covered the hardwood floor beneath a polished dark maple table. The cut-crystal chandelier gleamed softly overhead. Six skirted chairs were sheathed in a rich damask fabric that echoed the reds and golds of the rug. An oak and glass breakfront cabinet stood against one wall and a large Impressionist oil painting hung above the matching server.
“This room is gorgeous, Danny. It’s much more formal than the living room, though. Did you hire a decorator?”
“No, these pieces belonged to my grandparents. I have some good memories of them, so I keep the dining room the way Grandma used to.”
Danny lit the white tapers in the pewter candlesticks on the table, creating an intimate atmosphere for the cardboard carryout food boxes. Women always appreciated atmosphere. He’d already laid out the rose-patterned china along with crystal tumblers for the beer. He held Jordan’s chair before he sat down across the table.
She looked beautiful. The candlelight shed a warm glow over her golden skin and drew attention to the rich shade of her hair. His attraction was undeniable. Even sitting here sharing a perfectly innocent meal, his thoughts were anything but. Somehow, he was going to convince her to let him be both her fake fiancé and her lover.
“So, what do you think?”
Jordan kept her head down as she added more crisp fried vegetables to her plate. “It smells delicious.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know.” She rubbed her chopsticks together to get rid of any splinters.
“Since there’s a genuine attraction between us, it won’t take much to convince your family that we’re a couple.”
“Why would you want to do this?”
He wasn’t sure when the idea had come to him—this morning in her bedroom or this afternoon on the phone with his brother. But now that he’d discovered Jordan’s wild side, he planned to explore it to the fullest.
“After last night, after that kiss in the kitchen, do you really have to ask?”
“So this is some kind of a sexual favor?”
He cocked his head to the side as though considering her question, then nodded. “Yeah.”
She chose a fat, battered shrimp from the tray. “Not that I’m agreeing, but what exactly do you want in return for faking an engagement?”
“You. Anytime. Anyplace. Anyway.”
Jordan made a weird gulping noise, then choked as the shrimp lodged in her throat.
Immediately calling on his training, Danny jumped up and rushed around the dining table. He yanked her to her feet, knocking her chair backward, and wrapped his arms about her midsection. His fist was positioned at her diaphragm, ready to perform the Heimlich maneuver, when she managed to cough the shrimp free by herself.
He didn’t move away, however, steadying her. He liked the way she felt in his arms, the way she leaned into him so that her breast rested against his bicep. As her breathing returned to normal and the bright color drained from her cheeks, she was able to stand on her own.
Her voice was slightly hoarse as she thanked him. “You can let me go now, Danny.”
“Are you sure?” He smiled at her seductively. “You might need mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”
“My hero,” she said as she eased out of his embrace. “But my dinner’s getting cold and we need to talk about your…your…what the hell was that anyway?”
“A proposal.” As soon as the word left his mouth, he balked. “No, wait, not a proposal. I mean, this isn’t a real engagement. We’ll just be faking for a couple of days.”
“Well, then, let’s call it a proposition.”
Now that was more like what he had in mind, despite her courtroom tone of voice. Fun and games and no commitments. Danny widened his smile and moved to take her into his arms again, but she planted a hand on his chest to stop him.
“How about we use the word agreement? Except that I haven’t agreed to anything yet, Danny.”
Jordan reached down to grab her chair and set it upright. Then she settled onto the
“This room is gorgeous, Danny. It’s much more formal than the living room, though. Did you hire a decorator?”
“No, these pieces belonged to my grandparents. I have some good memories of them, so I keep the dining room the way Grandma used to.”
Danny lit the white tapers in the pewter candlesticks on the table, creating an intimate atmosphere for the cardboard carryout food boxes. Women always appreciated atmosphere. He’d already laid out the rose-patterned china along with crystal tumblers for the beer. He held Jordan’s chair before he sat down across the table.
She looked beautiful. The candlelight shed a warm glow over her golden skin and drew attention to the rich shade of her hair. His attraction was undeniable. Even sitting here sharing a perfectly innocent meal, his thoughts were anything but. Somehow, he was going to convince her to let him be both her fake fiancé and her lover.
“So, what do you think?”
Jordan kept her head down as she added more crisp fried vegetables to her plate. “It smells delicious.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know.” She rubbed her chopsticks together to get rid of any splinters.
“Since there’s a genuine attraction between us, it won’t take much to convince your family that we’re a couple.”
“Why would you want to do this?”
He wasn’t sure when the idea had come to him—this morning in her bedroom or this afternoon on the phone with his brother. But now that he’d discovered Jordan’s wild side, he planned to explore it to the fullest.
“After last night, after that kiss in the kitchen, do you really have to ask?”
“So this is some kind of a sexual favor?”
He cocked his head to the side as though considering her question, then nodded. “Yeah.”
She chose a fat, battered shrimp from the tray. “Not that I’m agreeing, but what exactly do you want in return for faking an engagement?”
“You. Anytime. Anyplace. Anyway.”
Jordan made a weird gulping noise, then choked as the shrimp lodged in her throat.
Immediately calling on his training, Danny jumped up and rushed around the dining table. He yanked her to her feet, knocking her chair backward, and wrapped his arms about her midsection. His fist was positioned at her diaphragm, ready to perform the Heimlich maneuver, when she managed to cough the shrimp free by herself.
He didn’t move away, however, steadying her. He liked the way she felt in his arms, the way she leaned into him so that her breast rested against his bicep. As her breathing returned to normal and the bright color drained from her cheeks, she was able to stand on her own.
Her voice was slightly hoarse as she thanked him. “You can let me go now, Danny.”
“Are you sure?” He smiled at her seductively. “You might need mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”
“My hero,” she said as she eased out of his embrace. “But my dinner’s getting cold and we need to talk about your…your…what the hell was that anyway?”
“A proposal.” As soon as the word left his mouth, he balked. “No, wait, not a proposal. I mean, this isn’t a real engagement. We’ll just be faking for a couple of days.”
“Well, then, let’s call it a proposition.”
Now that was more like what he had in mind, despite her courtroom tone of voice. Fun and games and no commitments. Danny widened his smile and moved to take her into his arms again, but she planted a hand on his chest to stop him.
“How about we use the word agreement? Except that I haven’t agreed to anything yet, Danny.”
Jordan reached down to grab her chair and set it upright. Then she settled onto the
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