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“Oh.” Erin’s pitch rose, her eyes were bug-eyed wide, and her chatty demeanor was replaced with one-word responses.
“We could help each other get what we need.”
Erin’s head cocked to the side as she studied him. Her mouth opened slightly as she wordlessly contemplated what he was suggesting.
The server placed the folder with his credit card and receipt on the table.
“Thank you.” Graham added a generous tip and signed his name. “You said you wanted to observe a team for research. I can get you full access. I could also review your scripts to give feedback on action and dialogue.”
“And all I have to do is date andmarryyou?” She gave a nervous laugh. “I’m flattered, and while that sounds tempting, your plan has fatal flaws. For one, I’m only here house and pet sitting for another four months before I move. That’s not enough time for a relationship to reach the marriage stage. I also have absolutelynoplans to get married anytime soon. Not even a marriage in name only.”
“I realize that. That’s why I went out with several other women last week.”
“Oh. And none of them were interested in your proposition?”
He probably shouldn’t have brought that up. “I didn’t ask any of them. And won’t. I pretty much concluded I’m not ready for that either. But, not only do I love my current position, with both my kids and their spouses here, I don’t want to leave Fort Liberty.”
“I understand, but . . .”
“But,” he picked up, “I don’t think we’dhaveto get married. If I were in an exclusive, rather public, romantic relationship, that could take the pressure off. At least buy me more time.”
“But you don’t know for sure that would suffice.”
“True, there’s no way to ask General McKittrick without tipping my hand.”
She leaned back in her seat and sighed. “This is kind of a huge ask—and risk. I don’t want this to backfire and you to get jammed up because you wasted your time faking it with me.”
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” And preferable over marrying someone for anything other than love.
“I can’t commit to this right now.”
“I know this is a lot to process. Take some time to think it over. Then reach out, and we can talk.” Even though she looked like she wanted to run, at least she hadn’t saidhell no. Not yet.
She slipped her purse strap over her shoulder.
He got to his feet and took a last drink of water, which did little to counter his parched mouth. He still hadn’t figured out what to say to increase his chances of her agreeing.
She spun abruptly when they got to her car. “If we do decide to do this, we’ll have to be seen together a good bit.”
“I can work around your schedule and cover all expenses.”
“That’s not where I was going.” She dropped her head, and her gaze flitted left, then right. She licked her lips. “Even though we aren’t getting married, we have to be convincing as a couple. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t kissed a man, other than my husband, in a quarter of a century.”
“Me either. My wife, I mean.” The ache of missing Bethann intensified. When he imagined kissing Erin, a twinge of betrayal blocked him before he thought beyond that. “You’re saying we should try for research?”
“At some point. I mean, if you don’t want to now—”
“I do want to.” It was one kiss to make sure they could pull this off. Bethann was gone and would want him to move on.
He moved closer. It’s not like he didn’t know what to do, though it had been a long time, and he’d never had this much riding on a single kiss. He rested a hand on Erin’s hip. Her face tilted up, and her eyes closed just before his mouth connected with hers.
He hadn’t expected the warm sensation now spreading through his chest. He pressed another kiss more firmly to her silky lips. When his lips parted, her mouth opened to welcome a brush of his tongue against hers. Her delicate murmur of pleasure encouraged him to probe deeper for one more kiss.
She gave a satisfied sigh, then put a few inches between them and smiled at him. “I’m a writer, not an actor, but I think I’ll be able to pull that off.”
“I think we can be convincing,” he agreed. He hadn’t wanted to kiss the other women he had been out with, but it was an entirely different story with Erin. Except when he leaned in for round two, she put a hand on his chest.
“That was enough to answer my question. I need to stay clear-headed so I can make a rational decision, not one based on . . .”
