Free The Prospective Wife by Kim Lawrence Page B

something you should remember, Kat, she told herself firmly. Men like Matt Devlin were not ‘realistic goals’ for girls like her; he was the type to give a girl a good time—probably a very good time—and disappear into the sunset.
    ‘Your idea of realistic, or mine?’
    Kat could sympathise with his barely restrained restless impatience.
    ‘I’d suggest a compromise if I thought you understood the meaning of the word,’ she came back acerbically.
    He grinned down at her through wolfish gritted teeth. ‘You’ve got entirely the wrong idea, Baby-face. Concession is my middle name…’
    ‘Baby-face…?’ She grimaced. ‘Please.’
    ‘It just sort of slipped out.’
    ‘I think I feel deeply insulted that you look at me and automatically think Baby-face. Unless, that is, you call all females “Baby-face”?’
    He wondered what she’d do if he told her what he did think when he looked at her. For one brief, insane moment he even toyed with the idea of finding out, then common sense prevailed.
    ‘Not so far.’ Head on one side, he appeared to give the notion some thought. ‘But I don’t think many of them would have minded…outside the work environment, naturally. I’m strictly PC at work.’
    ‘I don’t think all that much of the women you know,’ she sniffed scornfully, thinking of the slinky redhead.
    ‘You and Drusilla in perfect harmony once more.’
    ‘I hardly know your mother.’ And taking everything this virtual stranger had told her—or more specifically not told her—as the gospel truth had got her where she was now.
    He zeroed in on what seemed like a whopping great inconsistency. ‘What happened to the old family friend thing?’
    Kat gave an exasperated sigh. He had to be the most suspicious person she’d ever come across, but then she supposed he had his reasons for being suspicious. The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed to Kat that, for reasons which remained a mystery, Drusilla had been trying to set her up with her millionaire son.
    ‘Like I told you, she went to school with Mum, but they lost contact years ago. They met up again relatively recently.’
    Drusilla had been opening a new pain control clinic at the local hospital and Kat’s mother had been one of the first patients.
    ‘When are you expecting your mother?’ When Drusilla did turn up Kat was going to do some straight talking; she thought she was due an explanation! Why, anything could have happened, she brooded resentfully… I could have fallen in love with the man!
    ‘What makes you think I am expecting her? Did she say she’d be here?’
    Kat was quite relieved when his sharp interrogative tone wrenched her away from her uncomfortable introspection.
    ‘Not exactly, ’ she admitted. Eyes narrowed slightly, she reviewed their last conversation. ‘But she did give the impression…’
    ‘Yes, she’s quite good at doing that.’
    ‘I’d noticed.’ Kat couldn’t help sounding bitter.
    ‘Interesting!’ One dark brow quirked as he contemplated the angry pink spots on her smooth cheeks. ‘Just how much do you know about the family situation?’
    ‘Family situation?’ she echoed airily, giving a passable imitation of not knowing what he was talking about…and furthermore not being interested.
    ‘Unless it’s relevant to your treatment there’s absolutely no need for me to—’
    ‘Like you’re not the least little bit curious…!’
    His laconic drawl really got under her skin. ‘Well, of course I am! Who wouldn’t be when you’ve just implied there’s some juicy secret?’

    ‘Fair point.’
    Kat blinked. She was beginning to recognise a sort of pattern; every time she was spoiling for a fight, he threw her off balance completely by turning all reasonable.
    ‘You know who my father is?’
    She could tell by the way he said it that he took her affirmation as read.
    ‘Should I?’
    Matt looked shocked, and then frankly sceptical of her reply.
    ‘You’re joking?’
    It