Free Billionaire's Contract Engagement by Maya Banks

relationship,” she said lightly.
    “No,” he murmured. “We don’t. Not yet.”
    Her gaze lifted but his expression didn’t betray his thoughts. She swallowed the knot in her throat and hoped she wasn’t making a huge, huge mistake. So much could go wrong with this.
    “You’re so worried about the position I’ve placed you in,” he said. “But the truth is, if I don’t like your ideas tomorrow morning, what’s to say that you don’t leave me to face the festivities on my own? I’d say that gives you all the power and none to me.”
    “Or you could just say you like my ideas to keep me on the line long enough to get through the wedding,” she pointed out. “Nothing to say that you don’t dump me the minute we get back to San Francisco.”
    He nodded. “True. All of it is true. Looks like we both have some trusting to do.”
    She looked down at her hand that was still underneath his. His thumb pressed into her palm, and his fingers lay still over hers, but the warmth of his touch spread up her entire arm and into her chest.
    She liked this man. Genuinely liked him, stupid ambush aside. He hadn’t sugarcoated any of it. And above all else, she liked honesty. He hadn’t shied away from how the entire situation made him look. It certainly didn’t make him appear very noble, but she couldn’t get beyond thinking he was just that. Noble and honest.
    The ring on her finger sparkled and glinted in the light. For just one moment, she allowed herself to imagine what it would be like if it were all real. Two seconds later she mentally slapped herself silly and told herself to get over her foolishness.
    She had a job to do. She had to impress this man with her brains and her creativity, her drive and her determination. She could do all that. And if it meant she had to go beyond the call of duty to do a personal favor for him, then she needed to suck it up and just get the job done. Too many people were counting on her.
    It was silly. She felt like an idiot and she was sure Evan didn’t feel any better, but it wasn’t up to her to question his motives. For whatever reason, he didn’t want his brother and his fiancée to see him bleed. She could understand that. Shewould have died rather than let her old boss and his scheming wife know how much they’d destroyed her.
    “All right, Evan. I’ll do it.”
    Triumph mixed with relief flared to life in his eyes.
    “Thank you for not bashing my skull in and leaving, but more than that, thank you for not reacting in front of my family. It was more than I deserved given how I sprang it on you. I swear, that was not the way I wanted to approach you with my proposition.”
    “If we’re done with all that, can we eat? I’m starving. You can tell me all I need to know about your family and also tell me how it was we met and when you proposed, but not until I get something to eat.”
    He leaned forward, caught her jaw in his hand and turned her toward him. Their lips were so close that his breath blew warm over her mouth. She swallowed nervously, wondering if he would kiss her. And then she wondered if she’d let him. Or if she would kiss him instead.
    “Thank you,” he murmured.
    Slowly, he withdrew, and to her chagrin, disappointment washed over her.

Seven
    E van watched as Celia sat sideways on the couch, her back against the arm and her knees doubled in front of her. She looked comfortable and completely relaxed, which was more than he could have hoped for given how stupidly he’d sprung the whole engagement thing on her.
    After her initial fury, though, she’d calmed down and had taken it well. Damn, but he liked this woman. Oh, he was definitely attracted to her sexually, but beyond that, he genuinely liked spending time with her.
    If he was smart, he’d take that as a huge warning sign to stay away and not become involved, but he’d never claimed brilliance.
    She’d changed into nothing more glamorous than a pair of sweatpants and a San Francisco Tide