What an arrogant prick!
He opened his mouth to throw a few big words of his own at Oliver, but Eden beat him to it. "This town is not inconsequential, and neither are the people in it. They just have different priorities. Not everyone has to live up to your expectations to be happy, Dad."
Rudy stole a sideways glance at Eden as he tightened his arm around her. A light flush colored her cheeks. She'd never looked quite so beautiful. If her father wasn't sitting right in front of them, he'd be tempted to kiss her. He hoped she meant the words she said. Her defense of his family and their small town raised his esteem for her.
Resignation tinged Oliver's voice when he spoke again. "You're right. I'm sorry." He shot Rudy a quick apologetic glance, but then his brows lowered again, and he waved a hand at them. "I just don't believe this."
Eden cleared her throat and scratched her neck. "Believe what?" Her voice sounded unnaturally high, and tension lifted her shoulders again.
Was it the lie they were trying to sell that made her agitated? Or was it her father's disapproval?
"The two of you. Although you make an attractive couple, I have a hard time believing you've fallen for a simple sheriff's deputy from some two-bit town."
Rudy wanted to bristle. To defend himself and his beautiful little town. But he'd known people like the DuPont's before. He'd seen the look on Eden's face when she first visited Providence. It had looked a lot like her father's did now.
Despite her words of defense, Rudy struggled to believe Eden would fall for him and want to stay in a small town like Providence. That's why he’d tried to keep his distance from her.
Eden pitched forward. "Right, because it's so much moreresponsibleof me to fall for a billionaire playboy who will publicly humiliate me when he cheats on me. Or maybe you'd rather me fall for a boring investment banker who only ever talks about capital, dividends, and stocks? Or how about a narcissistic, morally gray, criminal defense attorney?" She punctuated her words with a small cough.
Rudy wasn't sure where her burst of courage came from, but if those were the kind of guys Eden dated, no wonder Oliver couldn't believe she'd fall for a small-town sheriff's deputy.
Oliver’s piercing gaze jumped back and forth between them, pinning first Eden then Rudy. Once again, his gaze narrowed as he shook his head. “I’m not buying it.”
“What do you mean?” Eden scratched her neck again before putting her hand on Rudy's thigh and stroking his leg.
She was only trying to convince her father there was something between them, but warmth immediately penetrated his polyester pants. The desire to pull her even closer ricocheted through him.
Would Oliver be convinced if he hauled Eden onto his lap?
“I don’t think the two of you are in love.” His eyes locked on Eden. “I think you’re just trying to get out of coming home and doing your duty.”
“When did duty become more important than love?” A hard edge filled Eden’s words.
Rudy coughed this time. "It's still early. I'm not sure we're at the love stage yet."
Oliver's gaze pinned him now. "I thought you said this has been going on for a while now. Are you toying with my daughter for your own amusement?"
"No, sir!"
I'm not doing anything with your daughter. At least I wasn't until a few minutes ago.
Eden cleared her throat and scratched her neck, leaving a red mark there. “What do we have to do to prove to you we’re serious?”
Oliver leaned forward and propped his elbow on his knees, his gaze never leaving Eden. This time he pinned Eden with his stare. “Kiss him.”
“What?” The word burst out of her so fast, her father was sure to know this was all fake.
Rudy stroked her upper arm to calm her down.
"You have kissed, haven't you?" Oliver’s expression was a sneer now.
Kissing?
Rudy had all kinds of qualms about going there with Eden. He feared that once he cracked that door open, a flood of passion would sweep in, ripping it right off its hinges. There would be no way to shut out the constant desire to pull her into his arms and kiss her until they both gasped for air.
Eden's hand gripped his thigh a little tighter. "Of course we have." Her voice was half an octave higher than usual. She looked up at Rudy with another pleading expression—or maybe this one was an apology. "Haven't we, honey?"
Rudy's throat tightened as he looked into her brown eyes, noticing for the first time the golden flecks in her irises. He pushed a strand of hair back from her face and cupped her cheek. "All the time. I mean, I can hardly keep my hands off you." Did his voice betray the tremor that reverberated through him?
