Could such a plan work?
“We don’t like each other,” she persisted. “And we know each other’s secrets. So it’s actually a perfect arrangement.”
Would it be a perfect arrangement, or would it only leadto trouble? He was trying not to like her. But that didn’t mean he could do away with all the attraction. It was much too strong, so strong that something inside warned him he needed to stay away from Zaira Shanahan instead of making an arrangement with her.
“What do you think?” She watched him with hopeful eyes.
He released a taut breath. “I think it’s a dangerous plan.”
“Dangerous?”
“It might not work.”
She smiled. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m a grand actress.”
“I’m not worried about that.”
“Are you afraid you won’t be able to pretend to be my fiancé?”
“I’m grand at acting too.”
“Then what?”
Truthfully, he was afraid he wouldn’t need to act, that being her fiancé would be too easy, and that he might even get carried away with his attraction to her.
He could feel her still watching him, waiting for his answer. With her looking at him like that, he had the overwhelming urge to bend down and capture her lips in a kiss. The need rose with such swiftness that suddenly he could think of nothing more he wanted to do.
And that was exactly why such a plan would never work.
He started to shake his head.
“Don’t say no yet.” The sincerity in her expression beckoned to him. “At least think about it.”
He hesitated.
“Please?” Her whisper held a note of desperation he wanted to ignore but couldn’t.
“Fine. I’ll think about it and let you know.” Without giving himself another chance to look at her, he started toward the kitchen door.
“You’ll have to let me know soon, Bellamy.” Her whisper chased after him, sending goose bumps over his skin.
If he was already having this kind of reaction to her after just a kiss, he had to stay away from her. Yet how could he, when she needed to repair her reputation and he was her only solution?
9
Zaira dangled from the second-floor balcony of her family’s home. She gripped the wrought-iron railing with her bare hands even as she swung her legs around the side of the house. The toe of her boot caught in the trellis filled with ivy.
Sneaking out was as easy as always, maybe even easier because she only had Alannah and Kiernan to worry about and they werebusy. Of course the family butler, Winston, was here too, but he’d already gone to bed.
She wedged her foot into the trellis firmly before hefting her body around to the side of the house. She grasped the trellis now with both hands and her other leg. She’d tucked the extra folds of her skirt out of the way, had learned to do that long ago so she didn’t get tangled up.
Then without a moment of hesitation even in the darkness, she climbed down the twelve feet or so. When she had only a foot left, she let go and jumped the final distance, simply because she wanted to feel the exhilaration of escape ... because that’s what she was researching tonight.
Her character Frannie was sneaking out to meet with her love, and Zaira wanted to make sure she was writing realistically about the fears and concerns Frannie would have in the late hour of the night while creeping through the dark city streets.
In the story, the heroine would reach the rendezvous spot, the fellow wouldn’t show up, and she later would learn he was imprisoned for a crime. Frannie wouldn’t know he’d been falsely accused and would believe he was guilty. In trying to forget about him, she would force herself to accept a match with another man, only to later learn of her love’s innocence.
It was the perfect twist to the plot, if Zaira could say so herself. But as usual, she was always looking for new ideas, and being back in the city would help.
