Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“I am not sitting . . .” Realizing the other passengers were within earshot, she lowered her voice to a whisper. “I am not sitting on your lap in this public pleasure den. What do they expect us to do here?”
August considered the curved and extended sides of the swivel chair that were obviously meant to block them from view. “Some groping at the very least.”
Please tell me that my nipples aren’t tingling. “Grope me and live to regret it.”
“Fine.” He sighed, running a hand down his tie. “You can grope me.”
“You mispronounced ‘strangle.’”
His answering laugh fell silent after a moment and he leaned forward. “Natalie.” He tucked his tongue into his cheek. “We’re not convincing anybody.”
A familiar laugh came from the direction of the stairs and Natalie glanced over to find Hallie’s blond curls among the crowd of newcomers to the second floor. Which meant her brother wouldn’t be far behind. Hallie was speaking with the British woman who owned the donut shop in town, Fudge Judy, and if memory served, she loved to gossip. Everyone from the mayor to the teenagers of St. Helena frequented the shop. Behind them were several other business owners and ladies who lunch—all eager to get eyes on the newly engaged couple. Being standoffish with her supposed fiancé would be noticed and commented on. Maybe, according to her mother, even reported back to Ingram Meyer?
Natalie looked down at August, who was now staring into the fire. Back in the tent, she’d made a split-second decision. Either jump into this subterfuge with both feet and form a convincing union . . . or call it off immediately—and put herself back at square one. She’d looked down at August on one knee, his expression earnest and hopeful and . . . she’d felt something unnamed, but poignant, move inside of her, causing her to choose the former. Natalie and August were now engaged in the eyes of the St. Helena elite.
This marriage of convenience had been her idea. August arriving out of the blue like a wrecking ball had caught her off guard outside, but right now? If she didn’t swallow her pride, this plan was going to sink them both before it even started.
In finance, her credo was go big or go home.
Obviously it hadn’t always paid off, considering she’d gone big and . . . gotten sent home.
Doubts were piling up about the wisdom of this arrangement. But it was the solution to her problem. A way forward. And if she didn’t seize it with both hands, the chance would pass her by. Through the crowd, she met Hallie’s eyes. Saw her brother’s tall frame moving into view and it occurred to her, if she brought shame on the family name, all of Julian’s hard work to restore the winery would go down the drain.
God, she couldn’t do that. No chance.
There was no more time to waffle.
With a deep inhale, Natalie set down her clutch on the side table, hesitated a moment, then parked her backside on August’s thigh. Obviously he’d expected her to stand for the whole ride or sit somewhere else, because his eyebrows shot up, that big paw going to the small of her back automatically, his fingers splaying on the base of her spine.
“I should probably just keep my mouth shut,” he said, his voice lower by several octaves, “so I don’t say anything to fuck this up.”
“That would be the smartest thing you’ve ever done.”
“Yeah, wow. Engaged for twenty minutes and I’m already a changed man.” She watched in the reflection of the window as August’s attention ran down the slope of her neck. Felt his heart accelerate against her shoulder. “But I can’t help but point out . . .”
“God, you refuse to get out of your own way.”
“That maybe you’re afraid to kiss me.”
She pinned him with a look, her pulse quickening over their position—faces no more than a few inches apart, his hand braced on her back protectively, fingertips curling slightly as if he wanted to pull her closer. All the way into his lap. His five-o’clock shadow, which hadn’t been visible upon his arrival, was beginning to darken his jaw and his tie was slightly crooked. A rugged soldier forced into a suit and a marriage. For her. With her.
They were a team whether she liked it or not. Natalie had a feeling the next thing out of his mouth would put her firmly in the or not camp.
“Why am I afraid to kiss you? Besides your overall repellency, I mean.”
He gave a cocky shrug. “You’re scared to enjoy it.”
“Do you actually think I’m going to fall for this?” she sputtered.
“Fall for what? It’s the truth. You can’t stand my ass, but if we kissed, you’d forget.”
“To hate you?” She scoffed. “Not likely.”
As if to call her bluff, a loud whistle went off and the train lurched forward, sending Natalie crashing into August’s chest, her butt sliding neatly into his lap, where she was galled to find that it fit like a glove. He hissed in a breath, his hand leaving her back in order to grip the edge of the velvet chair. “Look, might as well warn you, I’m going to get hard.”