Simone nodded her head. “I have every intention of being diligent.”
“Good,” he said.
A line between Simone’s brow appeared before saying, “We do have a problem, though.”
“Another one?”
His attempt at humor fell flat as she held his gaze. “My father was irate when he saw me dressed as a man. He has given me three days to agree to an arranged marriage or else he will disown me.”
Caleb’s brow shot up. “Three days?”
“Yes, and I refuse to marry a stranger, or anyone, for that matter,” Simone said. “I wouldn’t be able to work as a spy if I was wed.”
An idea struck him. One that would benefit both of them. “What if we wed, in name only?” he asked.
Simone slipped her hand off his sleeve and said, “That is a terrible idea.”
“Why?” he asked, turning to face her. “We both get along, for the most part, and you need a husband.”
“But you don’t need a wife,” she countered.
Caleb bobbed his head. “True, but I am willing to make an exception.”
Simone’s brow furrowed. “You don’t want to marry me,” she asserted.
“I think I do.”
Reaching up, she tucked one of her curls behind her ears. “I know you mean well, but I do not want to get married.”
“That is why this would be a perfect arrangement for us,” Caleb said. “You go your way, and I’ll go mine, but you will have the protection of my name.”
Simone grew quiet. “Your offer is quite generous, but I must say no.”
Caleb felt a stab of disappointment at her words, but he wasn’t about to grovel. Not yet, at least. He thought it was a brilliant idea, but he needed to give her time to realize that it was her best option. “What will you do, then?” he asked.
“I’m not quite sure, but I will figure it out,” Simone replied.
Feeling a need to tease her, he asked, “Am I not handsome enough to tempt you?”
“No, sir, you are more than handsome,” Simone rushed out as a blush formed on her cheeks. “I mean… you are tolerable, I suppose.”
Caleb chuckled. “It is all right if you think I am handsome,” he said. “There is no shame in admitting it.”
“I do not wish for you to become more cocky than you already are,” Simone remarked, tilting her chin.
“Marry me, Simone,” he said. “It is the perfect solution to your problems and you will never have to be lonely again.”
Simone pressed her lips together before admitting, “Loneliness is familiar. It is what I am comfortable with. More importantly, I do not need you to come in and save me. I can save myself.”
“I have no doubt, but I can’t very well have my partner living on the streets,” Caleb said. “Now can I?”
“I wouldn’t live on the streets. I would find a respectable boarding house where I could rent a room until I figure out my next step.”
Caleb decided to try a different tactic, one that he knew Simone couldn’t refute so easily. “Do you want to continue working as a spy?”
“I do, more than anything,” Simone admitted.
“By marrying me, you would have the freedom to do so,” Caleb said. He could see the doubts in her eyes, but he also saw vulnerability. She wasn’t completely turned off by the idea.
