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‘No!’ Though a small voice piped up asking Why not? This man was sex on legs, and they were attracted to each other. They would be sharing a roof for a year—didn’t it make sense to take advantage?

Yet every instinct warned her that it was a bad idea. Stefan had freely admitted his only commitment was to a relationship carousel and she had no wish to climb aboard. What would happen when his need for variety came into play? If...when...she wasn’t woman enough? She could almost taste the humiliation.

‘This would be a strictly business arrangement.’

‘Agreed. I make it a general rule not to mix business and pleasure. So, subject to working out the details, do we have a deal?’

‘We have a deal.’

Without thought Holly held out her hand, and with only a fractional hesitation he stepped forward and took it.

Mistake. As she stared down at their clasped hands sensation shot through her and her body rewound to their kiss, imagined the heat of his hand on her back.

Quickly she tugged her hand free. ‘I’m headed to bed. I’ll see you in the morning and we can iron out the details.’ With that, she grabbed her suitcase and forced herself to walk rather than sprint for her bedroom.

Stefan stared at the closed door for a long moment. Was this marriage idea lunacy or genius? Best to go with the latter. This gained him land in Lycander and a place to scatter his mother’s ashes. It also gave him control of the situation. The only issue was the thorny one of attraction—one that needed to be uprooted.

Holly did not fulfil his relationship criteria. She wanted a family, a relationship that held more than just the physical, and he couldn’t offer that. If he couldn’t pay he shouldn’t play—and he shouldn’t even have considered the idea that their marriage might be anything other than strictly business. He’d still been under the spell of that kiss. From now on in he’d make sure to keep his distance, and he was pretty damn sure Holly would do the same.

His phone buzzed and surprise shot through him as he saw the caller’s identity. Take the call or decline the call? In the end curiosity won out.

He sank into the armchair and put the phone to his ear. ‘Hi, Marcus. What can I do for you?’

Marcus Alriksson was Chief Advisor and one of the most influential men in Lycander—a man who was close to Prince Frederick, and a man who worked behind the scenes to help shape Lycander’s future.

‘Stefan. We need to talk. Any chance of setting up a video call?’

Hell, why not? It would be a relief to have his thoughts distracted from Holly.

‘Sure.’

Minutes later Stefan faced Marcus, keeping his body deliberately relaxed as he studied the dark-haired man on the screen. The Chief Advisor gave nothing away, but his dark blue eyes studied Stefan with equal interest.

‘So, Marcus, what can I do for you?’

‘I want to discuss the situation with Il Boschetto di Sole. Will you be pursuing your claim?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good.’

Stefan raised his eyebrows. ‘I’m flattered, Marcus. I didn’t know you cared.’

‘I do care. More to the point, Frederick cares. You and he could be friends. You choose not to be.’

That was not an avenue he wanted to go down. He didn’t want to be friends with his half-brother—didn’t want to be anything. He wanted to maintain a simple indifference.

Liar.

Deep down he still craved an older brother who’d fight his corner. Once Frederick had done that. Then he’d withdrawn. Stefan knew why—because Frederick had blamed his younger brother for Eloise’s departure. Worst of all, Frederick had been right to condemn him.

All too aware of the other man’s scrutiny, he dispelled the memories. Now was not the time.

‘Is that what this is about? A call to friendship?’

‘I want to discuss a deal.’

‘What sort of deal?’

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