told him. “The Byrneses are there, my creatures are there. I know how to be a good hostess, so if you wanted to entertain there we certainly could. My grandfather used to give the most marvelous parties when I was growing up.”
“I could make Egret Pointe my legal residence,” he said thoughtfully, “but I will want to keep my apartment in the city, because I’ll have to stay in town three or four nights a week. This wouldn’t be an easy commute.”
“No, of course not,” she agreed. “Now, we had better get the sex thing straightened out before we go any further.”
“It’s a marriage of convenience,” he said. “If we get interested, fine. If we don’t, no problem. But I want absolutely no gossip or scandal because you’re sleeping with someone else. I assume you know how to be more than just discreet. And you’ll have no problem with me that way, I assure you.”
“Have you got a girlfriend?” she asked, curious, but then, even if he did he wasn’t serious, or he most certainly wouldn’t be considering a marriage of convenience.
“I don’t have time for anything other than an occasional casual relationship,” he told her. “I would have thought you’d figured that one out.”
“I did, but I had to ask.” Ashley swallowed hard. “And now here’s another question I have to ask. Are you gay or bisexual? I don’t want any surprises, Ryan.”
“Good point,” he said. “Nope. Straight as an arrow. Maybe we’ll get to find out together someday, Ashley.” He locked his gaze on her, and felt a small burst of satisfaction when she actually blushed.
“This is business, remember,” she said primly.
“I know. The business of saving our asses. But we are going to have to sleep together in the same bed to prevent any rumors,” he told her.
“My servants don’t gossip,” she said, irritated.
“All servants gossip, and these people have watched you grow up. They probably love you and want nothing but the best for you. You aren’t going to tell them the truth of this proposed marriage, are you? What the hell do you think they would think of you under such circumstances, even if they said nothing? And I can see that you care for your Byrneses so you probably won’t tell them what this is all about. That means we will have to share a bed, Ashley, on the nights I am out here. Am I wrong?” The brown eyes looked directly into her bright green ones.
“It’s complicated,” Ashley said. “But of course I’ll tell the Byrneses the truth. I have too much respect for them not to tell them. They understand my situation.”
“My sisters could cause trouble,” he said, “although my mom and Frankie are on our side.”
“Why? Oh, yeah, you mean your older sisters.” Ashley groaned.
He laughed. “Yep, the harpies, but actually it’s my mother who suggested to Ray that he find me a nice wife. You see, she and Dad were an arranged marriage.”
“Oh,” Ashley replied. Great! Just great! He had a mother who had had an arranged marriage, and it was a happy marriage. And seven kids to boot. She would probably blame Ashley when she and Ryan divorced a few years down the line. Hell, Carson’s mother blamed her because he was gay. Mothers and sons were a force of nature not to be reckoned with.
“Just oh ?” Ryan said, curious.
“I don’t know what else to say,” Ashley admitted. “I thought arranged marriages went out a couple of hundred years ago, except maybe for third-world countries. How come an arranged marriage? I mean, you’re a reasonably good-looking guy, so your parents have to be good-looking. It was the twentieth century. Couldn’t they find each other another way? It seems so odd, but then, hell, this is odd, isn’t it?”
“I liked it better when we were talking about sex,” he teased.
“I don’t remember us talking about sex,” Ashley responded, feeling her cheeks grow warm again. It had been years since she had blushed, and now twice in the last few
“I could make Egret Pointe my legal residence,” he said thoughtfully, “but I will want to keep my apartment in the city, because I’ll have to stay in town three or four nights a week. This wouldn’t be an easy commute.”
“No, of course not,” she agreed. “Now, we had better get the sex thing straightened out before we go any further.”
“It’s a marriage of convenience,” he said. “If we get interested, fine. If we don’t, no problem. But I want absolutely no gossip or scandal because you’re sleeping with someone else. I assume you know how to be more than just discreet. And you’ll have no problem with me that way, I assure you.”
“Have you got a girlfriend?” she asked, curious, but then, even if he did he wasn’t serious, or he most certainly wouldn’t be considering a marriage of convenience.
“I don’t have time for anything other than an occasional casual relationship,” he told her. “I would have thought you’d figured that one out.”
“I did, but I had to ask.” Ashley swallowed hard. “And now here’s another question I have to ask. Are you gay or bisexual? I don’t want any surprises, Ryan.”
“Good point,” he said. “Nope. Straight as an arrow. Maybe we’ll get to find out together someday, Ashley.” He locked his gaze on her, and felt a small burst of satisfaction when she actually blushed.
“This is business, remember,” she said primly.
“I know. The business of saving our asses. But we are going to have to sleep together in the same bed to prevent any rumors,” he told her.
“My servants don’t gossip,” she said, irritated.
“All servants gossip, and these people have watched you grow up. They probably love you and want nothing but the best for you. You aren’t going to tell them the truth of this proposed marriage, are you? What the hell do you think they would think of you under such circumstances, even if they said nothing? And I can see that you care for your Byrneses so you probably won’t tell them what this is all about. That means we will have to share a bed, Ashley, on the nights I am out here. Am I wrong?” The brown eyes looked directly into her bright green ones.
“It’s complicated,” Ashley said. “But of course I’ll tell the Byrneses the truth. I have too much respect for them not to tell them. They understand my situation.”
“My sisters could cause trouble,” he said, “although my mom and Frankie are on our side.”
“Why? Oh, yeah, you mean your older sisters.” Ashley groaned.
He laughed. “Yep, the harpies, but actually it’s my mother who suggested to Ray that he find me a nice wife. You see, she and Dad were an arranged marriage.”
“Oh,” Ashley replied. Great! Just great! He had a mother who had had an arranged marriage, and it was a happy marriage. And seven kids to boot. She would probably blame Ashley when she and Ryan divorced a few years down the line. Hell, Carson’s mother blamed her because he was gay. Mothers and sons were a force of nature not to be reckoned with.
“Just oh ?” Ryan said, curious.
“I don’t know what else to say,” Ashley admitted. “I thought arranged marriages went out a couple of hundred years ago, except maybe for third-world countries. How come an arranged marriage? I mean, you’re a reasonably good-looking guy, so your parents have to be good-looking. It was the twentieth century. Couldn’t they find each other another way? It seems so odd, but then, hell, this is odd, isn’t it?”
“I liked it better when we were talking about sex,” he teased.
“I don’t remember us talking about sex,” Ashley responded, feeling her cheeks grow warm again. It had been years since she had blushed, and now twice in the last few
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