As Long As I Have You

~ Chapter Twelve ~

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm asking you to become my wife."

Kirsten pulled back and cast a suspicious eye, then smiled broadly, and even went so far as to playfully slap at his knee. "Very funny. If you're not careful I might actually take your proposal serious one of these times."

He had the decency to look bashful, if only for a moment. "I can assure you I'm very serious this time."

The smile on her face froze and then dropped quite suddenly.

"Are you insane?"

"More likely I'm a workaholic with a despot for a father."

"You are insane."

"Try to be open minded, kitten. Carl would have been."

It was just the jolt needed to get her attention.

"Hmph. You have exactly three minutes."

He smiled, confident he would need only two. "My father thinks it's past time I settled down and started a family. He's been badgering me with this nonsense more and more, but I never paid him much attention until a few weeks ago." He proceeded to tell his story, excluding those parts he felt irrelevant.

"It's the perfect solution. I can help your company and you can help me."

"By marrying you? Don't you think it's a little...?"

"I think it's a lot," he admitted without pause. "I won't lie about the commitment I need from you, but the rewards are worth it."

"And what does a 'commitment' mean?"

"Nothing extraordinary. We can do things formally or informally, your choice. If you want to be informal, we stay in touch on a regular basis, grab a drink and catch up with each other, and so on."

"And formally?"

"You can always submit a regular briefing note on what's happening in your life. Either way I would have to insist you refrain from engaging in any personal relationships that could jeopardize the perception of our arrangement. Other than that you might be asked to endure the occasional family function or an event here and there. It's nothing, really."

"Sounds romantic."

"No, it doesn't, but I'm proposing a business venture, not moonlight and roses."

"I guess you've already given me those, haven't you?" When he cleared his throat she couldn't help but smile.

"The last thing I want is an emotional attachment. I've got enough complications in my life to deal with."

"And you think adding in a phoney marriage will simplify things?"

"In this case, yes, I do."

"You make it sound like we can do whatever we want."

"Of course we can."

"Pfft. When is that ever true?"

"How about right now for starters?"

She shook her head. "You're crazy. And by the way, your three minutes are up."

He picked up her hands and tucked them into his own.

"Do you believe your father was a good businessman? A good judge of character?"

"Of course."

"Well, he approved of me. How much more of an endorsement do you need?"

"He approved of you as a business partner, not as my husband."

He wasn't sure why, but he liked the sound of that. Her husband.