Kieran.” His
tone was neither playful nor serious and again, she found this a
hard to read moment.
“ Seriously?
You want to start there?” Ash walked to the lifts and stabbed the
button twice. Hard.
Kieran grabbed her arm
and she reeled around giving him her back-off look that had lesser
men run in the opposite direction.
“ Hold on,
listen to me. Please?” he let go of her arm and placed his hands
together.
Those lips of his were so
kissable that she was distracted momentarily.
Seizing his opportunity,
he gently led her to the visitors seating area and waited for her
to sit before taking a seat next to her.
“ One minute
is all you get,” she said.
“ One minute
is all I need.” He sighed heavily, then as if choosing his words
with care, he took her hand. “My father had a heart attack and
needs an operation, but he is too ill and until he is stable, he
can’t have surgery. If a fake engagement to you helps his recovery
and convinces them I can handle the clinic work—”
She wasn’t sure why he
looked uncomfortable, almost embarrassed to continue. Why wouldn’t
his parents think he could handle the clinic work? Why did he need
a fake fiancé? “Because?”
She watched him swallow
and avoid her gaze. What couldn’t he tell her? What was so bad that
he—?
“ What aren’t
you telling me?” she trained her gaze on his and waited for him to
answer.
“ All I want
is to make sure my dad recovers and I am asking you to help me. My
parents are very traditional people. My father has been wanting to
have his only child married for years.” He paused placing a hand
over the velvet box.
She pressed her lips
together and cocked her head. “So you carry that box around waiting
for the perfect bride to fall into your arms?” Leaning back, her
gaze narrowed. “People will come looking for me if I go missing.”
It would be such waste of good male body if he were a pyscho
kidnapper.
He placed his hand on
hers and she squeezed her eyes shut to prevent from flinching. “I
think they have the wedding all planned, would have been done since
the day I was born. My father has a room for his first grandchild
too, and I know there will be a fight on naming rights.” He linked
his hands together.
As odd as first meetings
went, this was one for the books. “You do realise, we’ve just met.
You don’t even know me.”
His gaze found hers and
she saw a vulnerability she couldn’t ignore in the depths of those
whiskey brown eyes. “I know what you’re capable of and it’s what I
need right now.”
Ash had never known words
could hurt until that very moment. She wasn’t proud of what
happened at the beauty pageant but had always maintained her
innocence. Her gaze narrowed. “To hell with you.”
Kieran grabbed her arm.
“Wait.”
She stopped and pulled
her arm free. “I was innocent. I never paid off any judge and I
proved that later. Too late, but I did.” Her heart kicked up a
notch as she withheld further retort. Was she never going to be
free of the reputation of a fallen beauty queen?
He looked down at his
shoe and had the decency to look embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I need
your help. Please?”
With her arms crossed
over her chest she lifted her chin. “What makes you think you can
trust me?”
He shook his head. “I
can’t. I’m desperate and I have to trust you. My father might die
and I need your help.”
“ So you’re
happy with a fake engagement to convince your mother you are
capable of staying here and you want me to tag along? What makes
you think you have a chance of convincing anyone you can do this?”
Was it possible he was grasping at straws?
He leaned back on the
soft leather chair and she was forced to clear her lungs of air
because there was something special about Kieran Kanna. Something
that pulled things from inside you when you didn’t expect
it.
“ Because you
are right, there is something I am not telling you. Please help
me.” He leaned forward and put
tone was neither playful nor serious and again, she found this a
hard to read moment.
“ Seriously?
You want to start there?” Ash walked to the lifts and stabbed the
button twice. Hard.
Kieran grabbed her arm
and she reeled around giving him her back-off look that had lesser
men run in the opposite direction.
“ Hold on,
listen to me. Please?” he let go of her arm and placed his hands
together.
Those lips of his were so
kissable that she was distracted momentarily.
Seizing his opportunity,
he gently led her to the visitors seating area and waited for her
to sit before taking a seat next to her.
“ One minute
is all you get,” she said.
“ One minute
is all I need.” He sighed heavily, then as if choosing his words
with care, he took her hand. “My father had a heart attack and
needs an operation, but he is too ill and until he is stable, he
can’t have surgery. If a fake engagement to you helps his recovery
and convinces them I can handle the clinic work—”
She wasn’t sure why he
looked uncomfortable, almost embarrassed to continue. Why wouldn’t
his parents think he could handle the clinic work? Why did he need
a fake fiancé? “Because?”
She watched him swallow
and avoid her gaze. What couldn’t he tell her? What was so bad that
he—?
“ What aren’t
you telling me?” she trained her gaze on his and waited for him to
answer.
“ All I want
is to make sure my dad recovers and I am asking you to help me. My
parents are very traditional people. My father has been wanting to
have his only child married for years.” He paused placing a hand
over the velvet box.
She pressed her lips
together and cocked her head. “So you carry that box around waiting
for the perfect bride to fall into your arms?” Leaning back, her
gaze narrowed. “People will come looking for me if I go missing.”
It would be such waste of good male body if he were a pyscho
kidnapper.
He placed his hand on
hers and she squeezed her eyes shut to prevent from flinching. “I
think they have the wedding all planned, would have been done since
the day I was born. My father has a room for his first grandchild
too, and I know there will be a fight on naming rights.” He linked
his hands together.
As odd as first meetings
went, this was one for the books. “You do realise, we’ve just met.
You don’t even know me.”
His gaze found hers and
she saw a vulnerability she couldn’t ignore in the depths of those
whiskey brown eyes. “I know what you’re capable of and it’s what I
need right now.”
Ash had never known words
could hurt until that very moment. She wasn’t proud of what
happened at the beauty pageant but had always maintained her
innocence. Her gaze narrowed. “To hell with you.”
Kieran grabbed her arm.
“Wait.”
She stopped and pulled
her arm free. “I was innocent. I never paid off any judge and I
proved that later. Too late, but I did.” Her heart kicked up a
notch as she withheld further retort. Was she never going to be
free of the reputation of a fallen beauty queen?
He looked down at his
shoe and had the decency to look embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I need
your help. Please?”
With her arms crossed
over her chest she lifted her chin. “What makes you think you can
trust me?”
He shook his head. “I
can’t. I’m desperate and I have to trust you. My father might die
and I need your help.”
“ So you’re
happy with a fake engagement to convince your mother you are
capable of staying here and you want me to tag along? What makes
you think you have a chance of convincing anyone you can do this?”
Was it possible he was grasping at straws?
He leaned back on the
soft leather chair and she was forced to clear her lungs of air
because there was something special about Kieran Kanna. Something
that pulled things from inside you when you didn’t expect
it.
“ Because you
are right, there is something I am not telling you. Please help
me.” He leaned forward and put