Free The Bachelor's Bed by Jill Shalvis Page B

about Colin. “Colin is just very involved with his work, it’s important to him.”
    â€œI hadn’t noticed.”
    Claudia’s soft sarcasm only made Lani all the more determined. “He’s a wonderful man. He deserves employees who think so, too.”
    Claudia had the good grace to blush. “I’m sorry. I do respect him, greatly. He pays fairly well and the work is steady. I even get benefits. It’s just unnerving to work for someone who can render any female stupid with just a look and remain so unaware of it, you know?”
    Lani was afraid she did.
    â€œHe’s so…well…distant. Remote.” Claudia hesitated. “Look, we’re both women. I feel compelled to ask you. Do you have any clue what you’re getting yourself into?”

6
    A T C LAUDIA’S WORDS , Colin came to an abrupt halt outside the office door. He’d been walking down the hallway toward the coffee machine. But now he stood rock still, waiting with a strange breathlessness for Lani to come to her senses and run like hell.
    â€œYes, I think I have a good idea what I’m getting into,” Lani said quietly, her voice sure and strong.
    Colin drew a deep breath and leaned against the wall. The emotion pounding through him didn’t bear thinking about.
    What would he do if she reneged?
    Claudia let out a little laugh. “Well if I were you,” she said. “I’d think twice about marrying a man too gorgeous and rich for his own good.”
    â€œThose aren’t sins, you know.” Lani sounded amused.
    Still unseen, Colin cursed himself for not giving the still-pouting Claudia the new computer she’d asked for. Clearly, she wasn’t going to forgive him easily.
    â€œNo, not sins,” Claudia said, agreeing with Lani. “But he’s not exactly an easy man to be with. He canbe selfish as hell, and from what I understand, he’s not very good at the marriage thing.”
    Colin went very still. It was all too true, so it seemed silly to be insulted.
    He fully expected Lani to back out of their bargain, and found himself tense and straining, waiting for the damning words.
    The silence was deafening.
    What was taking her so long? Any second now, she’d let him down.
    Nothing new.
    It happened a lot, he reminded himself. Plenty of people needed him, counted on him, but in return there wasn’t anyone he needed, no one he could count on.
    Lani was going to disappoint him, and strangely enough, it was going to hurt. He’d thought himself immune to that kind of pain long ago, but apparently he’d been wrong because his insides were twisting.
    â€œOh, I know exactly what I’m getting.”
    At Lani’s soft but certain voice, some of Colin’s warmth returned.
    â€œAnd he’s exactly what I want,” she went on. “He’s not what you’ve described. Not at all. He’s a wonderful man. Maybe a little wary, but can you blame him? He’s hounded night and day by people wanting something from him. It’d make anyone uncomfortable.”
    â€œLook, I’m not trying to talk you out of it, I just want to make sure you know what you’re doing.”
    â€œI know what I’m doing. His aloofness doesn’t scare me. Not when beneath that is a warm, passionate, beautiful man. And I feel lucky to be marrying him.”
    Colin was stunned at Lani’s conviction, to say the least. Her unwavering loyalty shocked him, especially when he’d done nothing to deserve it.
    What would she want from him in return?
    Pushing away from the wall, he stepped into Claudia’s office. Ignoring his secretary’s flush of shame, he met Lani’s gaze, which turned joyful at the sight of him.
    â€œI was hoping I’d find you here,” she said, rounding the desk and coming toward him. With that unnerving habit she had, she touched him, reached for his hands. She came up on tiptoe and, as if they