Read Online A Merger by Marriage by Cat Schield - Free Book Online Page B

expression became as remote as the mountaintops that made his view so extraordinary.
    “No.”
    His abrupt answer discouraged further conversation on that topic. Violet sighed as she realized JT was done sharing.
    “If you don’t mind,” she began, setting her napkin on the table beside her plate. “I think it’s time I headed back to Fontaine Chic.”
    “I’ll get my keys.”
    * * *
    While JT waited in the foyer for Violet to collect her overnight bag, he replayed their conversation in his mind and revisited every expression on her lovely face. He’d enjoyed sharing breakfast with her. So much so that instead of giving her a brief, dry explanation of why he’d chosen ranch life over a house in the city, he’d gone all sentimental on her and let her see how his grandmother had influenced him.
    Nor did it surprise him how tempted he was to trust her. Her earnest curiosity and upbeat outlook weren’t a clever cover for ulterior motives. She honestly wanted to help. Her impulsive suggestion that they get married so he could get control of Tiberius’s Stone Properties stock had demonstrated she was far too quick to believe in people.
    Take him for example. She expected him to stick to their understanding that this wasn’t a real marriage. Which meant hands off. And the best—no, only—way he could think of to honor their agreement was to stay as far away from her as possible.
    “Ready when you are,” she said, as descended the stairs. She was a feminine marvel in a pastel floral dress with thin straps that bared her delicate shoulders and a full skirt that flirted with her knees. Pink sandals with three-inch heels drew attention to her spectacular calves and her hair was swept up into a loose top-knot. She made his mouth water.
    With a slight bounce, she stepped from the stairs onto the foyer’s marble floor and crossed to where he stood by the front door, tongue-tied, his hormones in an uproar. As she neared, he snagged her luggage and opened the door.
    “I don’t think we should live together,” he stated, his voice short and clipped.
    “How are people going to believe we are married if we don’t?”
    “We both work a lot. No one will notice.”
    Her lips thinned. “That’s not going to work.”
    “We’ll talk about it when I return to town.”
    She eyed the second overnight bag he held. “Where are you going?”
    “As soon as I drop you off, I’m heading to North Carolina.” The sooner he secured the necessary shares of Stone Properties, the sooner he could replace his father as CEO. And the sooner he could be free of this marriage-in-name-only before he did something to change their relationship forever.
    “Who’s there?”
    “My cousin Brent. His dad’s Alzheimer’s has made it necessary for him to take charge of the finances in the last few months. He has several thousand shares. It’s not all that I need, but every bit helps.”
    “I don’t recall seeing him in Tiberius’s files.”
    JT held the passenger door open and gritted his teeth against the sweet seduction of her perfume as she brushed past him and slid into the car. Damn, but she was a tempting armful. Resisting the impulse to reprise last night’s kiss actually caused a dull ache in his gut. When he’d agreed to marry her, he’d underestimated just how challenging it would be to keep his hands to himself.
    “He’s not.” After depositing their bags in the trunk, JT got behind the wheel and started the BMW. “I don’t know why Tiberius didn’t include him.”
    The car picked up speed as he drove down his long driveway toward the highway and JT noticed that the airflow in the open convertible whipped Violet’s skirt into a frenzy of dancing flowers and bared a whole lot of lean, toned thigh. He daydreamed about sliding his hands along the soft, smooth length of her leg and finding her hot and wet and eager for him. It wasn’t until a truck flashed past on a perpendicular course that he realized they’d reached