The Accidental Engagement (6 page)

Jack leaned over and whispered in her ear, “That’s our cue. Time to leave the party, I’m afraid.” He steered her toward a back exit that led into a narrow hallway where Daniel and his bodyguard were waiting.

Daniel spoke to Jack first. “There’s a car waiting out back to take you to the airport.”

“Right.” Jack gave her arm a squeeze before taking off down the hallway. “You did well out there,” Daniel said.

“Thanks. Where’s he going?” She hated that she sounded so lost and lonely but that’s exactly how she felt at the sight of her one and only ally running away from her.

“Don’t worry, you’ll see him again soon enough.” Daniel’s condescending tone made her grit her teeth. He gestured toward his bodyguard, the same man who’d stood silently behind him when he’d arrived at her home. “Max will take you back to your apartment.”

She sighed. A little peace and quiet sounded like heaven right about now. She couldn’t wait for a quiet evening of solitude to wrap her head around all that had happened today.

“You won’t have much time to pack so try to stick with the necessities.”

“Pack?” Ivy echoed.

Daniel and Max were already walking toward the door and Ivy hurried to keep up. “Yes,” Daniel said. “You’re headed to Rome tonight. The flight leaves in two hours.”

Ivy’s jaw dropped and she stopped walking to digest this bit of news. “Rome? Like,
Rome
-Rome? Like,
Italy
-Rome?” she called after him.

He turned to face her at the door, an amused smile formed on his lips to make him more handsome than ever.

“Just pack the necessities. We’ll need to buy you a new wardrobe once we land.”

“But, I can’t go…” her protest died in her throat as Daniel walked out the door. She followed Max out the same exit just in time to see Daniel slide into the back seat of a town car and speed away, leaving her alone with Max. She watched his car pull away with an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

Max was already leading her toward a town car of her own and held the door for her when she approached. She smiled her thanks but it was like smiling at a brick wall, no response whatsoever.

* * * *

One hour later, Ivy was back on the road heading to the airport, a small overnight bag in her lap. She’d taken Daniel’s advice and brought only the basics, some underwear and pajamas, her toiletries. Ivy brought a couple of changes of clothes but Daniel’s comment about buying her a new wardrobe had stuck in her mind. She had found herself eyeing everything in her closet from his point of view. Ivy owned approximately one designer dress and it was ill-fitting and worn because she’d bought it at a thrift store. Nothing in her closet would fit the part of a woman engaged to a billionaire tech mogul. Would she be allowed to keep her new clothes when they returned from Italy?

Italy.
She still couldn’t believe it. She’d always wanted to go but never had the chance.

She couldn’t seem to stop her leg from bouncing as they turned off onto the exit leading to airport. “Do they do this a lot?” she asked. She was about to repeat the question. Perhaps he hadn’t heard.

“Do what?” Max’s low voice asked from the front.

“Fly off to Europe at a moment’s notice?”

She couldn’t see Max’s expression in the rear view mirror. “Yes.”

That was the end of that conversation. She had been hoping to find an ally in Max but it was safe to say he wasn’t going to be her buddy. Max steered the car off the main road leading to the airport’s main terminal and headed down back roads that she never knew existed.

Ivy and her sister used to dream about backpacking through Europe—staying at hostels and eating too much pasta. Holly had gone on to travel a ton after college but Ivy never had the time or money to meet up with her. As the driver veered toward a private hangar, Ivy knew this trip would bear little resemblance to that plan. As they came to a stop beside a private jet, she let out a deep breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” she muttered, making herself laugh at least. If Max heard her, he didn’t let on. He grabbed her bag and she followed him to the bright lights of the jet, where the hatch was gaping open waiting for her. He set her bag down inside, ushered her in, and left without a word. She jumped when the door slammed shut behind her.

A flight attendant in a smart, navy blue uniform popped her head out of a galley and flashed her a bright smile. “Welcome aboard, Ms. Sinclair. If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to your seat.”

Ivy followed her through a dimly lit hallway to a small cabin that held several overstuffed leather lounge chairs.

Daniel looked up from the tablet he’d been typing on when she entered. “Oh good, you’re here. Marta, tell the pilot we’re ready to take off.”

“But-but….”

Daniel raised an eyebrow at her panicked outburst. “Yes?”

“Where is everyone else?”

Daniel smirked and gestured to Marta to follow his orders. When she left he turned his attention back to Ivy. “Jack had to put out a fire at the office. He’ll take the next flight out in the morning.”

He motioned toward the chair across from him and she slid into the warm buttery leather seat just as the plane began to taxi down the runway. She gripped the armrests and tried to imagine how she was going to make it through this long flight alone in a small room with the man who had forced her into this situation.
Yup, just her and the General. Wonderful.

Daniel smiled at her. “Come now, Ivy. Is it really so bad being stuck alone with me? I promise I don’t bite.”

Ivy tried to hold her tongue, she really did. But this man’s arrogance and condescension were more than she could take atop her already frazzled nerves.

“It’s not like I have a choice, do I?” she bit out.

Daniel watched her in intimidating silence as the plane taxied down the runway. When he spoke his voice was low and husky and it made Ivy’s insides turn to hot liquid. “That’s not true, Ivy. You have a choice. You always have a choice. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” He gave a little shrug when he added, “You may not always like your options but you always have a choice.”

She turned to the window to avoid facing him. She didn’t want him to see her frustration. She almost hated him at that moment—because he was right and she knew it. He had put her in a terrible position, but no one had put a gun to her head. It was too late to protest and too late to change her mind. She couldn’t continue to place all of the blame on this man’s shoulders no matter how tempting it was. But that still didn’t mean she had to like him.

Daniel had turned his attention back to the tablet in his hand. His glare would have been would be terrifying if it were directed at her. But since his anger was safely aimed at the offensive electronic device, she was free to study him without those piercing eyes watching her in return.

Okay, so he was gorgeous. There was no denying it. If Holly were here she’d be drooling right about now. But he was so not Ivy’s type—he was arrogant and overbearing and there was no doubt in her mind that he could be dangerous. Extremely dangerous. She would just have to do her best to stay clear of this man until the charade was over.

Now it was her turn to glower as she looked down at the calendar on her phone. Thanksgiving wasn’t too far off. What if this ruse was still going on during the holidays? How could she lie about getting married to her grandmother, for heaven’s sake? She mentally reviewed the contract she’d signed. Why hadn’t she thought to include an end date? Would she really be expected to play this role indefinitely?

“How long do you think it will take?”

Daniel lifted his head and she found herself fixed in his gaze like a deer in headlights. How did he do that? Was it a superpower or something?

“How long will what take?”

“This deal. Or merger, or whatever.”

“I told you before, it shouldn’t last more than a couple of weeks. I can’t give you a specific date but I’m hopeful it will move quickly. Brunelli’s moral objection to Jack’s reputation is the only major holdup with the deal.”

He tossed her a blanket from the adjacent seat. “Get some sleep, it’s a long flight.”

She pulled the blanket over her and curled her legs up so she could lean against the window. “What about you?” she asked.

His smile was self-deprecating. “I don’t sleep.”

Well, that answered
that
question.

Despite everything she’d been through that day, or maybe because of it, Ivy slept like a baby for the first half of the flight.

* * * *

Daniel never had a problem with his concentration. He’d always been proud of his ability to focus on work no matter where he was or the time of day or what anyone was doing around him. Until Ivy came along. Daniel caught himself watching her as she slept. He hadn’t known anyone could be captivating while asleep but somehow this little imp managed it. Her innocent expression was practically angelic. Every once in a while she would shift or sigh or mutter something unintelligible. A quote from
Macbeth
came to him as he watched her. “….
the innocent sleep, sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care
.”

Daniel didn’t know how long he sat there entranced. Her delicate features were so perfect in the pale glow of the overhead light that it seemed a shame there were no portrait artists aboard the plane. He found himself sketching her silhouette on a napkin instead of studying the proposal his assistant had sent him. It had been years since he’d tried to draw anything other than a pie chart but the simple act was soothing and familiar. Like riding a bike.

It wasn’t until the flight attendant approached him to offer a beverage that he snapped out of his idiotic pastime. Daniel crumbled the napkin and tossed it aside, annoyed beyond belief that he had allowed himself to lose track of time. Snapping open his briefcase with more force than necessary, he pulled out some documents and ordered himself to focus on the task at hand.

No woman was worth more than a business deal—no matter how fetching she looked in her sleep. With that thought firmly in mind, he focused on the contract his firm had sent for approval.

He was firmly ensconced in his work when she stretched and yawned herself awake hours later. She unfastened her seatbelt and stood up, presumably to use the restroom. She hadn’t gotten far, however, when the airplane hit turbulence.

She let out a little cry before landing in Daniel’s lap. He reached out to catch her but merely ended up holding her against him in a most ungentlemanly manner. Her hands were splayed across his chest and her bottom was nestled between his thighs. She gaped up at him, her breath coming in shallow gasps. His hands gripped her sides, holding her close against him as his body responded with a swift and overwhelming urgency. Her fresh, clean scent was intoxicating and her lips were there, so tantalizingly close, all he would have to do was tilt his head. He fought to control the overwhelming urge to close that gap and kiss her until she was moaning in his arms.

He knew she must have felt his erection; there was no way she could not. When she made a move to stand up and he felt her pert round breasts rub against his chest he had to clench his jaw to keep from holding her captive in his lap.

It was with considerable effort that he let her go, but once he did, she scrambled to her feet in an awkward maneuver involving two headrests and his shoulders.

“Sorry about that,” she said. Her cheeks were bright red with embarrassment. “I’m such a klutz.”

With that the plane gave a little jolt and he reached out his hands to steady her. He helped her into the seat beside his, smothering a laugh when she muttered a curse under her breath. “Maybe I should just stay seated for now,” she said.

“That may be for the best for all of our safety.” She cast him a sideways glance and he knew she was trying to tell if he was mocking her. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, thanks. I guess I was more tired than I thought.”

“You’ve had a long day,” he said.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and did her best to straighten her rumpled clothes. Considering everything she’d been through that day, all the shocks and major life decisions, she seemed to be coping quite well. Maybe she was stronger than he’d first thought. Maybe he had underestimated her.

“How did your family take the news?” he asked.

She looked over at him in surprise. Most likely she hadn’t expected concern from him. But it was important to her, which meant it needed to be dealt with.

She looked so distraught at the mention of her family, the delicate lines around her eyes grew taut and her shoulders noticeably tensed. It was such a change from the blissfully peaceful look she’d worn in her sleep, he was almost sorry he’d brought it up.

“I couldn’t get a hold of them. It’s not exactly news I want to share on voicemail.”

He fought the urge to wrap a protective arm around her shoulders and tell her everything would be all right.

First he was ditching work to sketch her portrait and now he was tempted to put her peace of mind before the mission at hand. He barely recognized himself. What was it about this woman that threw him so far off his game?

“You need to tell them, Ivy. The mystery woman routine won’t hold up for long. We bought you a little room but it’s just a matter of time before your name is revealed and the story will be out of our hands.”

He was distracted by an acute stab of desire when she began to nibble on her lower lip as she considered his words. He forced himself to look away. Good God, this was not the time for an adolescent crush. He’d better find some proper female companionship once they landed in Rome—clearly he’d been without a woman for too long if this little slip of a thing could rile him so easily.

“I know you’re right,” she said.

“You should call them as soon as you’re settled into the hotel,” he said. “I’m sure they’d rather hear this news from you.”

The irony of the situation—the fact that
he
was telling anyone how to deal with their family issues was comical. But this was the last hurdle. Once she lied to her family there would be no turning back for Miss Ivy Sinclair. Once she was fully on board, all he had to worry about was convincing Brunelli that their engagement was real. Daniel just had to make sure she played her part well—and if that meant never letting her out of his sight, so be it.