Her Fantasy Husband (Things to Do Before You Die)

by Nina Croft

  His mother had left him with a deep desire for order—he wanted his relationships nice and tidy and one at a time. And while the marriage might not be real, he needed it cleared up before he could comfortably move on.

  So he’d have to persuade Lexi.

  Because he wasn’t waiting six months.

  No, any chance of waiting a single month, let alone six, had disappeared as soon as her mouth had touched his.

  Something had happened with that kiss, as if his body had woken from a long sleep. Now it was wide awake, and he couldn’t stop thinking about sex.

  More worrying, he couldn’t get the memory of Lexi in his arms out of his head. Which was very inconvenient, because while he wanted sex, he most certainly did not want married sex. That would make him truly married, and that was never going to happen. Ever.

  There was a car in front of them, and they stopped for a moment. She fidgeted with a loose strand of hair then turned to him. “Do I look okay?” she asked.

  He studied her, head cocked to the side. She wore a wrap-around black dress that molded her curves and showed off her cleavage, black stockings, and high-heeled black pumps. Her hair was up in some sort of knot on the top of her head, exposing her slender throat. She was beautiful, and for a moment, he couldn’t drag his eyes from her.

  She squirmed under his scrutiny, biting her lip.

  “You have lipstick on your teeth,” he said.

  “I do?”

  He nodded. “There are tissues in the glove box.”

  She pressed open the door and stared. “Oh.”

  He followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow.

  “You have a whole box of condoms in your car.”

  “They were a present.” Logan had given them to him, saying that if Josh was going to get laid, he needed to be prepared—hence the condoms.

  She reached past them tentatively, as though she might catch something from touching the box. She really was amazingly naive. For a married woman. For the first time, he wondered what she’d been doing for sex all these years. Had she had boyfriends?

  She grabbed a tissue and wiped off the lipstick, then bared her teeth at him. “Okay?”

  He nodded, and looked down over the rest of her, lingering on the deep V of her cleavage, then lower. He stretched out a hand and touched one finger to the run in her pantyhose, where he could see her creamy skin through the tear.

  “You have a run. I don’t suppose you have a spare pair.”

  “Not a chance. I’m never that organized. I’ll just have to do.”

  His hand was still on her knee, and his finger moved without his conscious thought, stroking up her thigh, pushing her skirt out of the way.

  A horn blared behind them, and he snatched his hand back.

  What the hell?

  He moved the car forward and switched off the engine. “Let’s get this over with.” He knew his tone was harsh as she gave a little flinch. She didn’t wait for him, just scrambled out of the car and stood, foot tapping nervously on the pavement. After getting out, he handed the keys to the valet, came around, and stood beside her.

  She appeared a little distant. “Just girding my loins,” she muttered. “Come on.”

  “You’re really nervous about this?” They crossed the reception area. He’d never been to the Ritz before. It wasn’t his sort of place even after he had the money to pay the prices.

  “Yes. I don’t want you to think I’m a wimp or anything. Usually I’m pretty tough. But it’s hard to undo the conditioning you receive when you’re young. I grew up disappointing my grandmother at every turn. For years I tried to be the sort of person she wanted me to be—I think we all need to impress the ones we feel we should love, however little they seem to appreciate the effort.”

  It occurred to him how that could be applied to his own upbringing as well. He’d done his best to please his mother. She’d never really cared. Lexi halted to speak to the hostess and then followed her across the restaurant. The place screamed elitism with the clink of crystal and the low murmur of polite conversation. The atmosphere put his back up, and his feet slowed. Then Lexi’s warm hand slid into his and pulled him along. She gave him a small smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll look after you.”

  He almost stopped as shock side-swiped him. No one had ever offered to look after him before. He knew she was joking, but all the same, the words twisted something deep inside him.

  He’d looked after himself from the moment he could walk, and looked after his mother much of the time. Then after Evie had been born, he’d taken care of her as well. It had never occurred to him to ask for help. Now he didn’t ask or expect it.

  Lexi squeezed his hand, and he realized they’d arrived at the table. Four people were seated around it with two empty places. Lexi’s grandmother was as perfectly presented as he remembered. Next to her sat a man who appeared considerably younger. With gray eyes and immaculately cut blond hair, he radiated an air of privilege. But his expression was amiable enough. He’d stood up as they approached, and now he came around the table.

  “Lexi, sweetheart.” He clasped her in a hug. Josh tried to read their body language, but he guessed these people had perfected the art of hiding any natural feelings. The hug went on way too long. Lexi was smiling politely as she stepped back, but a tenseness in her expression suggested she wasn’t entirely happy with the embrace.

  “Daniel.” She gave him a brief nod and took a step toward Josh. “And this is Josh, my husband.”

  He stepped forward and held out his hand. Daniel looked at it for a moment and then took it in his own. His palm was soft and warm, and Josh had to resist the urge to wipe his own down his pants leg afterward. Something about the man put him on edge.

  “And this is Daniel’s son, Harry, and his daughter, Melissa.”

  They didn’t get up, and Josh just nodded in their direction. Both were clones of their father—tall, slender, blond. Melissa was quite beautiful, and the smile she sent him made it clear she thought he was okay as well. The smile faded as she looked at Lexi and gave a brief tip of her head.

  From the age of seventeen he’d considered himself to have no family. Now he could see that that perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Lexi’s family had all the warmth of a night at the North Pole. He held the chair next to Harry out for her, and she sat down and glanced up at him, biting her lip.

  He took the only other free seat between Lexi’s grandmother and Melissa. He immediately caught the attention of a passing waiter and ordered himself a beer and a scotch for Lexi. He had a feeling she was going to need it.

  So he was stupid. He decided to go for the strong, silent, stupid type.

  Lexi was making small talk with Harry and Daniel, asking about New York. Harry, apparently, had still to decide where his true talents lay—another way of saying out of a job and no doubt sponging off Daddy. Daniel obviously owned some sort of gallery and Melissa worked for him.

  The waiter brought their drinks, and he raised his glass to Lexi and took a gulp of icy cold beer.

  They ordered, and he sat back and willed the evening to be over.

  “So, Joshua, tell us about yourself.” Melissa turned in her seat. “I can’t believe Lexi hasn’t introduced us before now. Keeping you all to herself. How selfish.”

  He shrugged. “Not much to tell.”

  “How did you meet?”

  “Lexi’s godfather introduced us.”

  Her grandmother’s gaze sharpened on him. “You know James Frobisher?”

  “He was my commanding officer, ma’am.”

  “Of course. You were in the army. A sergeant, I believe. How…interesting. How did you come to join up?”

  His lips twitched. “It was suggested it might be a good career move.”

  “And they didn’t suggest officer training?”

  “No, ma’am.” He glanced at Lexi, gave her a brief grin. “I was seventeen and I hadn’t done too well at school. I somehow doubt they would have taken me.”


  Which was true. He’d left school with absolutely no qualifications, mainly because he’d spent so much time playing truant, looking after his little sister. When he was seventeen, his sister had been taken into care and his mother had disappeared.

  He’d been entirely alone in the world, feeling a total failure, and powerless to do anything for Evie. He’d lost her, and he hadn’t really cared what he did next. But the army had worked for him. He’d loved the order, which had been totally lacking in his life up until that point. And he’d been good, had moved quickly through the ranks and finally been offered a place in the Special Air Services, the most elite regiment in the army.

  “Well, I suppose we can’t all be brilliant,” Melissa said. “I’m sure you have other talents.”

  Yeah, I know at least twenty ways to kill you with my bare hands.

  Perhaps he should offer to demonstrate. Luckily, the food arrived at that moment and distracted him from the temptation.

  They were all watching him as if waiting for him to make some huge social gaffe. It didn’t bother him. The food was actually very good.

  “And where do you come from?” Daniel asked.

  “South London. A council estate.”

  “Really? And your parents?”

  He finished the last mouthful of his seafood salad, put down his knife and fork, and sat back. He caught Lexi’s gaze, gave her a wink, and her eyes widened. “I didn’t know my father.” His mother had once told him he was an American sailor she’d met at a party, who’d vanished out of her life at the point he’d been told he was going to be a father. “My mother is still around somewhere.” He’d never forgive her, would be happy if he never saw her again as long as he lived, but he didn’t need to share that. He curved his lips into what he hoped was a warm smile. “Lexi is all the family I need.”

  “Aw, isn’t that sweet,” Harry muttered.

  Josh turned a bland gaze on him and imagined a quick chop to the throat.

  “But you’ve left the army now?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you probably feel you don’t need to work,” her grandmother said. “Lexi no doubt has enough money to keep you happy.”

  “Yes, but I like to keep busy and out of Lexi’s hair. You can’t spend all your life in bed.” There was a shocked silence, and he almost grinned. “Just most of it.” He dropped his gaze to the swell of her breasts, then lifted it back to her face. She’d hardly touched her food. “Eat up, honey. You need your strength for later.”

  Her lips twitched, but she sent him a warning glare. Was he going too far? But hell, he was almost having fun. And he had taken money from Lexi. He would have struggled to start the business without the cash she had given him. That made him feel a little uncomfortable.

  “So what do you do to keep busy?” Melissa asked.

  “I work in…security.”

  “Well, I suppose there are limited options for a man like you,” Daniel murmured.

  He’d so like to smash his fist into that smug face right now. The thought surprised him. He’d always been in total control of his emotions. “Yeah, but the job’s okay, and I like the uniform. It saves me having to make difficult decisions first thing in the morning.”

  A little snort escaped Lexi. Then she tightened her lips and shot him another warning glare.

  He sent her an I’ll-be-good look in return. But these people wound him up.

  Their main courses arrived then. He had chicken. Lexi had some sort of vegetarian option, and she glanced at his plate disapprovingly.

  “It’s organic,” he said. “It said so on the menu. This chicken probably had a great life.”

  “Before it met its untimely end,” she replied.

  They all ate in silence for a few minutes, which was a relief. Josh sipped his single glass of wine, but he couldn’t quite enjoy his chicken. He ate a bread roll instead and watched Lexi nibble at her vegetables. Finally, she stopped even making a pretense at eating, put down her knife and fork and picked up her glass of wine, drained it in one gulp, and held it out for more. Once the waiter had refilled it, she took a ladylike sip and then turned to face her grandmother. “You said you had something to discuss?”

  Her grandmother wiped the napkin delicately across her lips. “Actually, Daniel has a favor to ask you.”

  “He does?”

  “Only a little one. I’m sure you’ll find no hardship.”

  Lexi’s expression remained bland, but her fingers tightened around the glass.

  “Harry is thinking of staying in London for a while,” Daniel said. “Looking up some old contacts. He hates staying in hotels, and we thought he might stay with you instead. A friendly face as it were. You can spend some time together.”

  Not in this lifetime.

  Josh didn’t like the guy; he was creepy like his dad.

  A look of alarm flashed across Lexi’s face, quickly blanked out. “I’m not sure there’s room.”

  “You have that huge house, Alexia,” her grandmother said. “How can you be so selfish? Of course, if you sold it, you could buy an apartment for us to use when we’re in the city. A single girl hardly needs eight bedrooms.”

  “She’s not single,” Josh pointed out mildly.

  “Of course not,” Daniel said. “But all the same, the two of you hardly need a house that size.”

  “I like my house. It belonged to my mother.”

  “Sentimental nonsense,” her grandmother snapped.

  A flush was spreading across Lexi’s cheeks, her eyes flashing. Then the anger was wiped away. “Of course Harry can come to stay. I’d love to spend some time with him.” She pushed her chair back. “Now, I’m sure you’ll excuse us, but Josh and I have a lot of catching up to do.”

  “Really, Alexia, finish your dinner.”

  He watched the war of wills between the two women. He thought Lexi was going to fold, but she squared her shoulders. “Thank you, but I’ve had enough.”

  Her grandmother pursed her lips. “There’s a more delicate matter to discuss, but perhaps Daniel and I could visit you at your office tomorrow and talk in private.”

  Lexi gave a small nod. “Call my secretary. She’ll let you know when I’ll be free.”

  Josh pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. “Great meeting you all.” Not. “Enjoy the rest of your meal.”

  He walked around, settled a hand on her waist, and led her from the dining room, all the time feeling their eyes on his back.

  “Whew,” she muttered as the double door swung shut behind them. “Well, that went better than expected.”

  He searched her voice for any hint of sarcasm, but she appeared genuine. He wondered what these dinners were normally like. “So, I’m good at being stupid?”

  She glanced at him sideways. “No. I suspect they realized you were toying with them. Unfortunately, they aren’t stupid either, just narrow-minded.”

  “Some people grow up expecting everything on a plate for them. They can’t see past that.”

  “Not you though?”

  “No, not me.” Hell, he’d grown up expecting fuck-all, and that’s what he’d usually got. He hesitated at the door. “You want me to take you home now? We still need to have that talk.”

  She gave a little shrug. “Home’s probably not the best place for a private conversation.”

  “You don’t live alone?” He hadn’t expected that. Did she have some sort of live-in-lover? Somehow he didn’t like that idea. Hell, he’d respected his wedding vows.

  “No, not quite.”

  And what the hell did that mean? But it was none of his business, and he led the way out of the front doors and handed his ticket to the waiting valet.

  “I get the impression you don’t like Harry.”

  She screwed up her face. “Honestly? I don’t know him that well. But he makes me…uncomfortable.”

  “You shouldn’t have said he could stay then.”

  “Sometimes it’s easier.” She gave another shrug. “I doub
t he’ll stay long. It’s really not his sort of place.”

  The car drew up in front of them, and they were silent as the valet climbed out and they got in. Josh pulled out into the road and for a few minutes he just drove. She appeared tiny next to him, hunched over, somehow diminished by the dinner. A rush of rage bombarded him at her family’s behavior, and then a twinge of guilt that he was making things worse.

  Not my problem.

  He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. Where to go? They could go to a bar but he’d had enough of other people for the night.

  Why was he feeling so reluctant to push the annulment?

  Lexi’s poor little rich girl situation really shouldn’t get to him.

  But it did.

  Chapter Four

  Lexi stared out of the window at the passing streets. It was nine-thirty and still daylight. Dinner had only taken an hour and a half. It had felt much longer.

  Her grandmother had been strangely quiet, allowing Daniel to do most of the talking. That worried her a little. Her grandmother had always had the control in that relationship. And why did they want Harry to move in? To spy on her? Or something more sinister?

  God, she had to reel in her imagination. But she’d overheard a conversation once, just before she’d left for good. Daniel had apparently thought it would be an excellent idea for her and Harry to marry.

  Yeah. Super idea. Not.

  That hadn’t been what decided her on her somewhat drastic course of action, but it had certainly given her a nudge in that direction. Her feelings for Harry could be summed up in one word.

  Ugh.

  It wasn’t really Harry’s fault. As she’d told Josh, she hardly knew him, just from brief meetings over the years. But he reminded her too much of his father, and Daniel made her skin crawl.

  She knew perfectly well what her grandmother wanted to talk to her about. They needed money. Now she had to decide whether she would give it to them. Probably. She had plenty, though there were far more worthy causes to spend it on than her grandmother’s shopping habit or whatever expensive vices Daniel used to while away his time. She could guess at a few.