Read Online Temporary Fiancée by Judy Rogers - Free Book Online
Authors: Judy Rogers
Tags: Contemporary
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as she ran the documents through the auto editor and then hit the print button.
Rand raised an eyebrow as she snapped the papers out of the computer and stacked them in the middle of the desk. At that moment, the devil seized her. “Darling, you’d better not have coffee this late, or you won’t be able to sleep.” She moved so close to him, Angela had to step back. Haley then stood on tiptoes and kissed him full on the mouth. “Not that I want you to fall asleep right away.”
For a split second Rand acted stunned by her blatant invitation. Then his eyes darkened, and he drew her against him, slanting his lips across hers. White lightning. Haley always wondered about the expression. She felt dizzy, as if sparks were shooting from her toes through the top of her head. Rand made an inarticulate murmur and pulled her even closer.
“So is there any coffee, or isn’t there?” Angela’s icy voice broke the spell.
Damn. She’d forgotten all about Angela, forgotten she was just pretending to be in love with Rand, forgotten that Rand was also pretending. Every time the man touched her, she lit up like plastic explosives. If she wasn’t careful, this pretend stuff could become very real, and then where would she be? In love with a man who didn’t even like her all that much, that’s where.
They certainly had the chemistry thing down pat. It would be fairly easy to override her misgivings and let him make love to her. She couldn’t stand next to him without feeling the heat from their mutual attraction. And who knows how long it would last? He had warned her he wasn’t looking for another relationship—she’d just be an available body to help him forget Angela.
When it was over, she was sure to have a broken heart, and he’d probably just feel badly because he’d acted inappropriately. For her own peace of mind, she couldn’t let that happen. She knew she’d been sending Rand a different message, and now he was practically dragging her up the stairs to the bedroom.
Haley looked backed at Angela, staring up at them from the bottom of the stairs, a look of baffled outrage on her face. “There’s still some coffee in the kitchen, Angela. Have an éclair, too,” she called down to her, just as Rand pushed open his bedroom door and hauled her inside.
Chapter Six
As soon as they entered the room, Delphine opened her eyes and lifted her head from the center of Rand’s bed. She jumped up when she saw Haley and pranced back and forth, rumpling the bedspread before settling down once more on the little nest she’d made of the covers. Rand, who had been about to drag Haley into his arms, stopped cold and frowned. “What’s she doing on my bed? Get her out of here.”
Again Haley tried to explain Delphine’s sensitive nature, but Rand cut her off. “I don’t care if she’s on Prozac. She’s not staying here. I don’t like animals in the house, and I certainly won’t have one in my bedroom.”
“Fine. Where do you want us to sleep?”
He gave her an incredulous look. “Are you saying that if I don’t let the dog stay in this room, you won’t stay either?”
She tried reasoning again. “I told you, she has to be with someone when she’s depressed. I know it’s inconvenient, but it’s not like you’re allergic or anything. She can sleep on the floor if you really can’t stand her on the bed.”
“I won’t be manipulated like this. It’s blackmail. You have to stay in this room to convince Angela we’re getting married. And that dog belongs in the garage.”
“I am not blackmailing you,” Haley said, her voice thickening. He always believed the worst of her. “Delphine will howl all night if I lock her in the garage. No one will get any sleep.”
He limped closer, his jaw set. “She’s not staying in here with us.” His voice rose. “Do you understand?”
Suddenly Delphine growled and leaped off the bed to stand between them.
“Delphine is very protective, so don’t threaten
Rand raised an eyebrow as she snapped the papers out of the computer and stacked them in the middle of the desk. At that moment, the devil seized her. “Darling, you’d better not have coffee this late, or you won’t be able to sleep.” She moved so close to him, Angela had to step back. Haley then stood on tiptoes and kissed him full on the mouth. “Not that I want you to fall asleep right away.”
For a split second Rand acted stunned by her blatant invitation. Then his eyes darkened, and he drew her against him, slanting his lips across hers. White lightning. Haley always wondered about the expression. She felt dizzy, as if sparks were shooting from her toes through the top of her head. Rand made an inarticulate murmur and pulled her even closer.
“So is there any coffee, or isn’t there?” Angela’s icy voice broke the spell.
Damn. She’d forgotten all about Angela, forgotten she was just pretending to be in love with Rand, forgotten that Rand was also pretending. Every time the man touched her, she lit up like plastic explosives. If she wasn’t careful, this pretend stuff could become very real, and then where would she be? In love with a man who didn’t even like her all that much, that’s where.
They certainly had the chemistry thing down pat. It would be fairly easy to override her misgivings and let him make love to her. She couldn’t stand next to him without feeling the heat from their mutual attraction. And who knows how long it would last? He had warned her he wasn’t looking for another relationship—she’d just be an available body to help him forget Angela.
When it was over, she was sure to have a broken heart, and he’d probably just feel badly because he’d acted inappropriately. For her own peace of mind, she couldn’t let that happen. She knew she’d been sending Rand a different message, and now he was practically dragging her up the stairs to the bedroom.
Haley looked backed at Angela, staring up at them from the bottom of the stairs, a look of baffled outrage on her face. “There’s still some coffee in the kitchen, Angela. Have an éclair, too,” she called down to her, just as Rand pushed open his bedroom door and hauled her inside.
Chapter Six
As soon as they entered the room, Delphine opened her eyes and lifted her head from the center of Rand’s bed. She jumped up when she saw Haley and pranced back and forth, rumpling the bedspread before settling down once more on the little nest she’d made of the covers. Rand, who had been about to drag Haley into his arms, stopped cold and frowned. “What’s she doing on my bed? Get her out of here.”
Again Haley tried to explain Delphine’s sensitive nature, but Rand cut her off. “I don’t care if she’s on Prozac. She’s not staying here. I don’t like animals in the house, and I certainly won’t have one in my bedroom.”
“Fine. Where do you want us to sleep?”
He gave her an incredulous look. “Are you saying that if I don’t let the dog stay in this room, you won’t stay either?”
She tried reasoning again. “I told you, she has to be with someone when she’s depressed. I know it’s inconvenient, but it’s not like you’re allergic or anything. She can sleep on the floor if you really can’t stand her on the bed.”
“I won’t be manipulated like this. It’s blackmail. You have to stay in this room to convince Angela we’re getting married. And that dog belongs in the garage.”
“I am not blackmailing you,” Haley said, her voice thickening. He always believed the worst of her. “Delphine will howl all night if I lock her in the garage. No one will get any sleep.”
He limped closer, his jaw set. “She’s not staying in here with us.” His voice rose. “Do you understand?”
Suddenly Delphine growled and leaped off the bed to stand between them.
“Delphine is very protective, so don’t threaten
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