My dad—my biological father—died when I was twelve. My mom remarried less than two years later to—to Lewis. He…” I shake my head, trying to block out the emotions. But my fingers still clench dangerously tight on the stem of the wine glass. “He was verbally and physically abusive and when I turned seventeen, I gave my mom an ultimatum. I told her either she leaves him or I’m leaving forever.” I swallow down heartache. “She chose him.”

  Michael takes the glass from me gently, having to pry my fingers loose at the bottom. “Where did you go?”

  “I lived with a friend for a few weeks and then in my car for a while and—”

  “You were homeless?” Michael asks, shock in his voice.

  “I thought you knew,” I say calmly. “I mean, you did a background check, right? I guess I—I don’t know if you can tell that kind of stuff from a—a background check because I had to be really discreet until I turned eighteen. But—”

  “I’m not judging you,” Michael says, taking my hand. “And no. I didn’t know. I didn’t read any of the info on you or look at the background check.”

  I blink. “What? I thought…”

  “Derek did but he told me there wasn’t anything concerning and so I said I didn’t want to see. I wanted everything I learn about you to come from you.”

  I launch myself into his arms, nearly making him spill my wine. “Thank you,” I whisper.

  “For what?”

  “For letting me tell you my secrets instead of reading about them on some paper. And for being here with me now.”

  He runs his fingers through my hair, and kisses me gently on the mouth. “Of course.”

  “I feel like an idiot,” I whisper.

  He leans back. “Why?”

  “I think I was more in love with the idea of having someone in my life—a family—than I was with Chet.”

  “You’re not an idiot.”

  “I almost married someone I didn’t love—then I would’ve ended up in the same position as my mom.”

  Michael sets the wine aside and cups my cheeks between both hands. “Did he hurt you? If he ever laid a hand on you or—”

  “No. No, Michael. That’s not what I meant. I should have phrased that better. I just meant I would have ended up in a marriage that was unhealthy and made me unhappy.”

  “Are you sure?” Michael asks. “Because you can tell me. I promise—”

  “Michael.” I pull his hands from my cheeks. “I swear he didn’t hurt me. Not like that.”

  His jaw clenches. “He hurt you. That’s already bad enough. I wish…” He sighs. “I wish I could take all the pain away for you.”

  “You’re already doing a good job.”

  His eyes lock on mine. “Really?”

  “Really. I know this isn’t forever, and I know there are a lot of other things involved, but I’m happy. Right now, here with you, I’m happy.”

  There’s a sea of conflict in his eyes. I can’t tell if it’s because I said it wasn’t forever or because he doesn’t believe I’m truly happy.

  I squeeze his hand. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “You look like you’re not telling me something.”

  His face relaxes into a smile. “This is a lot to process. But it helps me understand why family is so important to you.”

  “It is. I want to have a family someday and I want to be healthy enough to be in a place where I won’t make the same mistakes with my kids.” The words churn over and over in my head, but I can’t seem to say them out loud.

  Do you want kids?

  But it’s too crazy to even think. Michael and I are just learning about each other, just getting settled with each other. We’re dating. That’s all. And who knows what will happen when the year is up? Bringing up kids seems like rushing something that shouldn’t be rushed.

  I lean forward and kiss him. “How about we leave our mess here and go for a walk before it gets to dark? Relax a little. And then…” I grin. “I think I saw a hot tub somewhere.”

  His eyes heat. “Yes.”

  I laugh. �
�That was easy.”

  “I can be easy,” he says with a grin. “With you, it doesn’t take much. I’m at your beck and call.”

  “Then I say you take me for a walk and then find some champagne before we get into the hot tub.”

  “Your wish is my command.”

  He stands and helps me to my feet. The moment of seriousness is over, and it makes me feel relieved. But now that I’ve told him about my past, about my worries, I’m hoping Michael will open up with me about his.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Michael

  I tell myself to keep ignoring what I’m not telling her. After all, we’ve only just started us. And it’s never been an issue in any other relationship before because I never had a serious relationship with someone before.

  This is new territory for me.

  Once we get back from our weekend getaway, things are going too smoothly for me to rock the boat anyway.

  Several weeks later, I’m working late to catch up. It’s hard to be here when I just want to be home with Brianna. Even the idea of it makes me smile. Home. Brianna.

  The words have become synonymous. Brianna is home for me, and it amazes me now that I can’t imagine it any other way.

  My phone buzzes and Ms. Brown’s voice comes over the intercom. “Derek is here to see you.”

  “Send him in.”

  I swivel to the window, taking in the dark clouds that billow over the city. The fall nights are getting cooler. Those nights make me want to get home earlier and earlier to curl up with Brianna by the fire with wine and a good meal.

  “Daydreaming?” Derek asks from behind me.

  I smile but don’t turn. “What are you going to say if I say yes?”

  “That maybe you need a little more daydreaming in your life. A little break from mental stress.”

  This time I swivel back to face him. He’s dressed in a charcoal suit and holding a manila envelope.

  I angle my head at him. “What you’re saying is, you have bad news.”

  Derek takes the seat across from me. He sets the envelope on the desk but doesn’t open it. “It’s not bad news. It’s an update. And I hesitated about bringing it in because I don’t want to ruin what you’ve got going.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Your agreement with Brianna.”

  My voice lowers an octave, going serious in an instant. “What do you mean?”

  Derek continues in a calm voice. “I mean, I see that you’re happy. And despite my reservations with the whole agreement, Brianna seems good for you. I don’t want to bring negativity into it.”

  I relax just slightly. I’d instantly thought he had something negative to say about Brianna, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I cross my arms. “Tell me.”

  “Her ex-fiancé is still lurking around. He was spotted outside your apartment, outside her old job, and on the side of the road while she was at lunch with her friend a few days ago.” Derek gestures to the envelope. “It’s all in the pictures.”

  My jaw clenches. “He’s following her.”

  “He’s following both of you.”

  I think of Brianna at home by herself, with that sick asshole probably outside of the building waiting for her. Watching her.

  “What the hell does he want?” I ask, shoving back from my desk. “Hasn’t he already done enough?”

  “I’m giving you the facts. Not much else to do at this point.”

  “Not much else to do?” I shake my head. “We get him out of her life. We confront him, and if he doesn’t back off, then—”

  “I wouldn’t recommend that.”

  “Why the fuck not? He’s not allowed to just stalk people—”

  “He hasn’t hurt her, hasn’t even spoken with her. He could reasonably say he was at the same place the same time she was. But Brianna doesn’t even know. Confronting him will just escalate the situation.”

  “Maybe it needs to be escalated,” I growl. “So he doesn’t think it’s okay to come anywhere near her. She’s already gone through enough—”

  My phone buzzes again and I jam my finger on the button. “What?”

  Ms. Brown’s voice comes through, almost apologetic. “Sorry, sir. But Miss Stevens is here.”

  I blow out a breath. “Thank you.” I look at Derek. “She doesn’t need to know about this.”

  Derek grabs the envelope with a nod. “Of course not.”

  I meet Brianna at the door, irritated and relieved to see her at the same time. “Did you come here alone?”

  “Of course—hi, Derek.”

  He smiles at her. “Miss Stevens.”

  “Please call me Brianna.”

  He nods agreeably.

  “Did you have Brian drive you over?” I ask, taking Brianna’s hand.

  “No. I drove. What’s wrong?” She glances from me to Derek. “Did something happen?”

  I send Derek a warning look, and then try to set aside my irritation. It’s not her fault Chet’s still slinking around, and if I act suspicious, she’ll figure something out.

  “Nothing happened,” I explain, trying to sound reasonable. “Derek said there was an accident on the way and I was hoping you didn’t get caught in it.”

  She smiles and then kisses my cheek. “Oh. That’s nice of you to think of me. The drive was uneventful.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  Derek lifts his eyebrows at me, then nods to the door. “I have a meeting to get to, but I’ll give you a call later.”

  I wave him off, already distracted by Brianna. Once he’s out the door, I grip her chin gently. “What was that?”

  She blinks up at me. “What?”

  “That kiss. A little chaste for my taste.”

  “But Derek—”

  “Trust me. He’s seen it all.”

  Her lips curve, making me forget all about my conversation with Derek. She’s so damned sexy, I can’t keep my thoughts straight.

  She lifts on her toes and wraps her arms around my neck. Her mouth slides across mine before her tongue dips inside. She releases a long, slow breath, her breasts pressing against my chest. Even that small action makes me hard as a rock.

  “That’s better,” I murmur.

  She smiles. “You’re not afraid of public displays of affection?”

  “No. I mean, yeah, I am usually.” I narrow my eyes at her, almost like she’s trying to trick me. “It’s different with you.”

  “Different? What do you mean?”

  “It’s…” Everything in my life has changed since Brianna came around. I don’t mind being affectionate with her in public because this is real. Odd as it sounds, even with our arrangement, there’s something deep and true about our relationship.

  I grin at her. “You know, I have a really hard time articulating things around you. Must be because you’re so sexy—it distracts me.”

  She takes a step back, and even though she’s smiling, there’s question in her eyes. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

  “Yes. I’m glad you came. Work was getting dull.”

  “Well, I came for an actual reason,” she says with a smirk. “Not just to entertain you.”

  She starts to turn, but I grab her waist. “Where are you going?”

  “I was going to sit on the couch.”

  I walk to the couch and pull her onto my lap. The best way to continue to distract myself from Chet is to keep Brianna close. Not only because she takes my mind off of more serious things, but because I don’t want Chet anywhere near her.

  “Why did you come?” I ask.

  “Partly because I wanted to see you,” she says. “You told me I could drop by anytime.”

  “And I meant it. You’re always welcome. I’m glad you came.”

  “Me too.”

  “What’s the other reason?”

  “Your sister called me.”

  “She called me too.”

  She shifts on my lap, brushing the tops of my thighs
and nearly driving me crazy. Maybe I should have brought her home before having this conversation.

  “Did she talk to you about the website?” Brianna asks.

  “Yes. She said she called you first, then called me to make sure I persuade you to do the project because you’re amazing.”

  Brianna laughs. “That’s not what she said.”

  “No, I believe her exact words were, ‘If Brianna doesn’t do this project, I’ll hate her forever. She has to do it because she’s the best and my business needs the best.’”

  “Seriously? Intense.”

  I give her a quick kiss on the lips. “That’s Liv. She’s young and impulsive, but she’s got a good head for business.”

  “Well, look what family she’s part of.” Brianna considers this. “How do you feel about her business?”

  “We’ve talked. I gave her some advice. I think it’ll be work—hard work—but I also think it’ll be successful if she takes all the right steps. Hiring you is a right step.”

  Her eyes lock on mine. “You really think so?”

  “I know so.”

  I can see how much the words mean to her, and feel how much they do when her mouth fuses to mine. My mind nearly blanks, shocked into submission by her kiss and the feel of her body on mine.

  “Damn,” I murmur when she pulls away. “We need to get home now.”

  She laughs and tries to get up, but I hold her tight.

  “One more thing,” I say. She settles on my lap again. “I was thinking you could work here.”

  “Here? Like, in your office?”

  I nod. “Sure. You can use the table, or we can find you your own office.”

  “Why?”

  I don’t even blink when I answer. “Because it’s closer to Liv in case she needs to come consult with you and because I like having you close. Besides, you come by almost every day for lunch and then meet me after work. It’ll be easier this way.”

  “That’s true.” She taps her fingers against her lips. “I never really thought about that.”

  “One day, your company will be big enough you’ll have to have employees and an office and all of that.” I grin at her. “This will just get you ready.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  This time I let her stand, and swat her on the ass when she does. She yelps and turns to me, indignation on her lips.