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Brielle crossed her arms and stared up at him, praying that he didn’t see just how unnerved she was. Every part of her body seemed to be electrified now that he was near her. It was as if his very presence could lift the hairs on her arms. Then again, it could just be the cooler air in the barn.
“You said you came up with some ideas? I hope that means you’re planning on telling that guy to take a hike. I’m sure we could get Shane—”
“No!” she snapped. When his expression clouded, she looked away. “He and I have a…history. You know that.”
“All the more reason to ask for his help. He’s your sister’s fiancé. You can trust him.”
She squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could and shook her head. “I don’t expect you to understand. I just… can’t. Shane was probably the closest thing I had ever come to a lasting relationship.” Brielle dropped her gaze, her face flushing furiously. This was so embarrassing when it really shouldn’t be.
It wasn’t like she was that close to Wade. She shouldn’t even care about what he knew regarding her past relationships. But she did.
“Okay. So you’renotmaking him leave.”
Slowly, she shook her head.
Wade muttered a curse, and Brielle flinched. “What is going on in your head that makes you think this is a good idea.”
“I told you, I can’t have my dad—”
“Do you seriously think your father is capable—”
Brielle scowled at him. “I know my father is capable of doing whatever he thinks is a good idea when it comes to his family. He’d sacrifice everything.”
Wade shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous—”
She released a growl. “Will you shut up and listen to me? Tad is willing to walk away if I give him a chance.”
Wade opened his mouth, but she held up a hand to stop him.
“The best way to handle that is to give him what he wants in a way that helps us. If he stays here, he’s not going to draw as much attention from the town gossips. But if you tell everyone he’s a relative of some kind, then maybe he’d stay out of trouble.”
“Arelative? You can’t beserious.” Wade heaved a breath and spun away from her. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth until he came to a sudden stop. His eyes found hers, freezing her in place. “I’m not an idiot. I get that you’re this untouchable, angelic creature.”
She snorted, but this time he stopped her when he charged at her. Brielle sucked in a sharp breath, almost expecting him to knock her over.
His head lowered, and he cupped the side of her face. Wade’s eyes searched hers, and for a moment, she got lost in those pools of blue. Her knees quaked from his nearness. Their surroundings fell away, and all she could hear was her accelerated heart rate pulsating in her ears. He sighed in exasperation. “I’m not going to convince you to change your mind, am I?”
“No,” she whispered.
“This is the only way you’re willing to deal with this? To let this stranger enter your life and try to get close to you?”
Brielle didn’t answer. To her own ears, his words sounded crazy. She couldn’t explain why she had made this decision—at least not to him. Secretly she’d admit she was not only terrified about what her father would do, but she was also curious about what it was about Tad that had her willing to marry him after knowing him for only a weekend.
Her blush returned, but when she tried to pull away from him, his grasp on her remained firm.
Wade held her like that for what felt like an eternity. She wished she could read his thoughts. She wished she knew him better.
But more than anything, she prayed that he’d go along with her little plan because she didn’t think she could do it alone. The selfishness of that thought made her stomach roil and twist angrily. If Wade knew that she didn’t trust herself enough to do this on her own and that she depended on him, he most definitely wouldn’t agree to help her.
“Fine,” he muttered as he tore his hand away.
“Does that mean you’ll tell everyone he’s related?”
Wade let out a derisive laugh. “I don’t think anyone is going to believe that Australian is related to us.”
“I’m sure we can come up with something.” Brielle felt sick to her stomach. When this was all said and done, she was going to owe Wade big time.
“There’s just one problem.”
