Kate Hoffmann - Sean

"She never loved you. Believe me. And believe this:

I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect her from scum like you."

"Hey, I can understand. You've got a mark here with a boatload of money. There aren't many pigeons as beautiful as Laurel Rand out there, waiting to be plucked. But remember who introduced you. The least you could do is spread the wealth."

"Would you like me to hit you now or would you like a running start?"

Eddie held up his hands. "You think about it. I don't want to make trouble. I just want my fair share of the pie." With that, he turned around and hopped into the Benz convertible that was parked in the drive. "Tell Laurel I'll be back."

Sean cursed softly. The last thing he-or Laurel-needed right now was another visit from Eddie Perkins. If he decided to cause trouble, then this whole charade would be over more quickly than either he or Laurel wanted. He turned and walked back into the house. Alistair stood in the middle of the doorway. "Who was at the door?"

"No one," Sean said. "Wrong address."

Alistair regarded him with a suspicious look, his eyebrow arched. "Are you and Miss Laurel ready for breakfast? I can put something out for you in the breakfast room. Perhaps an Irish breakfast?"

"We'll be down in fifteen minutes," Sean said. He took the stairs two at a time. When he slipped back into Laurel's room, he found her still curled up beneath the covers. He crawled across the bed and tugged at the comforter. "Laurel. Are you awake?"

"I am now," she murmured.

"Eddie was just here."

Laurel rubbed her eyes and sighed. "Eddie who?"

"Edward. The man you were supposed to marry."

The sleepy expression faded from her face as she sprung upright. "Eddie was here?"

"Don't worry. No one saw him. I answered the door and he was there. He says he wants to talk to you. He says he still loves you." Sean watched her face for a reaction. "Do you still love him?"

"No!" Laurel cried. "I told you, I never did."

"Then you were marrying him just for the money?"

She took a moment before she shrugged. "We were compatible. At least, I thought we were. I didn't realize he was a bigamist or a con man. And I needed to get married. What do you think he wants?"

"You. And your money," Sean said.

"He could cause problems. What if Sinclair finds out?"

"Maybe it's time to talk to your uncle. To tell him the truth. We can't keep this up forever. He's bound to find out."

She crawled out of bed and grabbed her robe, draping it over her naked body. His gaze fell to the spot where the front gaped open, revealing the soft swell of her breast, a breast he'd enjoyed just the previous night. "I-I don't want to tell him. Not now. Not yet."

"Eddie isn't going away. I know guys like him. He'll be back."

"I can deal with Edward," she said.

Sean cursed softly. "I don't want you to deal with him."

Laurel slowly turned and stared at him, her mouth agape. "I don't believe you just said that. You don't want me to deal with him? You sound just like a husband. You know, I've taken care of myself for seven years now and I've done a pretty good job."

Her mood had changed so quickly, he couldn't adjust. "Oh, right," Sean snapped. "You were about to marry a bigamist until he got arrested. Then you hired me to step in for the groom to help you scam your uncle out of five million."

Her jaw went tight and she crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "I am not trying to scam him."

Sean shrugged. "Then what are you doing, Laurel?"

"What I'm doing is none of your business. You're getting paid to do a job and to keep your mouth shut. If you can't do that, then maybe you ought to leave now." She stalked to the door and yanked it open, only to find Alistair waiting on the other side.

"Breakfast," he said in a cheery voice.

"I'm not hungry," Laurel muttered. She slipped past him, leaving the butler to gaze at Sean in confusion.

"A little tiff, I presume?" he asked.

Sean shook his head. "I don't know what I said. But she's definitely mad."

Alistair strolled into the room and placed the breakfast tray on the bed. "Would you care for a bit of advice?"

Sean moved to the edge of the bed and raked his hands through his hair. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Give Miss Laurel a few hours to cool down. She can be a very determined woman and when she has her mind set on something, she doesn't let anything get in her way, including her impulsive nature. Or a crusty old gentleman who cares more about his stamps than his niece. Or a handsome young man pretending to be her husband."

Sean smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Alistair." He picked up the silver cover on one of the plates and inhaled the scent of another Irish breakfast. "If I ever get rich, I'm going to hire a butler just like you. I don't know how I ever got along without you."

Alistair nodded, clearly pleased by the compliment. "Thank you, sir."

The sun was high in the sky and the weather warm. Laurel stood at the deep end of the pool and stared into the sparkling water, then sucked in a deep breath. She pushed off the edge and dove cleanly into the water, then stroked toward the shallow end. After two laps, she flipped over onto her back and stared up at the sky.

Her mind rewound to the argument she'd had with Sean earlier that morning. It had been so silly and petty. Maybe she'd been a little tired or felt a little vulnerable, but whatever had caused her response didn't matter. She'd sounded shrewish and ungrateful.

By day, she and Sean were supposed to act like husband and wife. But last night, they'd become lovers. And though she'd paid him for the former, she was getting the later free. If they were lovers, then he had every right to question her motives.

From the start, Laurel knew the growing intimacy they shared was dangerous. The moment he'd stepped into the shower, they'd tossed aside inhibition and hesitation and indulged in a passion that possessed them both. And though she barely knew Sean, she knew enough to want him above anything else.

When he'd looked into her eyes as they'd made love, she'd seen something there-a man she was fast falling in love with. He was passionate and completely irresistible. He was sweet and strong and dependable, the qualities most women would choose in a husband. But he was also flawed, holding himself at a distance when he felt vulnerable.

Laurel knew a troubled childhood had left him wary and distrustful. But when they were together, all of that fell away and he became everything she'd never known she'd wanted. She kicked to the other end of the pool, then braced her arms on the edge.

Caught in some strange limbo, she found herself pulled between a make-believe life that made her happy and a real life that was growing increasingly more complicated. Uncle Sinclair still hadn't mentioned her trust fund, even though, to his eyes, she and "Edward" had been married for more than two weeks.

Still, Laurel hadn't made a point of bringing up the subject herself. She knew as soon as Sinclair turned the money over to her, her time with Sean would come to an end. She didn't want it to be over yet. Perhaps he didn't have a place in her future, but, for now, she needed him in her present-and that was enough.

Laurel kicked beneath the water and sank to the bottom of the pool. When she looked up through the water, she saw a figure standing next to the pool. Sean had left earlier without saying a word to her. He'd told Alistair he'd probably be back for lunch, but Laurel hadn't wanted to question the butler further. Anxious to make amends with her make-believe husband, she pushed off from the bottom of the pool and broke the surface of the water.

But Alistair stood at the edge of the water, holding a stack of thick towels. "May I get you some lunch, Miss Laurel? It's past noon."