The Fiancee Charade. Darcy Maguire

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      Logic ruled that the woman probably had a life to reschedule, but the waiting was killing him. It was hard to imagine he could be doing anything wrong—anything that would put a woman off falling head over heels in love with him—but for some reason it just wasn’t happening.

      Lucas stood up and stalked across his office, stroking his goatee. ‘You’re delusional. The last thing you need in your life is a wife.’

      ‘You’re wrong, Lucas.’ Alex shook his head, kicking back in the chair and lifting his feet onto his friend’s desk. ‘I need a woman. A lover. A mate. I need to put the sort of time and commitment into a relationship that I have into building this business.’

      ‘No. You’ve had plenty of relationships and look at you. Still single.’ Lucas inclined his head. ‘And still smiling.’

      Alex swung his feet down to the floor and stood up, smoothing down his trousers and buttoning his jacket. ‘I’m not smiling when I go home to an empty apartment.’

      ‘Get a dog.’

      ‘I have a dog. It’s time for me to marry.’ Alex strode to the door.

      And it was time to show his father he could do better than him in his personal life—as he had in his business one. He would have the perfect life that his parents had failed at, and give his children the stability that he hadn’t had.

      He gripped the door handle, glancing at his friend. He wouldn’t mind coming home to someone who was going to be interested in his day, his goals, and his dreams for the future.

      ‘No.’ Lucas pointed at the magazine still lying on the desk. ‘I can’t believe it. Tell me it’s a ruse.’

      Alex shook his head. ‘I assure you that I’m hellbent on this. There’s no way on the planet that I want to continue with these shallow flings for the next few decades. They leave me with nothing but a bigger void to fill.’

      ‘Get a girlfriend, then. A proper one. One who isn’t looking for a good time and a large bank account.’

      Alex threw up his arms. ‘That’s the idea. And if she works out then I’ll make her permanent.’

      Lucas ran a hand through his short hair. ‘So I’m guessing you have a game plan for how to achieve this insane goal of yours, like you usually do?’

      ‘Absolutely.’ Alex strode down the hallway to his own office. ‘Like with everything else in my life, I’m the one in control—and I’ll have the future I make for myself by using all the resources available to me.’

      Lucas followed him. ‘So what are you planning? I don’t like surprises.’

      Alex had to like Lucas. He was his best friend, vice-president and his corporate lawyer, and always looking out for his best interests. ‘It’s all about actions reflecting goals. I know what I have to do.’

      ‘You have something up your sleeve?’ Lucas eyed Alex with narrowed eyes. ‘I can see you’re up to something already.’

      Alex couldn’t help but smile. ‘I’m all over the problem.’

      ‘How?’

      He slowed, slipping his hands into his trouser pockets. ‘You know I have a reputation as a womaniser?’

      Lucas gnawed his bottom lip. ‘As evidenced by that woman on Friday night. What I would give for a woman like that to come up to me…minus the drink in the face, of course. And that outburst—that was harsh.’

      ‘She was perfect.’

      ‘She was crazy.’ Lucas stroked his goatee again, shaking his head. ‘Ignore her.’

      ‘Not a chance. She’s perfect,’ he said slowly, the memory of the fire in her eyes sliding through him like warm honey.

      ‘Well, she was certainly beautiful.’ Lucas nodded. ‘And feisty. And she’ll make wonderful babies with you…if only she didn’t hate you.’

      He had to smile. ‘Not a problem since all I need from her is her wisdom and advice on ousting my womanising ways.’

      ‘You’re going to make her fall in love with you, aren’t you?’ Lucas leant against a wall. ‘Because if you can make her love you then you can make anyone?’

      Alex frowned. ‘I hadn’t thought of that.’

      ‘Think about it.’ Lucas crossed his arms over his chest, a gleam shining in his eyes. ‘Then you could make a try at the big one.’

      Alex closed his eyes. ‘Natasha Bradford-Jones,’ he said slowly, thinking about the woman who had evaded his charms and advances by being tantalisingly unavailable, with this fiancé or that one. Until now.

      But somehow he couldn’t get enthused about Natasha with Jess filling his mind and senses.

      Jess and him.

      The thought of romancing Jess sang in his veins, but the thought of anything more—that he could get anyone, maybe even Natasha Bradford-Jones of the Double Bay Bradford-Joneses—was incongruous.

      ‘Natasha’s available,’ Lucas said softly.

      ‘Now you’re being crazy.’

      Lucas threw up his hands. ‘But I’m right. Come on. I know you…how can you resist a challenge?’

      Alex wasn’t going to argue with his friend. Lucas had listened, given his views, and now it was up to him and him alone to make a decision—no matter how flawed.

      ‘Here’s the first challenge now.’ Lucas stepped back so Alex could see her, standing in the foyer. ‘Hell, she’s a looker.’

      Lucas was right. She was stunning. And passionate. And from the way she was glaring at him—her eyes narrowed and her mouth pulled thin—he’d have to do a lot of smooth talking to get her to like him, let alone fall for him.

      He strode up to her. ‘Jess.’

      ‘Calahan.’

      He ignored her cool tone. He hadn’t expected anything less. Had he? Had he hoped in some juvenile way that just meeting him again would change her mind about him? That somehow his suave ways and charms would thaw the brick of icy armour she had standing between them?

      It didn’t matter. She’d come round eventually. They were going to spend a fair bit of close time together, that would give her a better perspective of him, show her what she was missing by hating men.

      ‘This is my good friend and colleague Lucas,’ Alex offered, straightening his tie.

      She clasped Lucas’s hand. ‘Pleased to meet you.’

      Lucas shook her hand, his smile widening and his chest filling out. ‘I hear you’re going to try to straighten out this lad and his debauched ways.’

      She shrugged. ‘I’ll do what I can.’

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