Her touch was feather-light and her actions caused a riot of feelings in her body and she was lightheaded.
“Grace,” he said tenderly.
Her finger stilled.
“It’s not only about the money or the sponsor. I’d like to get to know you better.”
She moved her hand away from him.
“I’m serious. I’d like to find out what makes you tick, even if you refuse to be my wife.”
She crossed her arms and looked out the window again. “You’re married to my sister. You didn’t marry me and I refuse to get hurt.”
He paused. “I won’t hurt you.”
“You can’t make that promise, Stone. I agree to parade around as your wife and then when you’re done with me, you move on. I will get used to you being around and when you leave, I’ll–” She broke off.
“You’ll what?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Why don’t you divorce Divina and marry some other poor, pathetic girl.”
“You offering?”
“No,” she snapped. “Seriously. Why not divorce her? It would make everything so much easier.”
“It would make it easier for you. Not for me. I need a wife for Saturday. One who will hang on my every word, cheer for me and smile pretty for the press.”
“You need an actress.”
He shook his head. “No, Grace, I need you.”
She laughed, the strangled sound lodging in her throat.
“Seriously. I’m already attracted to you. There’s something between us. I know you feel it too.”
Her stomach dropped. Hearing him admit he was feeling the same thing she was experiencing was a shock to her system. Was it all a ploy to get her to work for him, or was he interested in her becoming more than his fake wife? She was so close to saying yes, throwing caution to the wind and becoming Divina Adams, the woman Stone wanted. She’d be required to compartmentalize her feelings. She could be around the excitement of racing without falling in love with Stone Adams. He wasn’t that charming. Really…
She looked up into his dark eyes.
“What would it be like, being your wife?”
A serious look crossed his face. “Lots of flashbulbs, smiling and a few canned responses to use if the media asks you questions. You get to sit front and center for the races. I guess it’s cool if you like racing. Most women who follow the sport would kill for a chance like that, even on the local level. We’d ride to and from the tracks together and I guess we’d travel together for away races. We’d stay in my trailer, but don’t worry. I have a bed and a couch.” He paused, cocked his head to the side and waited.
Was he hoping for a certain reaction? “This would be a marriage in name and fame only?”
His lips curled into a smile that radiated into his eyes. “If that’s what you want. I won’t force myself on you. You’d be doing me a huge favor. Huge. I’ll pay you. Give you anything you want.”
She smiled at his enthusiasm. “Calm down. I don’t want anything from you. Not yet anyway. I’ve got to figure out how this would work. What if someone wants to tell our secret or discovers I’m not Divina?”
“Let’s jump off that bridge when we come to it. You’ll have to have a slight makeover to look a bit more like your sister. A few tweaks and it will be enough to make people question who is who.”
“You’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?” She wanted to be upset, outraged that he’d expected her to give in. What he didn’t realize was he would be helping her also.
* * * *
Stone got downstairs first the next morning. He scrambled up some eggs and fried bacon after starting the coffee. He couldn’t believe Grace had agreed to act as his wife. She’d never actually said yes, but he sensed she was weakening. She’d asked what it would be like. He’d taken that as a great sign. Then she’d tossed and turned all night. He’d heard her bedsprings creak every time she rolled over. Was she thinking about him? About being married to him?
He whistled a wordless tune while he stirred
“Grace,” he said tenderly.
Her finger stilled.
“It’s not only about the money or the sponsor. I’d like to get to know you better.”
She moved her hand away from him.
“I’m serious. I’d like to find out what makes you tick, even if you refuse to be my wife.”
She crossed her arms and looked out the window again. “You’re married to my sister. You didn’t marry me and I refuse to get hurt.”
He paused. “I won’t hurt you.”
“You can’t make that promise, Stone. I agree to parade around as your wife and then when you’re done with me, you move on. I will get used to you being around and when you leave, I’ll–” She broke off.
“You’ll what?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Why don’t you divorce Divina and marry some other poor, pathetic girl.”
“You offering?”
“No,” she snapped. “Seriously. Why not divorce her? It would make everything so much easier.”
“It would make it easier for you. Not for me. I need a wife for Saturday. One who will hang on my every word, cheer for me and smile pretty for the press.”
“You need an actress.”
He shook his head. “No, Grace, I need you.”
She laughed, the strangled sound lodging in her throat.
“Seriously. I’m already attracted to you. There’s something between us. I know you feel it too.”
Her stomach dropped. Hearing him admit he was feeling the same thing she was experiencing was a shock to her system. Was it all a ploy to get her to work for him, or was he interested in her becoming more than his fake wife? She was so close to saying yes, throwing caution to the wind and becoming Divina Adams, the woman Stone wanted. She’d be required to compartmentalize her feelings. She could be around the excitement of racing without falling in love with Stone Adams. He wasn’t that charming. Really…
She looked up into his dark eyes.
“What would it be like, being your wife?”
A serious look crossed his face. “Lots of flashbulbs, smiling and a few canned responses to use if the media asks you questions. You get to sit front and center for the races. I guess it’s cool if you like racing. Most women who follow the sport would kill for a chance like that, even on the local level. We’d ride to and from the tracks together and I guess we’d travel together for away races. We’d stay in my trailer, but don’t worry. I have a bed and a couch.” He paused, cocked his head to the side and waited.
Was he hoping for a certain reaction? “This would be a marriage in name and fame only?”
His lips curled into a smile that radiated into his eyes. “If that’s what you want. I won’t force myself on you. You’d be doing me a huge favor. Huge. I’ll pay you. Give you anything you want.”
She smiled at his enthusiasm. “Calm down. I don’t want anything from you. Not yet anyway. I’ve got to figure out how this would work. What if someone wants to tell our secret or discovers I’m not Divina?”
“Let’s jump off that bridge when we come to it. You’ll have to have a slight makeover to look a bit more like your sister. A few tweaks and it will be enough to make people question who is who.”
“You’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?” She wanted to be upset, outraged that he’d expected her to give in. What he didn’t realize was he would be helping her also.
* * * *
Stone got downstairs first the next morning. He scrambled up some eggs and fried bacon after starting the coffee. He couldn’t believe Grace had agreed to act as his wife. She’d never actually said yes, but he sensed she was weakening. She’d asked what it would be like. He’d taken that as a great sign. Then she’d tossed and turned all night. He’d heard her bedsprings creak every time she rolled over. Was she thinking about him? About being married to him?
He whistled a wordless tune while he stirred
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