Chapter Five #2
The words made her want to laugh, cry, and gulp at the same time. She was so out of her mind with panic that she couldn’t even tell he was joking or not. But since he had already stepped back to let her in, she reminded herself that things were different now—
Because I have You, God.
But since walking by faith, not by sight, was new to her, Andie’s heart still raced as she entered his room and heard the door close behind her with a soft click.
His bedroom was larger than her entire apartment.
Dark wood floors stretched toward walls painted in deep navy blue, the color of midnight skies just before they turn to black.
Heavy curtains framed windows that must have offered spectacular views in daylight, but now showed only the reflection of the room itself—and her, small and pale in her borrowed t-shirt, standing in the middle of a space that could swallow her whole.
A fireplace dominated one wall, gas flames dancing behind glass, casting flickering shadows across the ceiling.
The furniture was massive and masculine—a leather armchair by the fire, a dresser that looked like it belonged in a museum, bookshelves built into the walls and actually filled with books that showed signs of being read.
And the bed.
A massive bed that she absolutely refused to look at.
So she turned to face him instead.
Paul had moved closer while she’d been taking in the room, and now he stood only a few feet away, arms crossed over that chest she was trying very hard not to stare at.
“I’ve made my decision,” she blurted out.
He inclined his head, and...she supposed that meant she should continue speaking. Right? Or no? Why couldn’t he just answer her with words? Or maybe he had changed his mind, and what he really meant—
Stop panicking, Andie!
“I’ll do it!” The words tumbled out of her lips in a nervous rush.
His gaze narrowed, and Andie bit her lip. How would she now tell him—
“There’s a but, isn’t there?”
His intuition left her feeling torn. Was it good or bad that he found it so easy to read her mind?
“I...want to know how you feel about my aunt. Because if you two had an under—”
“Her husband was my mentor,” Paul interrupted her coolly, “and she was a good wife to him. If not for those two things, I would rather not have anything to do with her.”
Oh.
That was...not what she’d expected. She’d braced herself for some declaration of lingering feelings, some complicated history that would make this whole situation even messier than it already was.
Instead, she got dismissal.
Complete and utter dismissal of Joyce Bernard as anything other than a social obligation.
“Then is it alright if I call her—”
“If you let her know about us, she’ll fly back immediately.”
Right.
Joyce would not take kindly to discovering that her plain little niece had somehow captured the attention of the man she wanted for herself. However—
“You won’t have to lie to her if you don’t answer her calls. Matters like this are best discussed in person, don’t you agree?”
Andie could only look at him, wide-eyed. Was this how he was as a litigator? Not only had he correctly guessed her misgivings, but he was also terribly good at convincing her to see things his way.
“Is there anything else?” Paul asked.
Oh, right.
There was one last thing, but...
“There is,” she confessed awkwardly, “but it’s a pretty big one.”
“I’m sure it’s not—”
“I want you to marry me.”
Paul ended up choking, and she looked at him in concern. “Are you okay?”
“You...”
She looked at him hopefully.
“You...”
Was he about to say ‘yes’?
“You’ll need to give me a really good reason for that.”
Oh.
Right.
Fair enough.
She looked at him apologetically. “I can’t act like I’m in love with you if I’m not your wife.”
He stared at her.
She stared back.
The fire crackled softly in its glass enclosure. Somewhere in the house, a clock chimed—eleven, she counted, each note low and sonorous.
“Is that one of your non-negotiables?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Should she explain how the Bible in his room was the reason she had a change of heart, and—
“I see.”
Never mind.
“I know this makes me sound like a gold digger—”
“It does.”
Andie choked back a laugh. At least he was being honest, and since she truly did appreciate he was so—
“I’m totally okay with signing any kind of prenup if that can help ease your concerns. An NDA, too, and maybe also a preemptive TRO—”
“Since when did you become fluent in legalese?”
“Sorry.” A sheepish smile touched her lips. “I like to offer suggestions when I’m nervous. And, um, in case you also want some character references—”
He held one hand up, and Andie fell silent.
“If I agree to your terms—”
Relief flooded her being, but Andie refused to let herself dwell on this.
Paul had moved closer still. Close enough now that she could feel the heat radiating from his body, could see the individual lashes framing those devastating gray eyes. The firelight caught the copper in his hair, turning him into something almost otherworldly.
An angel, she thought again.
Or a devil.
She still couldn’t decide which.
“Can I take you to bed tonight—”
Andie’s jaw dropped.
“—and marry you tomorrow?”