Terms Of Engagement

‘It was a mad, impulsive moment… I needed him to think I was involved with someone and you were the first available name that sprang to my lips.’

‘Thanks!’ Frazer raked a hand through the darkness of his hair. ‘I know I asked you to have dinner with me, Emma, but taking it as a proposal of marriage was going a bit far, don’t you think?’ he grated sarcastically.

‘You’ve every right to be annoyed,’ she said quietly. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘I shall have to put him straight—’

‘Don’t!’ She stared at him, her eyes wide, pleading. ‘Please.’ She caught hold of his hand as he put it back down on the table, covering it with hers in an automatic gesture. ‘Please do this for me, Frazer. Jon is only going to be here for two days. I’ve told him the engagement is secret, so he won’t tell anyone else.’

‘If he chooses your place as a location for his next film he’ll be here for more than two days.’

‘I didn’t consider that.’ She bit down on her lip. ‘I wasn’t thinking clearly.’

‘You can say that again.’ His voice was dry. ‘Look, I’m not one for playing emotional games. If you want to make the guy feel jealous then choose some other sucker for the task.’

‘I don’t want to make him jealous!’ She took her hand away from his sharply.

‘So what are you playing at?’

She swallowed hard. Her eyes were wide and filled with feeling. For a moment she felt like a little girl, hurt, scared. ‘I just needed to erect some barriers. I don’t expect you to understand, but I had to keep him at a distance.’