of this approach. We think this through.”
“Agreed,” he said.
Teddy believed he wasn’t really thinking it through. “I mean, with the same consideration you give to your investments, you give to this plan.”
He took a moment to consider it. Then he nodded and said, “Will do.”
“Here it is,” Mr. Restonson said.
Teddy turned. The gallery owner was a few feet behind her. She’d nearly forgotten about him in light of Adam’s plan. She wondered if he’d heard them.
Moving across the floor, Teddy met him in the middle of the room. “It’s huge,” she said when she saw him carrying a package longer than her arms. The painting had been wrapped and she couldn’t tell what the picture was, but she could see its size. No way could she take that on the train back to Princeton.
And her mother knew it.
Adam wrestled the painting into the back of the SUV as Teddy watched. Several times she jerked her hand to help catch the falling canvas. “I apologize,” she told him when they’d managed to get it in without a mishap. “Mom said it was a small painting.”
“Relative term,” he replied. “Compared with the murals at Times Square...” He left the sentence open, but Teddy knew what he meant. The advertisements in that area of Manhattan were described by the number of stories they covered. The smallest one she could think of was about ten-stories high.
There was that dry humor again. Teddy didn’t mind it. In fact, she found it likable. They climbed into the plush cabin and Adam started the engine. He pulled into the afternoon traffic. Teddy thought about the suggestion Adam had brought up in the brightness of the gallery.
“Thinking about my proposal?” Adam broke into her thoughts.
“It isn’t a proposal, not by my definition. But it is on my mind,” Teddy said. She lapsed into silence. She knew he was waiting for her to continue by the way he glanced at her.
“Afraid pulling it off might be an issue?”
“Aren’t you? After all, these are our parents. And what about girlfriends? I can’t imagine you don’t already have one.” He had met her for a blind date. That should indicate that he was unattached, but Teddy didn’t want to assume. She noticed him stiffen. Hands that had been relaxed now gripped the steering wheel harder.
“I did,” he said quietly. “We broke up six months ago.”
Teddy intentionally kept her voice low. “Is it over or do you think you’ll reconcile?”
“No reconciliation.” The note in his voice was final, even if it was a little higher pitched than she remembered. Teddy knew that wasn’t the end of it, but she didn’t know him well enough to continue questioning.
“What about you? Beautiful, confident, business owner. There must be a man in the wings.”
“Several,” Teddy said.
“Anyone in particular?”
“They’re all particular.”
He took his eyes from the road to stare at her with raised eyebrows. “How many is ‘all’?”
“Not a relevant question, or one I’ll answer,” she told him.
“So the Marriage Pact won’t work for you?”
“I didn’t say that,” Teddy said, a teasing smile curving her lips.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m not sure. There are complications that could happen from this action and I don’t know what they are yet.”
“Does that mean you’ll think about it?”
After a long moment, she said, “I’ll think about it.”
They were both quiet for the rest of the drive. When they entered the Borough of Princeton, Teddy directed him to her house.
“Where do you want it?” Adam asked, carrying the painting.
“In here, slide it between the columns.” She led him to the area between her living and dining rooms. They were separated by a pair of columns. Teddy pointed to a spot that didn’t obstruct her entry or exit. Adam leaned the painting against the wall and followed her back to the kitchen.
“Would you like something to drink?” she asked.
“Thank you, but I need to go. Japanese markets are open and I have some transactions to take care of.”
“Of course,” Teddy said. She was slightly disappointed that he wasn’t staying. She headed back toward the front of the house. At the door, she turned to thank him for his help, but a sudden and unexpected emotion gripped her. She looked up at him. The idea of a pretense with him wasn’t sitting as badly as it should. Her eyes roamed his face, settling on his mouth. Teddy thought of leaning toward him but stopped herself.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“You will think about the pact?” he asked.
Teddy nodded. “I promised.” Then surprised herself by adding, “We could talk more about it sometime.” She hesitated and that was unlike her. “After the markets close, maybe.”
“We need to know more about each other,” he agreed.
She nodded.
“While you’re thinking, here’s something to help you along.”
Before Teddy knew what he was going to do, he leaned toward her and she couldn’t help but lean into him. Her head tipped up and her heels came off the floor at the same time. His mouth hovered over hers. He took her face in his hands, first one hand, then the other, cradling her. She took in his scent. Images swam before her eyes. She closed them as emotions burned within her. Intense heat flashed through her until she was sure she was glowing yellow. His mouth settled on hers. Easy. He didn’t rush or plunge. His fingers threaded through her hair, combing it with ease as if he savored the texture and feel of the dark strands. Palms slid across her shoulders and with slow, caressing movements skimmed over her arms and sides before wrapping around her waist. He pulled her against him, possessively, his mouth mirroring the actions of his body. She felt the fire of his hands searing her suit fabric.
Teddy had been kissed before, but never like this, never with this tenderness, this softness that was as unnerving as if he were devouring her. Her arms reached upward, sliding over arms that were rock hard. On tiptoe she circled his neck and pressed herself into him. Just as her mouth began to mate with his, he lifted his head.
She said nothing. Her eyes closed and opened in answer. His finger on her lips made her incapable of speech. The emotions rifling through her were new, untried, outside her realm of experience. But they were there—prickling electrical points that dotted her body, vibrated over her skin like a formfitting acupuncture machine that dealt only in pleasure. The sensation was new.
Adam moved his hand and the moment snapped, a tenuous thread broken.
“Now we know what it’s like to kiss each other.”
Reaching around her, he opened the door. She was already close enough to him that the smell of his heady cologne clouded her senses. Brushing against his hard body as she made room for him had her responding to the pure sexual drive of him.
The door clicked shut and she let out a long breath. She was incapable of speech. When had a man ever caused her to react like this?
And one her mother handpicked!
* * *
Teddy understood that if she