A Convenient Husband by Kim Lawrence Page A

waistline—’
    â€˜I didn’t see either on Ian,’ she couldn’t resist interjecting.
    â€˜He spends a sack full of money to make sure you don’t.’
    â€˜God, but you’ve got a cruel tongue.’
    â€˜Stock in trade, angel,’ he admitted unrepentantly. ‘Your Ian has nabbed himself the first nubile young beauty who is stupid, or infatuated enough—in Chloe’s case both—to make himself an object of universal envy. His mates will pat him on the back and call him a hell of a bloke! It’s classic.’
    â€˜It’s a generalization, is what it is,’ she retorted scornfully.
    He tried another tack. ‘Are you trying to tell me that you approve of an age gap that dramatic, Tess?’
    â€˜I can see it might be problematic,’ Tess conceded, ‘but it shouldn’t matter when two people are in love.’
    â€˜I always knew you were a closet romantic under all that pragmatism.’ Mockery glittered savagely in his dark eyes.
    â€˜At this point I’m resisting my natural inclination to quote Ben…’ She looked back at him blankly. ‘Mush?’ he reminded her.
    â€˜I don’t blame you for being bitter…’ She cleared her throat, skating delicately around his masculine sensitivity.
    â€˜It’s only natural that you feel a little bit cynical at the moment.’
    â€˜I’m cynical for a living,’ he snarled.
    â€˜There’s no need to sound so proud of it,’ she remonstrated tartly.
    â€˜I take it you fall into the love-conquers-all camp…with one significant exception.’
    Confusion flickered across her face. ‘What exception?’
    â€˜Yourself.’
    The colour that had only recently returned to her cheeks rapidly receded. ‘That’s different.’
    â€˜Odd,’ he drawled. ‘I rather thought it would be.’
    â€˜And I wouldn’t know, would I, never having been in love?’
    He looked thunderstruck by her angry assertion. ‘Never!’
    If he knew some of the other things she’d never done, he’d really stare! ‘I’ve no desire to discuss my love life with you. Who asked for your opinion about anything anyhow?’ Her face stiff with defensive disdain, she tossed her head, sending the warm rich strands of hair whipping across her face. ‘For that matter, who asked you to stay?’
    â€˜Perhaps I find your warmth slightly less chilly than the reception I’ll no doubt receive at home.’
    His ironic twisted smile aggravated the hell out of her. It wouldn’t have taken much effort to pretend the pleasure of her company had anything to do with it, but why be kind when you could be sarcastic? Wasn’t that just Rafe all over?
    â€˜I don’t know why you insist on fighting with your grandfather. He’s an old man…’
    Rafe’s lips twitched. ‘I’ll tell him you said so. The news of his decrepitude should go down nearly as well as the knowledge his death should make it onto the six o’clock news. I thought maybe you could do with a friend around.’ His broad shoulders lifted dismissively. ‘It would seem I was wrong. I’ll make myself scarce.’ He bent to pick up the jacket he’d discarded over the back of a chair the previous evening.

CHAPTER FIVE
    â€˜Y OU’RE going…?’ Perversely the thought filled Tess with dismay. Why the panic? It’s not as if I’m not used to being alone.
    â€˜Wasn’t that the idea?’
    â€˜Yes…no…’
    Rafe’s dark brows drew into a quizzical line. ‘Are you making me a better offer?’ He’d intended the question to be ironic, then he saw the expression on her face and he grew very still.
    Tess’s eyes widened. Am I…? The muscles of her pale smooth throat worked as her lips moved silently. Why not? some inner reckless voice challenged. It’s what you want