Page 56 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

“Do you have a plan?” Alexander’s question caught me off guard. Why would I have a plan for something so unexpected? His life was perfect, and I kept getting curve balls thrown my way that I failed to catch. I was too exhausted to question why he was asking me something like that.

“No, I’ll think about it tonight,” I mumbled. “Right now, the only thing that comes to mind is putting ads in the paper. Which is definitely a bad idea.”

He sat there quietly, studying me, making me feel fidgety and uncomfortable. Finally, I couldn’t take the silence anymore. “Do you have a suggestion?”

“I do,” he replied, not adding anything else. Well, that was not helpful at all.

“Please, do share,” I inquired. “I am really not in the mood for games so I hope you are serious.”

A small quirk on his lips was all that took to transform his beautiful face into a drop dead gorgeous one. I didn’t think I’d seen him smile at me once before today, and I’ve worked for him for over a month now.

“You should smile more,” I told him for no good reason. “Makes you more approachable.”

He raised his eyebrow and there was surprise in his eyes. “I’ll take that into consideration.”

Another silence stretched. I didn’t have my usual energy to argue with him for wasting my time. I haven’t had that energy since Lena and Larry died.

I just sat there, watching him. He really was good looking. It was probably what agitated me about him. He was loaded, beautiful, had everything his heart desired. He had a family, a brother and grandfather. Women fell at his feet; he seemed unperturbed by any curveballs that life might have thrown his way. While I was losing people I loved, had a non-existent career, and was totally broke. He was wearing a suit that was probably worth more than my whole year’s salary.

“Like what you see?” he asked and my eyes met his in surprise.

“No,” I told him, staring directly into his eyes. “Actually, the more I look at you, the more pissed off I get. Life is so not fair.”

He shook his head. “Then, you are probably not going to like my suggestion.”

“Great,” I told him tiredly. “Then I really can’t wait to hear it.”

“Seems you need a husband,” he started. “And unbeknownst to you, I need a wife.”

My eyes snapped to him in shock. “What? Why?”

“My grandfather is ill,” he started.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” I wasn’t sure what it had to do with anything, but I was still sorry. I remembered meeting him at the restaurant after my first day on this job. He was kind.

“He wants to leave me his business,” he explained in his calm voice. “But he wants to see me settled with a wife first.”

“Oh.” What did he expect me to say? “That sucks.”

“We could help each other,” he continued on like he was discussing acquiring another property.

Is he suggesting what I think he is? No, it can’t be.

“So what I am suggesting,” he continued on in his deep, cold voice. I could not imagine this guy ever losing control, anywhere… including the bedroom. Although in my fantasies, he did all the right things. “Is that we get married and help each other.”

He was suggesting exactly what I thought! I stared at him in shock, my mouth slightly opened. I probably looked like an idiot, having a hard time grasping the meaning of his words.

“Umm,” I finally got myself out of trance. “I’m sure I’m not exactly the type of wife he had in mind,” I told him, trying to gently refuse him. It was a stupid idea.

“I think you might be exactly the type he had in mind,” he answered. “We could help each other because short of me putting an ad in the paper, as you said, I wouldn't be able to find a wife fast.”

I frowned. “You had dates for the past week. With several different candidates. Elizabeth could be your option.”

She was a bitch.

I didn’t want him to think I cared about his dating life at all. “I’m sure she fits the part. My advice though, take it or leave it, have her sign a prenup. Because she’ll strip you naked.”

I blushed immediately following my words. Damn, his naked body was not what I needed to envision right now. Because Alexander Caldwell, for all his frustrating qualities, was hot as hell. He was tall, about six foot five, his body was hard, all muscle underneath those custom tailored expensive suits, and whatever little skin I saw, would be mouthwatering, if not for his arrogant ass. I decided when I started working for him that he was even too dangerous to fantasize about. Of course, over the last few weeks I ventured into the dangerous territory with my fantasies.

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