The Borrowed Ring

His almost harsh tone contrasted with their still-cozy position. To an onlooker, they could have been murmuring sweet nothings to each other.

B.J. looked up at Daniel with a wistfulness she hoped he couldn't see. Maybe he had changed, but he was wrong about her not being able to find justification—or at least explanation—for the man he had become. It made sense to her, in a way, that after a childhood of helplessness and deprivation, he would pursue power and wealth as an adult.

He had been angry then that extreme poverty had contributed to his mother's untimely death. He would be determined now not to allow himself to be at anyone's mercy again.

She had hoped, however, that he would seek his fortune through legitimate means. Education, career. Had his options really been so limited after he'd left the ranch—or had he only perceived them to be?

“Jared and Cassie wouldn't care what you've done since you left. They would still love to see you.”

Perhaps there was just a note of wistfulness in Daniel's voice when he replied, “I closed the door on my past a long time ago. I would rather not reopen it.”

And yet, when he had needed a name for a fictitious wife from Texas, he had chosen a name from that past. Maybe that door wasn't closed as tightly as he wanted her to believe.

Though they had been walking very slowly, they'd gone some distance from the resort buildings. B.J. could barely hear the strains of the music from the outdoor lounge. Daniel paused to look at the moonlight-frosted ocean. “It's nice out here, isn't it?”

Brushing a breeze-tossed strand of hair away from her eyes, B.J. nodded. “Very different from Dallas.”

“Not quite as exotic as the places you've daydreamed about.”

She let that comment go without a response. It was hard to define how she felt about being here. The beauty of the scenery was undeniable, as were the attractions of the luxury resort. Had she not been so constantly aware of those hidden watchers and so continuously worried about her inappropriate responses to Daniel, she could be enjoying her stay here much more than she might have expected, considering her initial response to the place.

He turned to face her, draping both arms over her shoulders and clasping his hands loosely behind her head. “I would like to know exactly how you found me, but perhaps we should concentrate on our roles again for a while. It would seem very odd if a doting husband didn't stop even once to kiss his wife during a romantic moonlight stroll.”

She cleared her throat. “Maybe his wife is the sort who prefers to do her kissing in a less public place.”

Smiling, he brushed his lips along her cheek. “Maybe she's so wrapped up in her husband that she doesn't even notice if anyone else is around.”

As corny as that sounded, B.J. had little trouble believing it could be possible. Standing this close to Daniel, with his arms around her and his eyes locked with hers, she was having a hard time believing they weren't the only two people on the planet.

“A bit full of yourself, aren't you?” she managed to tease lightly.

He chuckled, his breath warm against her temple. “Just playing a part, darlin'.”

He didn't have to keep reminding her of that, she assured herself. She wasn't likely to take his attentions seriously.

If there was one thing she didn't need, it was to fall in love with a self-admitted con man.

Daniel kissed her cheek again and then the corner of her mouth. And then his lips settled firmly on hers.

They were simply playing their parts, B.J. reminded herself as she slid her arms around Daniel's waist. Putting on an act, she thought as she tilted her head and parted her lips to cooperate with the kiss. Yet when he tightened his arms around her and deepened the kiss with a thrust of his tongue, she forgot about performing for any audience except him.

Regardless of his motivation, there was no doubt that Daniel Andreas was one hell of a kisser.

The initial embrace lasted for a long time, as did the kiss that followed. And the slow, deep, mesmerizing one after that. She was plastered against him now, and it was impossible not to notice that he was at least partially aroused.

Proving only that he was a man, she reminded herself when she finally drew her head back to end the kiss. No one could help responding to kisse

s like those.

She was very close to melting into a puddle in the sand herself.

Daniel's voice was rather hoarse when he said, “I think it's time to go in.”

He caught her hand when she would have drawn out of touching distance. Reminded that the performance wasn't quite over for the evening, she slowed her steps and tried to appear besotted with him as they made their way back to their room.

The problem was, it was entirely too easy to pull that look off. And she was becoming increasingly concerned that—on her part, at least—it wasn't all an act.

Chapter Six