Debbie Macomber - The Manning Brides - Marriage of Inconvenience / Stand-In Wife

“Annoy you? I’ve been pacing the floor for the past three hours….”

“I would have phoned.”

“You brought a man home with you!” He made it sound as though that was grounds for divorce.

“Floyd’s an old friend.”

The kettle whistled, and Jamie hurried into the kitchen and turned off the burner, all thought of tea forgotten. The boiling water bubbled from the spout, nearly scalding her. Rich had followed, stalking into the room behind her.

“Apparently you don’t have a problem letting old friends take you out to dinner,” he accused her, his words inflamed with impatience.

Jamie gritted her teeth, biting back an angry retort. “He needed someone to talk to, someone who’d listen to his problems. You’re making it sound as though I did something underhanded. I was just being a friend.”

“You’re a married woman,” Rich bellowed. He slammed his fist on the counter. “ My wife. How do you think it makes me feel, knowing you chose to go out to dinner with another man instead of your own husband?”

“I didn’t choose Floyd over you! Good heavens, how was I supposed to know you wanted to take me to dinner? I’m not a mind reader.”

“If you’d come home after work the way you’re supposed to, you would have heard the first of my six messages.”

“That’s ridiculous! I can’t run my life according to your whims.” She’d managed to keep her temper intact, but she didn’t know how much longer her precarious hold would last.

“I thought you were different.” A spark of pain flashed in his eyes.

“What do you mean by that? ”

“I would’ve trusted you with my life, but you’re like every other woman I’ve ever known. The minute my back’s turned, you think nothing of seeing someone else.”

The emptiness in his voice cut at Jamie’s heart. “That’s so unfair.”

“We’re married, and even that didn’t make a difference.”

His eyes accused her of—what? Being unfaithful? That was completely irrational!

“This isn’t a real marriage and you know it,” she said heatedly. Her voice was shaking with the effort to keep from shouting. “You’re the one who insisted on the ceremony, but it was for convenience.”

“We’re married!”

“Maybe, but you have no right to storm into my home and insult my guests.”

“And you have no right to bring a man home with you.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Jamie couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. “Our marriage is in name only for … for obvious reasons.”

“We said our vows.”

“Don’t remind me.” The promises they’d made to each other continued to haunt her.

“Clearly someone has to.”

“Oh-h-h,” Jamie seethed. Tightening her fists at her sides, she exhaled sharply and resisted the urge to bang her cupboard doors to vent her frustration.

“Temper, temper.”

“I think you’d better leave before we say something we’ll regret.” Instinct had told her that getting married wouldn’t work, and she’d ignored it. Now she was suffering the consequences.

“Not on your life.”

“This is my home,” Jamie cried, quickly losing her grip on her rage. She’d never known Rich could be so unreasonable, so rude, so … impossible.

“You’re just like every other woman I’ve ever known,” Rich repeated in unflattering tones.

“And you’re just like every other man, so wrapped up in your own ego that it’d take a whack on the head with a two-by-four to see what’s right in front of your nose.”

“It wasn’t me who went out behind your back,” he shouted. He leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed his arms.

“Why do you care if I had dinner with a dozen men?” she demanded. “It never bothered you before!”

“We weren’t married before.”

“I’m not your possession,” she said. “You have no right, husband or not, to tell me who I can see and who I can’t.”

“The hell I don’t.”

Jamie squeezed her eyes shut. “I knew this wasn’t going to work … I told you it wouldn’t, but would you listen? Oh, no, you knew so much better.”

“I still do.”

Jamie couldn’t help it, she stamped her foot. She hadn’t done anything so childish since junior high. “Look at us,” she cried, her voice shaking with anger. “I’m … I’m not even pregnant yet and already we’re fighting. We’re going to ruin everything fighting over something so … stupid.”

“It isn’t stupid to me.”

“Floyd is just a friend. For heaven’s sake, he’s married!”

“So are you.”

“Why are you doing this?” she cried.

“All I’m asking is that you keep your part of the bargain and I’ll keep mine. That shouldn’t be so difficult.”

“Oh, right,” she said, walking around the table and leaning on the back of a chair. “There’s a lot more involved in this arrangement than I ever knew about or agreed to and—”

“Like what?”

“Like … like your caveman attitude toward me.”

“Caveman? Because I don’t want my wife dating another man—another married man?” He glared across the room at her. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I seem to remember a phrase or two in the wedding vows that state—”

“Don’t you dare.” Jamie pointed an accusing finger at his chest. “Don’t you dare ,” she repeated. “I never wanted to go through with the wedding, and you knew it. Using it against me now is the height of unfairness.”

“We’re married, Jamie, whether you like it or not.”

“I don’t like it, I hate it. I hate everything about it—this is the biggest mistake of my life.” Unable to bear any more arguing, she whirled around and covered her face with her hands. If there was any decency left in him, Rich Manning would go. He’d leave her alone.

Jamie’s nerves were raw, and the hair at the nape of her neck bristled as she heard Rich walk toward her. The clipped pace of his steps did nothing to reassure her.

“Did he kiss you?”

“No!” she shouted, furious that he’d ask such an outrageous question.

“Good, because I’m going to.” His hands moved over her shoulders, clasping them, holding her in place.

“No.” She made one weak protest, but she didn’t know who she was talking to, Rich or herself. He’d kissed her once, the day of their wedding, and it had obsessed her ever since. She couldn’t allow him to destroy her equilibrium again, destroy her peace of mind.

Although she resisted, Rich turned her around to face him. Jamie was on fire, and he’d barely touched her.

Rich took hold of her chin, his fingers firm, yet oddly gentle. Without another word, he bent down and covered her mouth with his own. Jamie knew she shouldn’t let him do this. Not in the heat of anger. Not when they were fighting. Not when his kiss would only create a need for more.

He tasted so good, so wonderful. It wasn’t fair . Nothing about this so-called marriage was fair.

He moved his mouth over hers, shaping her lips with his own until she moaned. It seemed to be what he was waiting for. The instant her lips parted, his tongue swept inside.

Shock waves vibrated through her at the small, ruthless movements of his tongue. Jamie could feel herself melting against him. The need continued to build within her, licking at her senses, growing hotter and stronger and fiercer….

Not satisfied with her lips alone, he kissed her eyes, her throat, until Jamie felt as if she was about to ignite.

A frightening excitement exploded inside her, going beyond mere pleasure and quickly advancing to a demand so intense there would be no turning back for either of them.