An Outrageous Proposal (11 page)

“You’d think we’d threatened to drag her through the village
tied to a rampaging horse.” He snorted. “The old woman scared us both half to
death. Ronan’s been after her for years to let us replace that roof.”

“I know. It’s nice of you to look out for her.”

He glanced at her. “Maeve is family.”

“I know that, too,” she said and felt that flutter of love
inside her again. Honestly, who wouldn’t be swooning at the feet of a man like
this? Even as that thought circled her brain, Georgia steeled herself. If she
wasn’t careful, she was going to do something stupid that would alert him to
just how much she cared about him.

And that couldn’t happen. No way would she live in Dunley
knowing that Sean was off at the manor feeling sorry for poor Georgia, who’d
been foolish enough to fall in love with him.

“Anyway,” she said with forced cheer, “my cottage is sound,
thanks to the previous owner. So I was fine.”

“Aye,” he said softly, brown eyes locked on her face. “You
are.”

A ripple of sensation slid along her spine at the music in his
voice, the heat in his eyes. He was temptation itself, she told herself, and she
wondered how she was going to manage living in this town over the years, seeing
him and not having him. Hearing the gossip in the village about the women he
would be squiring around. And again, she wanted to kick herself for ever
agreeing to his crazy proposal.

“You’ve been working here. Your shop looks good,” he said,
shifting a quick look around the space. “As do you.”

Heat flared inside her, but she refused to acknowledge it.
Instead, Georgia looked around her shop, letting her gaze slide over the soft
gold walls, the paintings of Laura’s that Georgia had hung only that
morning.

“Thanks,” she said. “The furniture I ordered from the shop in
Galway should arrive by end of the week.”

She could almost see it, a sleek, feminine desk with matching
chair. More chairs for clients, and shelves for what would be her collection of
design books. She’d have brightly colored rugs strewn across the polished wood
floor and a sense of style that customers would feel the moment they stepped
inside.

Georgia was excited about the future even as she felt a pang of
regret that Sean wouldn’t be a part of it. She took a steadying breath before
looking into his soft brown eyes again. And still it wasn’t enough. Probably
never would be, she thought. He would always hold a piece of her heart, whether
he wanted it or not.

Still, she forced a smile. “I think it’s really coming along.
I’m looking forward to opening the shop for business.”

“You’ll be brilliant,” he said, his gaze level on hers.

“Thanks for that, too.” She knew his words weren’t empty
flattery, and his confidence in her was a blossom of warmth inside her. “And as
long as I’m thanking you…we’ll add on that I appreciate all your help with the
business license.”

“We had a deal, didn’t we?”

“Yeah,” she said, biting at her bottom lip. “We did.”

“I spoke to Tim Shannon this morning. He told me that your
business license should be arriving by end of the week.”

A swirl of nerves fluttered in the pit of her stomach, and she
slapped both hands to her abdomen as if to still them.

“Never say you’re nervous,” he said, smiling.

“Okay, I won’t tell you. But I am. A little.” She turned her
gaze on the front window and stared out at the sunlit street beyond. “This is
important to me. I just want to do it right.”

“And so you will,” Sean said, “and to prove it, I want to hire
you.”

“What?” That she hadn’t expected.

“Do you remember how you reeled off dozens of brilliant ideas
on how to improve the interior of my planes?”

“Yes…”

He walked closer, tugged his hands from his pockets and laid
them on her shoulders. “I want you to redesign the interiors of all the Irish
Air jets.”

“You…” She blinked at him.

“Not just the fleet we’ve got at the moment, either,” he told
her, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “I want you in on my talks with the plane
builders. We can get your input from the beginning that way.”

“Redesign your…” It was a wild, exciting idea. And Georgia’s
mind kicked into high gear despite the shock still numbing parts of her
brain.

This was huge. Irish Air as her client would give her an
instant name and credibility. It would be an enormous job, she warned herself,
expecting nerves or fear to trickle in under the excitement, but they didn’t
come. All she felt was a rush of expectancy and a thrill that he trusted her
enough to turn her loose on the business that meant so much to him.

“I can see the wheels in your mind turning,” he said, his mouth
curving slightly. “So add this to the mix. You’ll have a free hand to make
whatever changes you think best. We’ll work together, Georgia, and together
we’ll make Irish Air legendary.”

Together.
Her heart stirred. Oh,
she liked the sound of that, even though more time with Sean would only make the
eventual parting that much more painful. How could she
not
love him? He was offering her carte blanche to remake Irish Air
because he trusted her.

Shaking her head, she admitted, “I don’t even know what to
say.”

He grinned and she felt a jolt.

“Say yes, of course. I’ll be your first client, Georgia, but
not your last.” He pulled her closer and she looked up into deep brown eyes that
shone with pleasure and…something else.

“With Irish Air on your résumé, I guarantee other companies
will be beating down your door soon.”

“It’s great, Sean, really. You won’t be sorry for this.”

“I’ve no doubts about that, Georgia,” he said, then lifted one
hand to smooth her hair back from her face.

At his touch, everything in her trembled, but Georgia fought
it. She
had
to fight it, for her own sake.

“There’s something else I want to talk to you about.” His voice
was quiet, thoughtful.

And she knew instinctively what he was going to say. She should
have known there would be another reason for his incredible offer. He had come
here to tell her their engagement was done. Deal finished. Obviously, he’d
offered her that job to take the sting out of the whole thing.

“Let me help,” she said, pulling back and away from him. How
could she think when his hands were on her? When she was looking into those eyes
of his? “Laura told me that Ailish is mostly recovered now and I’m really
glad.”

“Thank you,” he said, “and yes, she is. She’ll see her doctor
this week, then all will be back to normal.”

Normal. Back to life without Sean.

“So she’ll be headed back to Dublin?”

“No,” Sean said. “Mother’s decided she wants to come home to
Dunley. I offered her the left wing of the manor, but she says she’s no interest
in living with her son.” He shrugged and laughed a little. “So she’s opted for
moving into the gatehouse on the estate.”

“The gatehouse?” Georgia didn’t remember ever noticing a
gatehouse at Sean’s place.

“It’s what we call it, anyway,” he said with a smile. “It was
originally built for my grandmother to live in when she moved out of the manor
in favor of my parents. Mother’s always loved it, and there’s plenty of room
there for her friends to visit.”

“Oh, okay. Well, it’s nice that she’ll be closer. I really like
your mother.”

“I know you do,” Sean said. “But the thing is, with mother
recovering, it’s time we talked about our bargain.”

“It’s okay.” Georgia cut him off. She didn’t want him to say
the words. “You don’t have to say it. Ailish is well, so we’re finished with
this charade.”

She tugged at the ring on her finger, but he reached out and
stilled her hand. Georgia looked up at him.

“I don’t want to be done with it,” he blurted, and hope shot
through her like sunlight after the storm they’d just lived through.

She swallowed hard and asked, “What?”

“I want us to marry,” he said, curling her fingers into her
palm to prevent her from taking off the ring.

“You do?” Love dazzled her. She looked into his eyes and saw
them shine. She felt everything in her world setting itself straight again. In
one split instant, she saw their lives spiraling out into a wonderful future.
The home they’d make. The children. The family. She saw love and happiness and
everything she’d ever wished for.

The sad cynic inside her died, and Georgia was glad to see her
go.

And then he continued talking.

“It makes sense,” he told her, a gorgeous smile on his face.
“The village is counting on it. My mother’s got the thing half-planned already.
We work well together. You must admit we make a hell of a good team. We’re great
in bed together. I think we should simply carry on with the engagement and go
through with the marriage. No one ever has to know we didn’t marry for
love.”

Eleven

T
here, Sean told himself. He’d done it.
Laid out his plan for her, and now she’d see exactly what they could have
together. Looking into her eyes, he saw them alight, then watched worriedly as
that light dimmed. He spoke up fast, hoping to see her eyes shine again.

“There’s no sense in us breaking up when any fool could see
we’ve done well together,” he said, words rushing from him as her eyes went cool
and a distance seemed to leap up between them.

He moved in closer and told himself she hadn’t actually moved
away,
just to one side. “You’re a sensible
woman, Georgia. Clear-thinking. I admire that about you, along with so many
other facets of you.”

“Well, how nice for you that I’m such a calm person.”

“I thought so.” He frowned. “But somehow, I’ve insulted
you.”

“Oh, why would I be insulted by
that?
”

“I’ve no idea,” he said, but watched her warily. “I realize
I’ve caught you off guard with this, but you’ll see, Georgia. If you’ll but take
a moment to think it through, you’ll agree that this is the best way for both of
us.”

“You’ve decided that, have you?” She snapped a look at him that
had the hackles at the back of his neck standing straight up.

This wasn’t going as he’d thought it would, yet he had no
choice but to march on, to lay everything out for her.

“I did. I’ve done considerable thinking about the two of us
since we took that trip to California.”

“Have you?”

Her tone was sweet, calm, and he began to relax again. This was
the Georgia he knew so well. A temper, aye. What’s life without a little
seasoning after all, but a reasonable woman at the heart of it.

“I’m saying we work well together and there’s no reason for us
to separate.” When her gaze narrowed, he hurried on. “The entire village is
expecting a wedding. If we end things now, there’ll be questions and whispers
and gossip that will last for years.”

“That’s not what you said when we started this,” she countered.
“Oh, they’ll all think you’ve come to your senses,”
she added in such a true mimic of his own voice and words she had him
flinching.

“It’s different now,” he insisted.

“How? How is it different?”

He rubbed one hand over his face, fatigue clawing at him even
as his muddled mind fought for survival. “You’re a part of things in Dunley, as
am I. They’ll wonder. They’ll talk.”

“Let them,” she snapped. “Isn’t that what a
sensible
woman would say?”

“Clearly that word upsets you, though I’ve no idea why. You’re
a lovely woman, Georgia, with a sound mind and a clear vision.” He pushed on,
determined to make her see things his way, though the ground beneath his feet
felt suddenly unstable. “You’re rational, able to look at a situation and see it
for what it is. Which is why I know you’ll agree with me on this. Ronan insisted
you wouldn’t, of course, but he doesn’t know you as I do…”

“Ronan?” she asked, turning her head and glancing at him from
the corner of her eye. “You discussed this with Ronan?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” He stiffened. “He’s as close as a brother to
me, and I wanted to get it all set in my mind before I came to you with it.”

“And now you have?”

“I do,” Sean told her, and felt worry begin to slither through
him. She wasn’t reacting as he’d expected. He’d thought that his sensible
Georgia would smile up at him and say,
Good idea, Sean.
Let’s do it.
Instead, the distance between them seemed to be growing
despite the fact she was standing right in front of him.

She looked down at the emerald-and-diamond ring on her finger,
and when he caught her hand in his, he felt better. She was considering his
proposal, then, though he’d have expected a bit more excitement and a little
less biting his damned head off.

“If you’ll just take a moment to consider it, I know you’ll
agree. You’re not a woman to muddy your thinking by looking through the wavery
glass of emotion.”

“Oh, no,” she whispered, rubbing her thumb against the gold
band of her ring. “I’m cool and calm. That’s me. No emotions. Little robot
Georgia.”

“Robot?” He frowned at her. “What’re you talking about?”

“Logical,” she repeated. “Rational. If I come when you whistle
I could be your dog.”

He scrubbed the back of his neck. Maybe he shouldn’t have come
here first thing this morning. Maybe he should have waited. Gotten some damn
sleep before talking to her. For now, he felt as though even his own thoughts
were churning. He couldn’t lay a finger on how he’d gone wrong here, but he knew
he had.

The only way out was to keep talking, hoping he’d stumble on
the words he needed so desperately. And why was it, he thought wildly, that when
he most needed the words, they’d dried up on him?

“Not a robot now, but a dog?” Sean shook his head. “You’ve got
this all wrong, Georgia. ’Tis my fault you’re not understanding me,” he said
benevolently. “I’ve not made myself clear enough.”

“Oh,” she told him with a choked-off laugh, “you’re coming
through loud and clear.”

“I can’t be, no, or you wouldn’t be standing there spitting
fire at me with your eyes.”

“Really?” She cocked her head to one side and studied him. “How
should I react to this oh-so-generous proposal?”

Temper slapped him. He was offering marriage here, not a year
in a dungeon. For all the way she was acting, you wouldn’t believe he was trying
to make her his wife but instead ordering her to swim her way back to
America.

“A kiss wouldn’t be out of hand, if you’re asking me. It’s not
every day I ask a woman to marry me, you know.”

“And so graciously, too.” She fiddled with her ring again,
thumb sliding across the big green stone. “I should probably apologize.”

“No need for that,” he said, worry easing back an inch or so
now. “I’ve caught you by surprise, is all.”

“Oh, you could say that.” She pulled her hand free of his. “And
your proposal to Noreen, was it every bit this romantic?”

“Romantic? What’s romance to do with this?”

“Nothing, obviously,” she muttered.

“And I never proposed to Noreen,” he told her hotly. “That
just…happened.”

“Poor you,” Georgia told him with sarcasm dripping off each
word. “How you must have been taken advantage of.”

“I didn’t say that—” He shook his head and blew out a breath.
“I’ve no idea what I’m saying now, you’ve got me running in circles so.”

“Not sensible enough for you?”

“Not by half, no,” he said flatly. “You’re behaving oddly,
Georgia, if you don’t mind my saying.” Reaching for her, he blinked when she
batted his hands away. “What was that for?”

“Oh, let me count the reasons,” she muttered, stalking away
from him to pace back and forth across the narrow width of the shop.

The short heels of her boots clacked loudly against the wood
floor and sounded to Sean like a thundering heartbeat.

“You want me to marry you because your mother’s making plans
and the
village
will be disappointed.”

“That’s only part of it,” he argued, feeling control slipping
away from him somehow.

“Yes, of course.” She snapped him a furious glance. “There’s
how well we work together, too.”

“There is.”

“And we’re such a good team, right?” Her eyes flashed. “And
let’s not forget how good we are in bed together.”

“It’s a consideration, I think you’ll agree, when wanting to
marry.” His tone was as stiff as his spine as he faced the rising fury in her
eyes.

“Sure, wouldn’t want to waste your time on a sensible,
rational, logical woman who sucked in bed.”

“A harsh way of putting it—”

She held up one hand to keep him from saying anything else, and
he was shocked enough to obey the silent command.

“So basically, you don’t want anything as pesky as
love
involved in this at all.”

“Who said anything about love?” he demanded, as something cold
and hard settled in the center of his chest.

“Exactly my point.”

Swallowing his rising anger, he kept his voice calm as he
pointed out, “You’re not talking sense, Georgia.”

“Wow, I’m not?” She flashed him a look out of eyes that had
gone as dark as the ocean at night. “How disappointing for you.”

Watery winter sunlight slanted into the room through the front
windows and seemed to lay across Georgia like a blessing. Her hair shone, her
features were golden and the flash in her eyes was unmistakable.

Still, Sean had come here to claim her and he wasn’t willing to
give up on that. “You’re taking this the wrong way entirely, Georgia. You care
for me, and I for you—”

“Care for?”
she repeated, her voice
hitching higher. “Care for? I
love
you, you
boob.”

Sean was staggered, and for the first time in his life,
speechless.

“Hah!” She stabbed one finger in the air, pointing it at him
like a blade. “I see you hadn’t considered
that
in
all of your planning. Why would rational, logical,
sensible
Georgia be in love?”

She loved him? Heat blistered his insides even as words tangled
on his tongue.

“Well, I can’t explain that. It’s really not sensible at all,”
Georgia muttered, pushing both hands through her hair before dropping her hands
to her sides and glaring at him. “At the moment, it feels downright stupid.”

“It’s not stupid,” Sean blurted out, crossing to her and taking
hold of her shoulders before she could dodge his touch again. Love? She loved
him? This was perfect. “It’s more reason than ever for you to marry me. You love
me, Georgia. Who the bloody hell else would you marry?”

“Nobody.”
She yanked free of his
grip.

“That makes no sense at all.”

“Then you’re not paying attention,” she snapped. “You think I
want to marry a man who doesn’t love me?
Again?
No,
thanks. I’ve already had that and am in no way interested in doing it all
over.”

“I’m nothing like that inexcusable shite you married and you
bloody well know it,” he argued, feeling the need to defend himself.

“Maybe not, but what you’re offering me is a fake
marriage.”

“It would be real.”

“It would be legal,” she argued. “Not real.”

“What the bloody hell’s the difference?”

“If you don’t
know
what the
difference is,” she countered, “then there’s no way to explain it to you.” She
took a long breath and said, “I’ve come to Ireland to build myself a life.
Myself.
And just because I made the mistake of falling
in love with you doesn’t mean I’m willing to throw those plans away.”

“Who’s asking you to?” he demanded, wondering if she loved him
as she claimed, how she could be so stubbornly blind to what they shared. What
they
could
share.

“I’m done with you, Sean. It’s over. No engagement. No
marriage. No nothing.” She grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the door.

Sunlight washed the street and, for the first time, Sean noted
that a few of the villagers had gathered outside the door. Drawn, no doubt by
the rising voices. Nothing an Irishman liked better than a good fight—either
participating or witnessing.

“Now get out and go away.”

“You’re throwing me out of your shop?” He dug in his heels and
she couldn’t budge him another inch.

“Seems the ‘sensible’ thing to do,” she countered, her gaze
simply boiling with temper.

“There’s nothing sensible about you at the moment, I’m sorry to
say.”

“Thank you! I don’t feel sensible. In fact, I may never be
sensible again.” She tapped the tip of her index finger against the center of
his chest. “In fact, I feel
great.
It’s liberating
to say exactly what you’re thinking and feeling.

“I’ve always done the right thing—okay, the sensible thing. But
no more. And if you don’t want me to redesign Irish Air, that’s fine with me.”
She shook her hair back from her face. “I hear Jefferson King lives somewhere
around here—I’ll go see
him
about a job if I have
to.”

“Jefferson King?” The American billionaire who now lived on a
sheep farm near Craic? Just the thought of Georgia working in close quarters
with another man gave Sean a hard knot in the pit of his belly. Even if that man
was married and a father.

Georgia belonged here. With him. Nowhere else.

“There’s no need for that,” he said sharply. “I don’t break my
word. I’ve hired you to do the job and I’ll expect you to do it well.”

Surprise flickered briefly in her eyes. At least he had that
satisfaction. It didn’t last long.

“Good.” Georgia gave him a sharp nod. “Then we’re agreed.
Business.
No
pleasure.”

Outside the shop, muttering and conversations rose along with
the size of the crowd. All of Dunley would be out there soon, Sean thought,
gritting his teeth. Damned if he’d give the village more grist to chew on. If
she wouldn’t see reason, then he’d leave her now and try again another day to
batter his way through that hard head of hers.

He lowered his voice and said, “You’ve a head like stone,
Georgia Page.”

“And so is your heart, Sean Connolly,” she told him
furiously.

Someone outside gasped and someone else laughed.

“This is the way you talk to a man who offers you marriage?” he
ground out.

“A man who offered me
nothing.
Nothing of himself. Nothing that matters.”

“Nothing? I offer you my name and that’s nothing?” His fury
spiked as he stared down into those blue eyes flashing fire at him.

She didn’t back down an inch and even while furious he could
admire that, as well.

“Your name, yes,” Georgia said. “But that’s all. You don’t
offer your heart, do you, Sean? I don’t think you’d know how.”