Read Online Wife for Hire by Christine Bell - Free Book Online

little elbow grease, true contentment could be achieved? Maybe a re-assessment of his own thoughts on choosing a partner was in order.
    Filing that away for later examination, he regarded Lindy through new eyes. Her funny, oddball charm camouflaged how together she really was in some aspects. He found himself not only enjoying her company immensely, but also respecting her ideas more with each passing hour.
    “And what’s the non-negotiable for you?”
    “I want a man whose face lights up when I walk into a room.”
    Sarabeth’s eyes went suspiciously soft for a second, the encouraging therapist-mask faltering. “Yeah,” she breathed. “That’s exactly it, isn’t it?”
    Something intangible passed between the women and Lindy nodded slowly. “Simple as that.”
    Right when he’d given her credit for being sensible she had to go and parade around some nonsense. “Not to burst your bubble, ladies, but that’s nothing more than drivel out of a romance novel. In real life, you give someone that kind of power you’re leaving yourself open to world of hurt. More than half of marriages don’t last, and of those that do, most probably aren’t happy ones. If your sun rises and sets on a person and they call it quits, where does that leave you?”
    The women exchanged a nervous look, but neither responded.
    “I’ll tell you where. Alone in the bloody dark.”

Chapter Six
    “That went well,” Lindy said, forcing as much enthusiasm as she could muster into her tone.
    “Did it?” Owen’s voice was deceptively soft and he closed their suite door behind him.
    Since early that afternoon, right about the time she’d suggested he was lame in bed, he’d been exuding an energy that had her so on edge, she could hardly stand it. Fortunately, after their session with Sarabeth, they’d been separated for some “me-time” workshops. One was geared toward the husbands, the other toward the wives. It had been a blessed reprieve. She’d hoped by the time they were alone again, the whole pissing match they’d gotten into in their therapy session would have blown over.
    No such luck.
    “Yeah. Especially the confidence-building session I was in with the other women. I think I made some good connections with a couple of the wives that I can start to mine over the next few days and see if they’ve been approached about investment opportunities or anything.” She shucked off her shoes and padded over the plush carpet to the bar for a seltzer, determined not to look at him.
    “I agree. The men were fairly talkative in mine as well, but I’m not interested in that right now. I’m much more interested in discussing our meeting with Sarabeth. You think that went well, Lindy?”
    She took a gulp of soda and set it on the bar. “It was our first consultation and all, so we have to work out some kinks.” She cringed at the word choice, recalling Owen’s “confession” about her “appetites” to Sarabeth. “Bu-ut, all in all, not bad. She definitely believed we were a couple, which is all that matters, right?”
    Owen held her gaze, advancing closer. “In a perfect world, yes.” He kept coming at her, with slow, purposeful steps.
    Her teeth chattered and she took a tentative step back. “Cool. So we’re all good here, then.” She held up two thumbs and wheeled around, heading for the bedroom. “I’m going to take a shower, probably a long one. Feel free to, you know, go somewhere or whatever,” she called over her shoulder.
    “Lindy?”
    She turned to find herself eye to chin with him and nearly jumped out of her skin. “What are you, like a vampire? How did you get over here so quick?” She clutched a hand over her galloping heart.
    “Never mind that. I think we need to have a little talk, hmm?”
    “About what?” She craned her head back to make eye contact and regretted it immediately. His eyes were hot, but not with the anger she’d expected. He looked partly amused, sort of…aroused? And entirely