Page 39 of His Christmas Wife

“Which you’ll ignore, dreamboat.”

He rolled his eyes as Kaylee laughed.

“Dreamboat?”she repeated. “That’s about the last thing I’d call you.”

His response was wry. “I’m certain it is.”

“Maybe Jolly is being ironic?”

“Thanks for that.” He preferred this more relaxed version of her to the one who showed up at work every day.

“Do you want the message or not?”

“Since you already interrupted, you might as well tell me.”

“The ring is ready.”

There was a brief pause while he met Kaylee’s gaze.

“Who are you marrying?”

“None of your business.” Bonds had customers who actually paid for this intrusive service? Whatever the fee, it was overpriced. “Tell the Genius to quit snooping.”

“Spoilsport. May I tell Jean Claude what time you plan to pick it up? They’re happy to wait for your arrival.”

“It’s supposed to be their day off.” Kaylee’s words held an edge, reminding Frost they were inconveniencing the shop owner and her assistant.

“Twenty minutes. And let Jennings know we’ll be ready for him imminently.”

“Consider it done.”

“Shall we? I’m ready to have my ring on your finger.”

“Does anything stand in your way, Mr. Frost?”

“When I want something?” He looked at her, allowing her to see his seriousness. “No.”

“And when you run into obstacles?”

“Go around them, over, through.” He paused. “Or demolish them.”

“That’s a hard way to live your life.”

“It’s the only way I could have clawed my way back to the top after what my father did to the family business.” Then he went in for the kill. “Are you any different?”

She blinked. “Me?”

“What have you ever allowed to stand in your way? You got an education, a good job. You’re taking care of your family. And quite frankly, I’ve been at the receiving end of you refusing to take no for an answer.”

A furious scowl buried itself between her eyebrows. “I’m not at all like you.”

“Oh you are, just a whole lot more considerate.”

Further conversation was prevented by the arrival of their bill, the packaged dessert, and the to-go container.

Kaylee reached for her wallet. “Let’s split this.”

Anger—sudden, hot, and lethal—pulsed through him. “Absolutely not.” He left the statement at that instead of adding the words that he wanted to. “Put it on this,” he told the server, inviting no further comment from Kaylee.

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