Friendship, Arden.
That’s all it is.
Arden picked her phone back up. She was meeting with Kinsley tomorrow, but what the heck. She couldn’t wait that long to tell her the good news. And get Wade off her mind.
Before she could pick up the phone, a few knocks sounded on her door and then it swung open. She expected to see her assistant. Instead, her handsome fake fiancé stood in the doorway. And right on cue, her tummy did the customary flip it did every time she saw Wade.
“What are you doing here?” she blurted.
Not that she wasn’t pleased to see him. He was a sight for her sore eyes, or any other woman’s for that matter. Natural blond highlights were scattered through his dark hair, complementing his tanned face. He was dressed for work in his typical jeans and plain blue scrubs shirt, but he still looked like he could be voted People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.” Plus, his black leather jacket made him look rugged and just a little dangerous.
Quite the opposite of a man who cuddled animals on a daily basis.
“Sorry to pop in like this,” he said. “But I needed to talk to you.”
Wade stepped into her office and closed the door behind him. She didn’t know if it was relief or disappointment she felt when he made no attempt to lock it.
Snap out of it, Arden. He said he wanted to talk to you. Talk!
She tucked her hair behind her ears and then folded her hands. “So, um, what did you want to talk about? We’re still on for dinner with Milena Swenson and her fiancé, right? That’s next week.”
“No, dinner’s still on. I already scheduled myself off from the shelter.” He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “Actually, are you free for lunch now?”
She smiled. Lunch with Wade was an unexpected treat. She already looked forward to their coffee meet-ups every morning. Kind of pathetic that she was growing so used to being with him on a regular basis. But surprisingly enough, Wade was really fun to hang out with the more she got to know him, and apparently, he thought the same about her. “Sure. I’d love to have lunch with you.”
“Great. I figured surprising you like this would look good in front of your employees.”
Her heart sank. Right. Duh, Arden. Wade didn’t really want to have lunch with her. At least, not in the way Arden would have liked. He just wanted people to know they were having lunch together. For their charade only. Not quite the offer she’d thought she’d been given, but she banked down her disappointment with a smile.
“I only have a small window,” she told him. “It might be easier if we order in.”
“No,” he said quickly. “I think it’d be better if we went out. In public.”
She frowned. “Okay, if that’s what you want.”
Wade walked farther into the room and sat down. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
Arden braced herself. Wade wasn’t usually so serious and it put her on edge. “Um, sure.”
“Do you…mind being engaged to me? I mean, fake engaged. We’re not really engaged,” he said with a half laugh.
She lifted a brow. “I’m aware we’re not really engaged, Wade.” No need to emphasize it.
She understood their agreement perfectly despite the little zings of attraction she needed to deflect on a daily basis like Wonder Woman with a shield. But evidently, the attraction was only on her part and not his.
“I know you know. Sorry.” He took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose as if struggling with his thoughts. “But how do you feel the charade is going so far? Is it affecting anything in your personal life?”
What personal life? she wanted to ask. “Wade, everything is going fine. I actually find your company quite tolerable,” she said with a grin.
“Yeah? Tolerable?” He smirked. “That’s good, because I find your company quite tolerable as well. Actually…more than tolerable.”
His gaze lifted and bored into hers. Awareness seeped through her skin and sank deep.
Is it hot in here? She needed air. Or a cold shower. She licked her lips and stood. “Let me grab my purse and we can go.”
Wade stood as well but held up a hand. “Wait. Uh, before we go, I have something for you.” He ran a hand through his hair and shifted his footing back and forth before reaching into his jacket pocket. He hesitated another moment, then finally pulled out a small black velvet box.
Her breath caught as Wade presented her with an engagement ring. It was a simple round diamond, a little over a carat in size, with two small rubies marking each side. She’d never seen anything sparkle so brilliantly in her life.
She looked up, unease trickling down her spine. “Was this Miranda’s?”
He shook his head. “No, it was my mom’s. This ring wasn’t quite Miranda’s style. I guess because it’s not really a traditional engagement ring, but my mother—like you—wasn’t a traditional type of person,” he said fondly. “It’s been locked up for years, and since you need a ring if we’re going all the way with the charade, I thought maybe you would like to wear it.”
Tears sprang in her eyes, and she had trouble blinking them away. He was giving her his mom’s ring to wear, when he could have simply bought a cheap engagement ring knockoff. She didn’t know what to say. Obviously the ring had to have held a lot of sentiment for him.
As he slipped it on her finger, her throat tightened. “Oh, Wade. It is absolutely beautiful.”
He said nothing, just moved forward, even nearer. His subtle cologne had her heart pumping a little harder.
She swallowed and looked up. “I promise I’ll take good care of it.”
Wade had yet to drop his hand from hers. He just stood there, staring at the ring on her finger, his exhales and inhales coming out fast. Was he having regrets about giving her such a precious piece of jewelry? Was he thinking about Miranda? She ought to step away. Give him time to deal with his emotions. But it was all she could do not to want to move closer and soak in his nearness.
“I know you’ll take good care of it.” His forehead came to rest against hers. “I honestly couldn’t imagine it in better hands,” he whispered. “I also wanted to tell you that I really like you and I’ve enjoyed spending time with you these past few weeks. You’re a very special woman.”
He likes me. Such simple declarations. But his words hit her with full force, piercing the center of her heart.
He changed the angle of his head so that their lips were close. And then even closer. She held her breath and waited, not sure what she was hoping he’d do. His hands cupped her face and before she knew it, his mouth pressed against hers and he was kissing her.
She leaned into him, loving the way her skin all but sizzled beneath his touch as she kissed him back. There was something confident yet endearingly gentle about the coaxing pressure of his lips on hers. He kissed her with a leisurely purpose, and she melted under the dizzying strokes of his tongue. Oh gosh, this felt good. It felt right. She wondered if she’d ever experienced a kiss so gloriously perfect in all her life. But then, as if the brakes of his brain had been floored and brought him skidding to a stop, he suddenly pulled back.
“Sorry. I didn’t plan for that.” He swore under his breath and attempted to slow down his breathing.
He’s sorry?
Arden released the handfuls of his shirt she’d been gripping and took a step back. She hadn’t planned for that, either, but it didn’t mean she had regrets about it. Her mind still spun, trying to process what was now happening and what she should say.
“I should amend that,” he said. “I’m sorry, not sorry. I do like you and am really attracted to you. Obviously. I just…” He blew out a breath.
“Just what?”
“You’re great. I’m the one without a heart.” He thumped his chest with his fist as if to prove his point. “There’s no feeling left in there for any woman. I don’t want you to think I’m leading you on.”
She understood what he was telling her. Pain over losing his wife had left
him empty of emotion—of ever opening his heart up again. And even though she wasn’t surprised and knew it had nothing whatsoever to do with her, it still stung. “Wade, believe me, I’m not looking for complicated, either, nor am I looking for anything permanent.”
Gosh, when she said it out loud like that, she wondered why she and Wade hadn’t gotten together sooner. They were practically two relationship-dysfunctional peas in a pod. She’d given up looking for long term years ago. And Wade apparently had given up on commitments. By all definition, she supposed they were perfect for each other. Temporarily perfect. But then there was what Kinsley would think about all of this. But if it was only temporary, maybe she wouldn’t have to know.
“Yeah, but here’s the thing, you should be looking for Mr. Right. You should be looking for the whole white wedding that I know you would do such a fabulous job planning. You’re young, beautiful and smart, and—”
“And because I’m a woman, I should automatically want to get married?”
“And you’re opinionated, too.” He grinned.
She frowned. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to say. I’m getting mixed signals here.”
With amusement in his eyes, he lifted her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across her palm. “What I’m trying to say, rather poorly, is that I like all those things about you, however…”
“However what?”
“I don’t what to ruin our friendship, either. But if you like me, too, and know what to expect from me, then maybe we could try our hand at a real fake relationship. You know, just while we’re pretending.”
A temporary real fake relationship.
And sadly enough, that was the best offer she’d had in quite some time.
Arden gazed up into Wade’s handsome face and thought about it. They certainly were attracted to each other. A short-term relationship where there would be no hurt feelings might not be such a bad idea. He was offering her light and fun upfront. She could use a little more of both in her life. No expectations other than that. She could get her little crush on Wade out of her system, and at the end of their charade, they could still remain friends. Not quite a Hallmark-movie moment, but her love life never did fall picture-perfect.
She cleared her throat. “I suppose since we’re off-limits to other people, it would only make sense not to be off-limits to each other.”
He grinned. “See? You’re also logical.” He slid his arms around her waist and dropped a soft kiss on her lips. “Maybe I could come over tonight, and we can officially have our first real fake date. We can order in.”
“Maybe cheesesteaks from Lorenzo’s?” she asked hopefully.
“Done.”
“I also DVR’d a few of the newer Doctor Who episodes, if you haven’t seen them already.”
Wade sighed dramatically, placing a hand on his heart. “Eats cheese steaks, not interested in relationships, and a Doctor Who fan. You are the epitome of the perfect woman, Arden Pearson.”
She held back a sigh, because she knew he really meant she was the perfect temporary woman. She seemed to be most men’s perfect temporary woman. But that was okay, because this time she knew that going in. No chance of being disappointed over another failed relationship when there wasn’t any relationship. Just two people enjoying each other’s company for the time being.
Again, she was proud of herself. Such mature thinking on her part. This was going to be just what she needed.
She felt it.
So she looked up and gave him her most winning smile before grabbing her coat.
…
Wade fumbled with the flowers in his hand for a minute, then finally knocked.
Pull yourself together, Roberts. He didn’t know why he was so nervous. He’d dated casually since Miranda’s death. And it wasn’t like he was showing up at a stranger’s doorstep. This was Arden. He’d known her for years. Then again, not really known her. He’d discovered that the more time they’d spent together, the more interesting she’d become. The more beautiful she’d become. He still couldn’t get the way she’d looked in the wedding dress the other day out of his mind.
So, it made total sense for him to suggest they put some reality into their little fake dating deal. Get their attraction out of their systems. After all, he enjoyed her company. Plus, they were friends. Friends who did not want any serious commitment from each other. As long as they both knew where this was heading, there would be no chance for attachment, and they could both walk away unscathed. Their relationship would be short and simple.
Before he could knock again, the door flung open. Arden’s warm smile managed a direct hit to his solar plexus.
So much for simple.
“Hi,” she said, sounding a bit breathless. “Come on in.”
Wade followed her in. The gas fireplace was on, creating a cozy atmosphere. There was a candle burning on the kitchen island that smelled of vanilla and sugar. He took in the scene and smiled. As he had suspected, Arden Pearson, driven-career-woman-of-the-twenty-first-century, was a secret romantic at heart.
He turned and held out the pink roses he’d bought for her.
Arden’s face lit up. “Wade, you didn’t have to buy me flowers.”
“I know I didn’t have to; I wanted to. I wanted to make our first real date special.”
She held them up to her nose and inhaled. “Thank you. They smell so good.”
“And they match your bedroom.”
“Thanks for remembering.”
He looked deep into her eyes. “I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind since I saw it,” he said huskily.
Her cheeks flushed the same color as the flowers, and she suddenly couldn’t meet his gaze. “I, uh, should put these in water.”
“Wait.” He took a step closer and saw her eyes widen. “We should probably get this out of the way first.” Inching even closer, he let his forehead drop to hers and then he slowly kissed his way to her mouth. He felt the light touch of her fingers on the back of his neck. Desire rushed through him, and he knew in an instant he’d made a mistake thinking one simple kiss would ease the restless air between them. When he finally made himself pull back, she looked as dazed as he felt.
“There,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
She blinked up at him. “There, what?”
“I thought that if we kissed first, it would relax us and then we could enjoy dinner.”
“Did it work?”
He grinned and shook his head. “Not at all. Maybe we should try it again.” He reached for her, pulled her against him, and tugged her face up to his. She slid her fingers in his hair and he almost purred like a cat. Their kiss was going deeper and deeper by the second and years of pent-up attraction was inadvertently unleashed.
Arden ripped her mouth free and took a few seconds to collect her breath. “That was hardly relaxing,” she whispered.
His gaze dropped to her mouth again and he grinned. “I know.”
Chuckling, she backed out of his arms and picked up the flowers she’d dropped. “I should put these in some water first or they’ll wilt.”
“I knew I should have brought chocolates instead,” he mumbled, following her into the kitchen. Her laptop was open on the counter and he saw a wedding proposal she’d been working on. He stopped and looked it over. “Is this the proposal for that big client you’re trying so hard to impress?”
She filled up a vase with water, then turned. “Yes, that’s for Milena and Vance’s wedding. I’m just about done.”
He gave a long whistle. Arden was nothing if not detail-oriented. “Looks done to me.”
“Well, that’s because you’re not a wedding planner,” she said, placing the vase of flowers on the kitchen table. “I’m still trying to work out something a little unique to their wedding. Maybe even something that would give the Swensons some good press for the father’s upcoming election.”
“Why not use the animal shelter?”
Arden laughed. “Wade, I do
ubt Milena Swenson wants to have her reception at the Happy Paws Animal Shelter.”
“Not use the shelter in that way. Use the animals in it.”
“How so?”
“The Swensons don’t strike me as the kind of people who necessarily need wedding gifts. So why not have them tell their guests they can donate to a no-kill animal shelter instead?”
Arden’s blue eyes lit up. “Do you think we could actually bring some of the animals to the wedding? Milena told me she loves dogs. Maybe instead of a traditional bridal bouquet, we can use puppies that are up for adoption for the bridal party pictures.”
Wade smiled, enjoying the way Arden’s keen and creative mind worked. “There are plenty to choose from. I’m sure some of our board volunteers can help bring them to the wedding.”
“Oh my gosh, I love this idea. I hope Milena and Vance do, too. It’s perfect for them.” She looked up at him and treated him to a dazzling smile. “Thank you.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t do anything. Just supplied the shelter idea. The rest was all you. You’re the wedding expert.”
She snorted. “The best single wedding planner around. I guess it’s true what they say: those who can’t do, teach.”
“It takes more than just being married to plan a wedding and you know that.”
“What was your wedding day like?” she asked.
Wade stilled a moment, remembering how beautiful Miranda had looked and how happy they both were. “It was a great day.”
“But not so great that you’d ever do it again?”
No. No, he wouldn’t. He wanted to never be hurt by love again, although that was too personal to admit out loud. Despite it being one of the best days of his life, he would always remember that love came with a price.
“Like I told you, Kinsley, and Judy Tavish before, I enjoy being single.”
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