The Wedding Must Go On by Robyn Grady Read Free Book Online

their first girl child after you. If not—’ his smile softened ‘—she’ll understand. That’s what friends do.’
    Slowly, Roxy set her napkin down. ‘You’d really commit to walking me down the aisle in that dress?’
    ‘It’s for a good cause. Besides there’s such a thing as annulment.’ His laugh was a little too quick. ‘We’re not talking for real here, Roxy, just a means to an end. We both agreed. Neither of us is after that kind of commitment.’
    She blinked and felt her cheeks go horribly warm. Well, of course that was what he’d meant. This proposition was simply another of his angles to get to where he wanted to go.
    ‘Was that a yes?’ he asked.
    She held her brow. She hadn’t said that. She
couldn’t
agree. ‘That’s too wild of an idea.’
    ‘Way I see it, for you it’s a safe bet.’
    Roxy looked down at her placemat and that big striped cat flashed a challenging grin. Was she like that tiger? Powerful, passionate?
Reckless?
Nate had already said it wouldn’t be a
real
wedding … if Marla and Greg didn’t make up and it even came to that. One part of her wasshouting,
Do it! He’s right. What have you got to lose?
Another part was shuddering, warning her,
Don’t be an idiot. This can only blow up in your face
.
    Roxy gnawed her lower lip, shifted in her seat. ‘I don’t know.’
    ‘No decision should be made on an empty stomach. Let’s order and discuss it later. After all—’ looking more commanding and handsome than ever, Nate swept up his menu ‘—we have all night.’
    Below that ceiling of lanterns an hour later, Nate slid the leather bill folder the waiter had dropped off over to his side of the table. ‘I’ll get this.’
    The wallet hadn’t left his back pocket before Roxy swept the folder over to her side.
    ‘We’re going Dutch,’ she said, curling hair behind an ear as she concentrated to study the bill.
    ‘I never let a woman pay.’
    When he swept the folder back, she sent a dry look that only made her green eyes sparkle beneath the lighting’s soft glow all the more. ‘Nate, don’t argue.’
    ‘Going Dutch wasn’t the way I was brought up.’
    ‘As old-fashioned as it might sound, if you’d invited me to dinner for other reasons, I’d let you get the tab. But this is not a date.’
    Her tone said,
As long as I have breath in my body, nor will there ever be a date
.
    She reached again. He caught her hand. The contact of his skin touching hers sent a surge of blood rushing through his veins. Low down, he came alive and the part of him that was plugged into ‘me caveman’ throbbed and demanded an audience. The rush of testosterone was natural, uncomplicated. Its intent was also out of the question.
    Throughout the evening, and what had turned into asmall banquet, they’d discussed the Outback and had also digressed into travels abroad, ending on federal politics, usually a subject he avoided. People had their own opinion and sometimes a comment could turn into an overly heated, less than pleasant discussion. But he and Roxy shared similar views there too. At one point, he was so engrossed in their discussion regarding new tax implications on fledgling businesses, he forgot the reason they’d met tonight—to sort out their friends’ situation. He was sure Roxy had forgotten she was supposed to disapprove of him, which boded well for getting her on board with his plan.
    But, Lord above, he should never have touched her. The feel of her hand only made him want to touch more. From the alarm in her wide eyes, Roxy felt the same heat and uncertainty too. Then she did something he couldn’t. Her shoulders easing back, she siphoned down a breath and dragged her hand out from beneath his.
    ‘Guess we got sidetracked,’ she murmured.
    Try as he might, he couldn’t take his gaze from her lips. ‘Guess we did.’
    ‘Thing is, to get back to it, if I agreed to this Outback plan of yours, Marla would either love me for ever or never talk to me again.