Rent a Millionaire Groom

by Judy Christenberry

  Elise looked at the man. “A client? James brings clients?”

  Her back was to the steps at the end of the row, so she wasn’t aware James had returned until he answered her question.

  “Sometimes I help out. Hey, Smitty, what do you think of the game so far?”

  “It’s a good one,” the man said, “but not as good as the game you’ve got going.” He nodded at Elise and grinned.

  “Don’t embarrass my—my lady friend,” James said with a laugh. He handed Elise a bag of popcorn and her drink, and sat down beside her, letting Bill pass over to his seat.

  “That was fast,” she muttered. Now she was faced with eating the popcorn she didn’t want.

  “Short lines. Eat up, Elise. I know you must be starving.” He shot her a teasing look that told her he knew she wasn’t hungry.

  Just to show him, she put a handful of popcorn in her mouth and chewed determinedly, ignoring his friendliness. She was trying to keep her heart as cold toward James as the ice in front of her.

  But he was a master at melting it.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Elise approached Thursday with dread.

  It wasn’t her sister’s wedding. Or the trip to Flagstaff. Or missing a day at the university. She’d arranged for one of her colleagues to cover her classes.

  It was James.

  She was torn apart by the fear of spending more time with him, and mourning the end of their whatever-they-had-going-on between them. Tuesday night she’d spent so much time trying to resist his charm that she’d scarcely been aware of the action on the ice.

  Or the action beside them. Frannie appeared to have made inroads against Bill’s resistance. They’d snuggled together, whispering to each other.

  Elise didn’t hang around at the end to see if all that closeness resulted in a sweet good-night, either. She had to escape James’s presence as soon as possible.

  The man was lethal!

  They’d spoken briefly on the phone Wednesday night, setting a time for their departure. James had wanted to continue to chat, but Elise had claimed an emergency and hung up. It was pitiful when a man could draw such a response when she could neither see nor smell him, only hear his voice.

  That deep, silky voice that inspired incredible dreams.

  Now she was all packed, waiting for the last hurrah. Three days with James. Surrounded by her family.

  It seemed to her that they should take her car because the drive to Flagstaff included long miles with no habitation in sight. If they broke down out there, it might take a while before any help arrived. Even with her cell phone.

  James, however, said he’d already thought of that and had promised to provide a safe vehicle.

  She also hoped he’d listened to the weather reports. Arizona had an amazing diversity of weather. Flagstaff was only two or three hours from Phoenix, yet it was mid-seventies in Phoenix today, but there was a cold front in Flagstaff that might bring snow. The ski area just north of Flagstaff was celebrating. Elise suspected her sister Sharon was not.

  Mentally reviewing the contents of her suitcase, she was startled by the knock on her door. She checked her watch and realized it was probably James. Drawing a deep breath, she answered.

  “Ready?” James asked, that warm smile of his firmly in place.

  Why couldn’t he be grumpy and disagreeable at least some of the time? He’d shown patience, concern, a sense of humor, interest, support… She could go on naming his good qualities forever. The only fault she’d found was his concealing his relationship with Sandra.

  Of course, that was a major fault—one she couldn’t forgive. Maybe she should be grateful for that fault because it kept her from making a fool of herself.

  “Yes.” She turned to pick up her suitcase, but James grabbed it first.

  “I’ve got it.” He lifted the bag, then cocked his eyebrow at her. “You packed heavy.”

  She avoided his eyes, those blue eyes with little smile lines. “There’re a lot of changes needed for this event. And I brought warm clothes. Did you hear the weather report?”

  “Yeah. Looks like we might have a little winter.”

  “Will your car—? I mean, it might snow on the way. Do you have good tires?”

  “Yeah, brand-new ones. I borrowed a friend’s new SUV. After riding in Bill’s, I decided I like that kind of vehicle.”

  “Doesn’t your friend mind? We’ll be putting a lot of miles on it,” she asked, walking to the stairs, carrying a coat over her arm.

  “No, he won’t mind,” James assured her, his voice cheerful.

  It seemed a bit excessive to borrow a friend’s new car for such a trip, but she knew from experience that James could charm anyone into anything. And what a favor! With her first glimpse of the vehicle, she loved it. It was dark green, with silver-gray leather seats and every amenity one could wish for.

  “Wow! This is incredible. And very expensive. I hope you have good insurance in case anything happens.”

  He laughed as he helped her in. “Don’t go wishing disasters on us, Elise. We’ll be fine.”

  Which didn’t answer her question. What if she was responsible for any damages? She had a healthy savings account, but not enough to pay for one of these babies. But as James had said, she shouldn’t borrow trouble.

  Once they left Phoenix, the land was barren. Cacti-covered rolling hills led to small mountains, and signs indicated the altitude as the road began climbing.

  “I haven’t made this trip in a while,” James said.

  “Phoebe, Daisy and I went skiing outside Flagstaff in January for the weekend.”

  “Sounds like fun. I haven’t stopped to enjoy life in a while. Thanks to you, I’m doing that again.” Another warm smile.

  “Thanks to me? I haven’t done anything,” she protested.

  He continued to smile but didn’t argue with her. “Maybe we can try skiing this weekend.”

  She shook her head. “I’m afraid my sister has the entire time mapped out for me. You may have some free time tomorrow morning while we have the bridal luncheon, if you want to go by yourself, but I won’t be able to.”

  “I assume we have the rehearsal dinner tomorrow night?”

  “Yes. And one of my aunts is hosting a party this evening, right after we get there. It will be casual. Then the wedding is actually at eleven Saturday morning, followed by a luncheon and afternoon reception.”

  “Are we staying Saturday night?”

  “Yes, I thought I told you that. Mom and Dad were concerned about everyone drinking champagne and driving, so they asked everyone to stay. They’ve even planned a brunch for Sunday before we all head home.”

  “Wow, that’s some wedding. Expensive, too.”

  “Yes, but his parents are contributing to it, and all of us kids are adding a little. Whatever we can. My brother Chance is the most successful, of course. He’s been wonderfully generous to all of us through the years.”

  James shot her a grin. “That’s what big brothers are for.”

  “You have an older brother, too, don’t you?”

  He nodded, but seemed uninterested in talking about his family.

  They’d been traveling about half an hour. “I think the air is getting colder. Need the heater on?”

  Startled, she pressed her hand against the window. It was definitely cold. “Not yet. I’m comfortable.”

  He leaned forward and turned on the radio.

  Elise took the hint. She didn’t want to talk to him, anyway, she assured herself. It kept her too focused on him. She leaned her head against the headrest and closed her eyes.

  JAMES WATCHED Elise out of the corner of his eye, wanting to reach out and touch her. He’d kept his distance from the time he’d knocked on her door. Tuesday night, she’d made it clear that she was still angry with him.

  He longed to explain everything, to wipe the slate clean and begin again, as James Dillon, advertising executive, successful man-about-town, sought after, popular. Instead, sh
e saw him as an out-of-work actor. He suspected she was still harping on Sandra, too.

  Her touch-me-not attitude was driving him crazy. He dreamed of her at night. Hot, steamy dreams that left him dissatisfied when he awoke.

  He hoped their hotel rooms were on opposite sides of the hotel. Maybe his would be next door to her parents. That would help him to keep his hands off her. He didn’t want to do something with her she’d regret when she knew the truth about him.

  But he had to get through the weekend first. It wouldn’t be fair to tell her now, before their appearance in Flagstaff, when she might feel compelled to dismiss him before he did his job.

  That noble thought almost made him laugh at himself. He didn’t want to tell her the truth because he might lose her. And keeping Elise in his life had become the most important thing in the world to him. He had bought the SUV to please her…and himself. He could imagine all kinds of activities for the two of them where the vehicle would be better than the Mercedes.

  Not that he was prepared to offer marriage. Not at this point. They’d hardly spent any time together alone. They should get to know each other better, he reasoned. But if she wouldn’t speak to him after he came clean, it was going to be impossible to move their relationship to the next level.

  After driving silently for some time, he realized she’d dozed off. Maybe she wasn’t sleeping any better than he was these days. For the same reason? Could she be dreaming of making love to him? If so, he’d like to make her dreams come true.

  He took one hand off the steering wheel and felt the box that he’d hidden in his sports coat pocket. She’d forgotten that little prop for their play. But he hadn’t.

  About forty-five minutes before they reached Flagstaff, he found a scenic overview looking across the mountains, pulled his vehicle into the side road and parked. The change of motion woke Elise.

  “Are we there?” she asked, her green eyes dazed. “I’m sorry I fell asleep.”

  “That’s not a problem. But we’re not there yet.”

  “Then why are we stopping? Is something wrong with the car?” she asked, stress creeping into her sleepy voice.

  “No, everything’s fine. But I have something for you and I thought I should give it to you before we get to the hotel.” He watched her carefully, but she didn’t look enthusiastic.

  “James, you shouldn’t have gotten me anything. Your expense account isn’t unlimited, you know,” she fussed.

  He stiffened. It was hard to remember he was supposed to have no money. “This isn’t going on the expense account. You can give it back afterwards, if you want.” Any hope for a romantic moment had disappeared. Instead, he was angry with her for bringing up the money.

  Reaching into his pocket, he drew out the soft gray velvet box and opened it.

  The ring was special, exactly what he would choose for Elise if he were really getting engaged to her. Instead of the traditional all-diamond ring, he’d chosen a large square-cut emerald with baguettes of diamonds in descending size on each side.

  Elise gasped, staring at the ring, making no attempt to take it from its box.

  “Don’t you like it?” he snapped. It would be the final straw if she hated his choice.

  “Like it? It’s—it’s spectacular. I’ve never seen such a beautiful ring. It can’t be real!”

  “Of course, it’s real! I’d never offer someone a fake ring. That would be—” He broke off. He hadn’t considered the cost of the ring. That hadn’t been important to him. But he could tell it was going to be a problem for Elise.

  “But, James, it must’ve cost at least ten thousand dollars,” Elise pointed out.

  Her gaze never left the ring, and the awed look on her face satisfied James. He’d chosen well. Of course, she was a little off on the cost. Triple her estimate and she’d be a lot closer.

  Since she wasn’t going to do so, he took the sparkling ring out of its box and reached for her finger.

  She yanked it back. “No!”

  “What do you mean, no? You like it. We need a ring for our story. What’s the problem?”

  “I can’t accept that from you.” Her voice was firm, with only a slight quiver in it, and she turned away from the ring to stare out the window.

  “Don’t we need an engagement ring?” he asked, trying to be reasonable.

  “It would’ve been nice, but I didn’t think about it. We’ll tell them we haven’t gotten around to buying a ring yet. Now, let’s go before we’re late.”

  “Elise, you’re being difficult. I have a ring. If you don’t like it, we’ll change it when we get back to Phoenix, but you—”

  “When we get back to Phoenix, there won’t be a need for a ring, remember?”

  “Are you sure? What if you decide to let the engagement stand for a couple of months. Your sisters would ask what happened to your ring.”

  “That’s why it’s best not to have a ring. They’ll think you’re a terrible fiancé if you never buy me a ring.”

  “Well, I don’t want them to think I’m a terrible fiancé,” he said with a growl. He didn’t like playing the villain. “Look, just wear the ring. We’ll tell them it’s my mother’s, and you can give it back in a couple of months.”

  ELISE CAUGHT HER BREATH as he slid the stunning ring on her finger. It was a mistake to let him put it there, because she knew she was going to love it. She knew she’d never want to give it back. But—

  A sudden, horrible thought struck her. “Is this Sandra’s ring?”

  He stared at her as if he couldn’t believe her question.

  “What?”

  “Is this Sandra’s engagement ring?”

  “They’re not engaged yet!” he snapped. “And I would never give you someone else’s ring.”

  “Who is they?” Sandra had another lover? After all the time she’d worried about the young woman and James’s feelings for her?

  “Uh, my roommate. I tried to explain when she called the other night, but you wouldn’t let me.”

  “Then why didn’t she take the roommate to the party?”

  “He had a prior commitment.”

  He shifted his gaze, and Elise, while she wanted to believe him, wondered if he could be lying. “James, please don’t lie to me. You and Sandra—”

  “There is no ‘me and Sandra.’ I have no romantic feelings for her and never have.”

  “But I think she does for you,” she murmured softly. “The picture—”

  “She was thinking about my roommate, I promise.” This time he stared her directly in the eye, his voice sure and firm.

  Elise’s gaze fell back to the ring. “Is this really your mother’s?”

  “No. But it makes a good story.”

  “How could you afford it?”

  “I got a bargain. And I made a down payment. I’ll pay it out,” he added with a shrug.

  “For the next twenty years, I think,” she whispered, still staring at the ring. “It’s exquisite, James. I love it. But I’ll take over the payments, I promise.”

  Suddenly he leaned closer and covered her lips with his. She still wore her seat belt, so their bodies remained separated, but his lips alone were enough to waft her away to the dreams she had each night.

  When he finally lifted his mouth, after several drugging kisses, he said, his voice husky, “I’m glad you like it.”

  “I love it,” she corrected, leaning forward to offer him her lips again. “It’s unique and beautiful.”

  “I didn’t know if you’d like a colored stone, but it reminded me so much of your beautiful eyes,” he whispered before he kissed her again.

  After several more minutes, he whispered, “Either take off your seat belt and let me hold you, or we’d better stop. I can’t take much more without—”

  “W-we’d better go on. I’ll need to shower and change before the party this evening.” She didn’t want to stop. But in spite of his promises about Sandra, she still didn’t believe they had a future. She’d be foolish to thi
nk they did when she was paying him for his performance.

  He put the car in gear and pulled back onto the highway.

  “By the way, the check I gave you hasn’t cleared. You did deposit it, didn’t you?” She’d balanced her bank statement the night before.

  “Uh, yeah, I believe so. Sometimes my bank is slow. It probably got held up somewhere along the way. It’ll be in the next statement.”

  “Okay,” she muttered, staring again at her ring, turning her finger one way and then the other to see how the sunlight reflected off the emerald and surrounding diamonds. “It’s so beautiful.”

  James’s smile was his special one, and had the same effect as his special kisses. She seemed particularly susceptible to both of them.

  She looked up to smile back and caught a glimpse of something outside the truck window. “Uh-oh.”

  “What?”

  “It’s begun to snow. Look.”

  “Those are light flakes. Maybe it won’t even stick,” he suggested. “The ski area is higher than Flagstaff.”

  “Maybe so. Besides, all the activities are in the hotel except for the rehearsal and the wedding. But Flagstaff might be crowded if the skiing crowd shows up.”

  “But your sister made reservations. They’ll hold the rooms,” he assured her.

  She certainly hoped so. After those intoxicating kisses, she knew she couldn’t be in such close contact with James anymore. She crossed her fingers that their rooms would be far, far apart.

  By the time they reached Flagstaff, the snowflakes were flying fast and furiously. They’d had to slow their pace because the streets began to get slick.

  James pulled into the hotel parking lot with a sigh. “Glad we made it. I don’t think the storm is slacking off at all. Put your coat on.”

  “Yes. I’m glad I packed several sweaters.”

  “You make a run for the hotel. I’ll grab the bags.”

  “I could help you,” she suggested, knowing her own bag was heavy.

  “Nope,” he ordered, leaning over to give her another quick kiss. “I’ll get them. Don’t slip on the snow.” Then he jumped out into the storm.