Free A SEAL's Kiss by Tawny Weber Page B

Sage said slowly. What could be naughty about that? Her father’s idea of wild was 10:00 p.m., a second glass of wine while listening to his Elvis vinyls. “I’m sure it’s going to be a fun—if a little mellow—evening.”
    “You’ve missed the last couple of engagement parties, haven’t you?” Nina asked with a laugh that didn’t bode well for any plans Aiden had to keep things chill between them.
    Eyes wide, Cailley opened her mouth as if to say something, but took a deep breath and offered a big smile instead.
    “What’s going on?” she asked, leaning forward in both worry and anticipation. Because, well, naughty was usually fun. “What happened at the last couple of engagement parties?”
    “Nothing you need to worry about. We’ve got to go, though,” Nina said, wrapping her hand around Cailley’s forearm and pulling the other woman to her feet. “We’ll talk to you later, okay? Let your dad know we’ll be happy to help out.”
    If Sage hadn’t been worried already, the look on Nina’s face would have done the trick.
    “What are you helping with, exactly?” she asked narrowly.
    “Just helping. You know, with food and entertainment and stuff,” Cailley added, her grin so wide she looked like a Halloween decoration. “I’ll call him tomorrow. Could you let him know?”
    “I don’t think he needs a lot of help,” Sage said quickly, getting to her feet, too. “He’ll cater a dinner, throw on a few CDs and make a toast. Simple and easy.”
    “I’ll call him,” Cailley said again.
    Before Sage could protest, they were gone.
    She debated following them and nagging for information.
    But she wasn’t the following, nor the nagging type.
    She might have to learn to be the apologizing type if whatever they had planned upset Aiden. But she’d deal with that when the time came.
    Besides, she grinned, she was kinda looking forward to finding out what’d put that wicked gleam in their eyes.
    It was the kind of gleam that boded naughty for their intended target. “Sage?”
    Ahh, her fellow target.
    Still smiling, Sage turned toward the house and Aiden’s call.
    It wasn’t like she was really horny for Aiden.
    She was just enjoying the game.
    And she’d keep telling herself that until she’d decided how she felt about it, either way.

5
    “W HY ARE YOU doing this again?” Aiden asked, watching Sage putter around his kitchen, her hair tied back and an oddly peaceful look on her face.
    “I told you. We need to spend some time together. To get to know each other again well enough that people will buy our story.” Pulling the oven door open, she bent low, giving Aiden a tasty view of her butt as the filmy fabric of her skirt pulled tight.
    His mouth dirt-dry, he took a swig of beer, swished it, then took another drink for good measure.
    “Besides,” she said, straightening and turning to face him. Worry lines creased her brow and her pale eyes held a hint of confusion. “We need to get all the engagement details right.”
    Since she’d been awfully mellow about pulling this off when she’d kissed him stupid that morning, Aiden had to surmise that something had gone down between then and now.
    He considered his bottled brew with a sigh.
    “Why don’t you fill me in?” he suggested, settling into the ladder-back chair and pulling the bowl of chips and guacamole Sage had set out closer. He had the feeling he was going to need sustenance.
    “Shouldn’t we decide the engagement details together? Agree on why I don’t have a ring. Or you know, each of us share our favorite scenario, then we’ll see if they can somehow mesh together? That way we’re more likely to remember it.”
    A chip loaded with creamy avocado and jalapeno, Aiden squinted at her.
    “You think I have an engagement scenario? One that has nothing to do with enemy combat?”
    She blinked a couple of times, then rolled her eyes as she put the terms enemy engagement together in her head.
    “Fine, so you don’t lie awake