Engaging the Bachelor (Pulse) by Cathryn Fox

the door behind them, and he led the way to his car. Music drifted from the open window in the bar, and laughter could be heard as he opened the passenger-side door for her.
    She cocked her head, her long hair falling over her shoulder. “Well, aren’t you a gentleman.”
    He put his hands on her hips, holding her to him. “Yeah, I am. You’re in my hands now, Gemma, and you can be guaran-fucking-teed that I plan to take good care of you. You’re mine for the summer, and anything you need, I plan to give you.”
    She visibly quaked, her lashes fluttering. Despite her body’s reactions, she lifted her chin a little higher, an unconscious gesture of defiance. “You know I can take care of myself, right?”
    “I know.” She might be strong and independent, but he was protective by nature, and she’d damn well have to get used to it. A door banged behind him, and he cast a quick glance over his shoulder. He caught a glimpse of Jake walking to his Jeep. Their eyes met and Jake nodded, his glance flashing to Gemma. Good, let the douchebag see him with her. Then he’d know she was off-limits and he could stop eye-fucking her. “While we are on the subject of being in my hands. I plan on touching you tonight—a lot.”
    She exhaled a shallow breath. “For show, right?”
    “Partly.” A sound caught in his throat. “And partly because I want to.” He leaned in and brushed his tongue over her bottom lip, a slow sweep, moist and languid. Her heated breath spilled over his face, feeding his arousal. Fuck, he must be some sort of masochist. Now was not the time for the hard-on of all hard-ons, not when he had to meet his parents for dinner. He just couldn’t seem to resist her, or her sweetness. “You like when I touch you, don’t you?” he asked, his voice dropping an octave.
    A car pulled into a spot near them, and she shot a nervous glance around. “I do.”
    “Good.” He let go of her hips, and she slipped into the car. He leaned into her. “And you’d better get used to people watching.”
    He circled the front, climbed in, and pulled out of the parking lot. She stared out the window, but every few seconds would cast a glance his way. “You’d better tell me everything I need to know before we get to your place.”
    “Okay, well, you know how we met, and I grew up in Manhattan. My dad’s a corporate lawyer, and I was going to go to law school until…well, there was a change of plans.”
    “I actually knew you’d planned on law school. I overheard that at your party. So why did you change your mind?”
    His hands tightened on the steering wheel, painful memories flashing back. “Change of plans,” he repeated. “Crystal is finishing her law degree, and Mom stays home and does charity work.” He saw her frown and look at her hands. “What?”
    “Are your parents…happy?”
    He shot her a glance. “Why do you ask?”
    “Crystal said something when I ran into her today.”
    He scoffed. “No, they’re not happy. I’m not sure they ever were.”
    “Why don’t they get a divorce then?”
    A laugh caught in his throat. “Out of the question. How would that look?”
    “If they didn’t marry for love, why did they marry?”
    “They each had something the other needed. But it wasn’t love, and you can’t build a marriage on that.”
    “I don’t get it. Then why are they trying to get you and Audra together? Don’t they want you to be happy?”
    “I don’t know, Gemma. They just want me to settle down.” He winked. “You’re not the only one with a reputation. And maybe they think we’re a good fit and the love will come later. Or maybe they don’t even care if it does. Audra isn’t the first daughter of a friend they’ve tried to set me up with.”
    “Arranged marriages.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Carson, but I think your parents need to step into the twenty-first century.”
    He laughed at that. “Until they do, I just want them off my back. I’m a grown man, I