Barbara Hannay - One Winter Wedding

“That’s your unbiased opinion?”

“Yeah, it is,” he agreed. “And not one your aunt and uncle are gonna listen to.”

“Can you blame them?” Kelsey demanded.

No, and that was the hell of it. Connor knew he was the only one to blame. He knew what the Wilsons thought of him and he knew why. He could still see the look in Gordon Wilson’s eyes when he offered Connor money to break up with Emily. Not a hint of doubt flashed in the older man’s gaze. He’d been so sure Connor—a dirt-poor loser from the wrong side of town—would take the money.

Connor had longed to shove the money and his fist into the smug SOB’s face. But he hadn’t. He couldn’t. And the pride he’d had to swallow that day still lingered, a bitter taste on his tongue.

He’d let Emily down, although from what he’d gathered during their recent conversations, she didn’t know anything about the payoff. She thought their breakup had been her idea…just as she thought marrying Todd Dunworthy was her idea. But Connor knew better, and this time he wasn’t going to be bought off.

“The Wilsons aren’t going to listen to anything I have to say,” he acknowledged. “That’s where you come in.”

Kelsey frowned. “I am a Wilson.”

He hadn’t forgotten…exactly. “You’re different.”

Drawing herself up to her five-foot-nothing height, shoulders so straight Connor thought they just might snap, Kelsey said, “Right. Different.” Hurt flashed in her chocolate-brown eyes as if he’d just insulted her, when nothing could be further from the truth.

“Hey, wait a minute.” Pulling her into a nearby alcove, out of the way of nearby guests, Connor insisted, “That was not a put-down. Your aunt and uncle turned their noses up so high when they met me, if it rained, they would have drowned. I was trailer trash, and no way was I good enough for their little girl. So when I say you’re nothing like them, you can say ‘thank you,’ because it’s a compliment.”

There were a dozen words he could have said, compliments he could have used, but the stubborn tilt of Kelsey’s chin told him she wouldn’t have listened to a single one. Someone—her family, some guy from her past—had done a number on her.

No, words wouldn’t do it, but actions…How far would he have to go to show Kelsey how attractive he found her? A touch? A kiss? The undeniable proof of his body pressed tight to hers?

“In case you’ve forgotten,” Kelsey pointed out, her voice husky enough to let him know she’d picked up on some of his thoughts and wasn’t as immune as she’d like him to believe, “according to my aunt and uncle you kidnapped their daughter.”

“It was not kidnapping,” he argued, though he’d had a hell of a time convincing the police. Fortunately Emily had backed his story, insisting that she’d left willingly. Eventually the charges had been dropped; Emily had been eighteen and legally an adult, able to make her own choices. Not that her parents had seen it that way. “But that’s my point. Your aunt and uncle won’t listen to anything I have to say. Which is where you come in.”

“Me?”

“Right. We’ll be partners.”

“Partners?”

“Sure. After all, we’re on the same side.”

“Are you crazy? We are not on the same side!” Kelsey argued.

“I want Emily to be happy,” he interjected, shaking her thoughts as easily as his sexy grin weakened her composure. “What do you want?”

Challenge rose in the lift of his eyebrow, but Kelsey couldn’t see a way out. The trap was set, and all she could do was jump in with both feet. “Of course I want her to be happy.”

“That’s what I thought. Kelsey, this guy won’t make her happy. He’s not what he seems, and I want to prove it. The Wilsons won’t believe me, but with you to back me up, they’ll have to at least listen.”

Kelsey longed to refuse. She didn’t trust him. Not for a second. Oh, sure, his story sounded good, but finding dirt on Todd wasn’t just a matter of looking out for Emily—it played perfectly into Connor’s interests, as well.

If Connor did find some deep, dark secret to convince Emily to call off the wedding, not only would he be the hero who saved her from a horrible marriage, he’d also be there to help pick up the pieces. But if Connor couldn’t find anything in Todd’s past, what was to keep him from making something up? Working together, he wouldn’t be able to lie. Not to mention, he’d given her a way to keep an eye on him.

Connor held out his hand. “Deal?”

Sighing, she reached out. “Deal.”

Connor’s lean fingers closed around her hand. Heat shot up her arm, and a warm shiver shook her whole body. Like stepping from ice-cold air-conditioning into the warmth of a sunny day.

“All right, partner.”

“Not so fast.” She hadn’t lived with her businessman uncle for as long as she had without learning a thing or two about negotiation. “You might want to hear my terms first.”

“Terms?”

Kelsey nodded. As long as Connor thought he needed her, maybe she could get a few concessions.

Instead of balking, Connor grinned. “Let’s hear ’em.”

“First, we’re equal partners. I want to be in on this every step of the way. No hearing about anything you’ve found on Todd after the fact.”

“No problem. From this point on, we’re joined at the hip. ’Course, that will make for some interesting sleeping arrangements.”

“Second, this is strictly business,” Kelsey interrupted, as if cutting off his words might somehow short-circuit the thoughts in her head. But they were already there: sexy, seductive images of hot kisses and naked limbs slipping through satin sheets in her mind. She could only hope Connor couldn’t read them so clearly by the heat coloring her face.

“And third?”

“Thi-third,” she said, clearing her throat, “you stay away from Emily. If we get any dirt on Todd, I’ll break the news to her. Until then, I don’t want you filling her head with your ‘bad feelings.’”

Expecting an argument, Kelsey was surprised when Connor nodded. “I’ll keep my distance.”

“Okay, then, we’re partners.” She should have experienced a moment of triumph, but all Kelsey could think was that she’d just made a deal with the devil.

Certainly, when Connor smiled, he looked like sheer temptation.

“Got to hand it to you, Kelsey, you’re one hell of a negotiator. Two outta three ain’t bad.”

It wasn’t until Connor strode away that Kelsey realized he’d never agreed to her second condition.

As Kelsey stepped into the florist shop the next morning, cool, floral-scented air washed over her. She breathed deeply, enjoying the feeling of a refreshing spa treatment without the outrageous prices. She wasn’t a big believer in aromatherapy, but the stress of dealing with Connor might drive her to alternative measures. Anything to stop her pulse from jumping each time she saw him—and to keep her hormones under wraps and in control for the next ten days.

Why couldn’t life be easy? Why couldn’t she plan an elegant, trouble-free wedding? The kind where the biggest worry was the ice sculpture melting too quickly in the summer heat. Instead, she got Connor McClane, a man guaranteed to make women melt with nothing more than a look.

“Kelsey! Thanks so much for coming!” Lisa Remming, Kelsey’s friend and the owner of In Bloom, circled the checkout counter to greet her with a hug. As always, Lisa dressed in clothes inspired by her favorite flower—bird of paradise. Her long brown hair and blue eyes were complemented by a sleeveless fiery-orange blouse and swirling olivegreen skirt. “I feel so bad for calling you.”