Free Can't Buy Me Love by Amy Lillard Page B

them.”
    “ Just like everything else?”
    “ Yes,” he murmured into her hair. “Just like everything else.”
    Shivers of awareness shot through Paige. The heat of his thighs burned through the material of her dress and scorched her own sensitive legs. This was a really bad idea. She should have never agreed to come here with him. This wasn’t part of their contract. But then she wouldn’t have given up the chance to have him hold her in his arms for anything in the world. Still she had to remember her place; she wasn’t his real wife. She was merely a professional wife, and she had to act it, professional, that was. But it was hard with the way he was holding her, close and with loving hands as if she were truly his bride. Lord, he was a good actor. If he kept this up, she wouldn’t have to act at all in order to convincingly fall at his feet and...and make a complete fool of herself.
    “ Why didn’t you?” Blake asked, his warm breath tickling her ear.
    “ W-w-what?”
    “ Have a senior prom.”
    “ I was in Africa.” As crazy as it was she felt the pang of jealousy at not having a prom. After all, Lydia had gone with all the bells and whistles while Paige had been miles from the nearest phone, much less formal dance. She and her father had done noble work in Africa helping the Zumbai Tribe build houses and schools, learn hygiene and basic farming principles. And she wouldn’t trade that for all the proms in the world.
    Really.
    Blake smoothly turned her around on the dance floor sending her body into the same vertigo her emotions were experiencing.
    Shivers went through Paige again. Professional , she thought to herself. She must act professional. She was doing this for them: the Zumbais, the tribe she had dedicated her life to helping. At least, she had up until her father died. Next year, she’d go back with two million dollars for the cause.
    “You look lovely tonight.”
    She pulled slightly away from Blake and met his eyes.
    They seemed greener than usual, the flecks of gold making them appear the color of a freshly cut field in spring.
    “Thank you,” she managed to coolly return, but she couldn’t help the blush of pleasure that stole into her cheeks. She knew he complimented her dress. Plain girls didn’t receive compliments.
    “I don’t remember seeing that dress in the showroom.”
    “It-it wasn’t,” she reluctantly admitted. Please don’t ask me where I got it.
    “I’ll thank you not to wear other designers while you’re married to me.”
    “Uh…I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that.”
    He gave a jerky nod. “I’m sure everyone here is dying to know where the dress came from.”
    “I made it,” Paige blurted, unable to stop the words.
    His gaze jerked toward hers, his eyes riveting. “You made it?”
    Paige nodded, biting her lip in trepidation. She should have never done this, re-fashioned two dresses to create this one. She hadn’t given one thought to the fact that they were Blake’s creations. Or at least, his company’s creations and he wouldn’t have wanted them destroyed. Nor had she given a thought to the fact that everyone there tonight would demand to know where her dress came from. But, dang it all, she wasn’t accustomed to attending soirees and parties on the arm of an influential man in the design world. How was she supposed to know?
    She lifted her gaze to Blake’s, snagging his angry look with one of remorse. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”
    His gaze morphed into something else and Paige thought for moment—hoped for a moment—that he would kiss her.
    ****
    She made it? Blake felt himself sliding into the blue-green quicksand of Paige’s eyes. Sliding down, sliding away, so far that her response to his compliment seemed to echo off the insides of his head. He bent his face closer to hers searching for the only anchor he could: her mouth. Her soft, pink mouth. Provocative. Inviting.
    His lips were a breath away from salvation, a breath