‘I do.’
‘Yeah, well, as far as I’m concerned, you don’t count.’
He feigned a hurt expression.
‘You cut me to the quick.’
‘I highly doubt it. But if I did, I suspect that with the number of women literally falling over themselves to bag you, I’m sure you’ll get over it remarkably quickly.’ She crossed her arms over her chest and he resisted the impulse to tell her that the action only thrust those pert breasts of hers to the fore.
He could save winding her up with that one for another day. Right now he was enjoying the show too much. Namely the Feisty Alex routine; so far removed from the wholesome Apple Pie Alex but which, now he’d done a little digging, he’d discovered was a closely guarded fact amongst a select handful of her closest friends, Gordon being one of them.
What did it say about him that he actually wished to be part of Alex’s select circle?
‘So, should I take that as your answer then?’
He snapped back to the present.
‘Say again?’
‘I a
sked why you really wanted to help me suddenly. You chose to deflect in your usual manner.’
‘You don’t pull any punches, do you?’ His grin widened.
‘With you? No. I don’t think I can afford to.’
‘I like that,’ he mused, taking another long swig of his coffee. She might want something from him but she wasn’t about to pander to him. He was all too accustomed to people pandering to his wishes. Not least in the bedroom. ‘That why I think you’d be the perfect marriage choice.’
‘I’m flattered,’ she drawled. ‘So why not tell me why you’re so fixated on your marriage idea all of a sudden.’
‘It wasn’t my plan,’ he reminded her smoothly. ‘It was your plan. You’re the one who asked me to help. And you’re the one who suggested I get married simply to satisfy the clause in my mother’s will.’
‘Well...yes,’ Alex faltered. ‘But...but not to me.’
‘You really want me to inflict this charade on some other woman?’
Why was he enjoying this quite so much?
‘I doubt they’d feel remotely inflicted on,’ she sniffed. ‘While for my part, my picture is in the paper as your latest lover. One of hundreds if the papers are to be believed. My reputation is, for want of a better word, tarnished.’
‘All the more reason for you to agree to marry me.’ He shrugged.
‘I don’t know.’ She toyed with the paper cup, long fingers playing with the corner of card, unpeeling it carefully, meticulously. ‘You’re right, I wanted your help but I was desperate. I suppose a part of me never thought you’d agree to it. And now you have... I can’t help but wonder why.’
‘Does it matter?’ he wondered aloud.
‘Yes. Are you motivated by getting one up on your father in this ridiculous game the two of you seem to be permanently playing?’
‘Does that matter?’
‘Yes, Louis, it does. Because you’re infamous for being a loose cannon and if I have any hope of controlling you then I need to know what sets you off.’
‘Now I can definitely tell you that,’ he countered suggestively.
‘Louis...’ Alex sighed, a soft sound as though he actually exasperated her.
And suddenly he didn’t want to play the charade with her any longer. He was exhausted with playing up to perceptions of how he should be. All he wanted to do was kick back and let the mask slip.