Fiancee for Hire by Tawna Fenske Page A

don’t doubt it.” He led her to the car and handed her inside, opening and closing her door before heading around to the driver’s side.
    Once inside, he turned to her. “I wasn’t sure these would go with whatever you chose to wear, but they seem to match your necklace.” He pulled a velvet box out of his jacket and opened it for her. Kelli gasped, reaching out to touch the pearl-drop earrings as her other hand stroked the necklace at her throat.
    “Mac, they’re beautiful! How did you—”
    “Lucky guess. I swear I didn’t snoop through your stuff. Not today, anyway.”
    “I can’t decide if that’s the creepiest or most romantic thing ever,” she said, taking the box from him and hooking the earrings in place.
    “Let’s go with romantically creepy,” Mac said, and started the car. “They look perfect with your necklace.”
    “Thank you.”
    Once they were on the road, Kelli cleared her throat. “So Zapata and his wife both speak English?”
    “Yes. All our conversations will be in English, so you don’t have to worry.”
    “I wasn’t worried.”
    “I noticed. Your Spanish is very good.”
    “Thank you. I’ve done volunteer vet work in El Salvador and Guatemala.”
    “I know.”
    Kelli cleared her throat again. “So tell me about Griselda.”
    “What do you want to know?”
    “Is she pretty? Smart? Flirty?”
    Mac gave her a guarded look, an expression that had become all too familiar to Kelli. “I suppose so. On all counts, I guess. Does it matter?”
    “Yes. A real fiancée would be threatened by at least one of those things. Maybe not overtly, but jealousy would rear its head at least a little.”
    “Hmm. That makes sense. So you’re deliriously in love with me and leery of my former mistress?”
    “And you’re completely smitten with me and blind to her charms.”
    Mac smiled and turned onto the highway. “I think we can manage that.”
    They chatted easily for the drive from Mac’s place in Todos Santos to Zapata’s place outside San Jose del Cabo. By the time they arrived at the stucco mansion on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, Kelli was beginning to feel relaxed.
    Okay, maybe not relaxed. But as calm as she could be, considering she was a fake fiancée in a borrowed dress and too-high heels preparing to meet a vicious arms dealer and his vixen wife. At least she had Mac. And at least she might not have to try all that hard to appear smitten with him. Her lifelong crush had given her plenty of practice.
    Mac parked the car in front of an elaborate stucco mansion. Kelli swallowed hard as she looked up at the home, noticing the elaborate brickwork, the staggering ocean views, the armed guards at every corner.
    Mac walked around the side of the car and opened her door. Kelli hesitated, feeling nervous all of a sudden. He smiled and offered his arm.
    “You’ll do great,” he murmured. “I promise.”
    “Any last words of advice?”
    “Take my lead. Smile a lot, don’t say much, and try to look as ridiculously in love with me as you can muster.”
    “Got it.” She fought the urge to salute and settled for raising one manicured hand for him to grasp. He pulled her gracefully to her feet, and she wobbled a bit on the heels. Mac steadied her, cupping her elbow in one of his large palms. She held tight to his arm and let him lead her to the front door. Her heart was in her throat as Mac rang the bell, then pulled off his sunglasses as footsteps approached the door.
    “Breathe,” Mac whispered.
    “Okay.”
    “You’ve got this.”
    She gave him a weak smile, and Mac smiled back, then squeezed her arm.
    She turned back to the door, waiting for a servant to greet them. When the door jerked open, Kelli jumped in surprise. She took two steps back as a petite brunette in a Prada dress cried out, then launched herself into Mac’s arms.
    “Oh my God,” the woman sobbed into the front of Mac’s shirt as Mac looked down with alarm. “Something horrible has