Why couldnt you?

He came across the room to stand only inches away from her, one of his hands rising to lightly cup the side

of her face as his thumb moved caressingly across the fullnessof her lower lip. Youre a very beautiful woman, he murmured huskily, his gaze

roaming over her suddenly pale face. Would you find it such a hardship to go to bed with me? he asked. Casey found herself

mesmerised by those gorgeous firm lips only inches away from her own.What would it be like to feel them moving searchingly against hers? To

have him kiss andcaress ? No! You would, Xander said regretfully as she flinched back

from him. Casey, thousands of people go to bed together every day for no other reason than that piece of paper.

Not me! she assured him firmly, very aware of the way she still trembled from his light caress, and wondering if she was being truthful

to Xander or herself She had been in love with Sam when theyd first married. Or at least she had thought she was. It

hadnt been long before she had understood that, at only twenty years old, she had probably been too young to realise she was just dazzled by the

fact that someone so good-looking and charmingas Sam should have fallen in love with her. But by then it had been too late. They had already been

married a year, Josh had been a baby only two months old, and her father had recently died. But she had continued to be married to Sam for

a further six years, hadnt she? And it had o nly been during the last six months of their marriage that the physical side of things had

endedcompletely. Yes, but that was different, she told herself firmly now. Sam had been her husband

Only, if she accepted Xander Frasers marriage proposal he woul d be her husband, too! No, she couldnt go through with this! No

matter what the financial inducement to make Joshslife more comfortable and her own life free of the continual financial stress

I only said it was an option, Casey. Xander spoke evenly a s he saw the sudden panic in her easily readable expression.

Her open emotions were certainly a refreshing change after years of Chloes deceit and machinations!Chlo e had been the most beautiful woman he had

ever set eyes on when he met her seven and ahalf years ago a beautiful ebonyhaired blue-eyed butterfly who had dazzled and

beguiledevery man she came into contact with. Including him. And Xander had pursued her relentlesslyuntil he caught her.

But after only a few brief months of marriage he had realised that she truly was a butterfly thather emotions, once given, lasted

only fleetingly, before she moved on to the next conquest. Andthe next. And the next.Only the fact that Chloe had found herself pregnant at the end

of their six-weeklonghoneymoon at least Xander had been sure that Lauren was his! had kept the marriage from

ending in divorce once hed discovered Chloe had taken her first lover. And that was all their marriage had been

a sham, a front for the dozens of men Chloe hadenthralled int o her bed. Men she would enjoy, but who couldnt demand too much from her

when she had the protection of a powerful husband like Xander Fraser.He should have divorced her years ago, of course, but the possibility of

Chloe taking Lauren withher when she left the daughter he adored

had prevented him from taking such action. The fact that he was now being threatened in the same way by Chloes father was totally

unacceptable! I would be quite happy with a marriage of convenience, Casey; Im really not that d esperate for

a physical relationship with an unwilling wife! he told her, suddenly harsh after recalling such unwelcome memories.Where

had that anger come from so suddenly? Casey wondered. And who was to say she would be unwilling? Her reaction to his t

ouch just now had told her that she wasnt indifferent to him. And she had already acknowledged to herself earlier that she found this man

physically attractive that heexuded a powerful vitality that would make it impossible ever to ignore him

so how muchmore disturbing was he going to be if he was her husband? If she was living with him on a permanent basis? She couldnt be

seriously thinking of accepting his proposal, could she? But for Joshs sake, she couldnt not seriously think about it!She had been aware

for some weeks that she was fighting a losing battle when it came to payingher bills as well as the mortgage Sam had taken out on this house in order

to raise extra capital.She knew she might soon have to give up even trying to hold on to her family home, and findsomewhere to rent instead. There

would be a few thousand pounds to bank once the house wassold, but nowhere near enough to give Josh all the advantages Xander

Fraser was offering if he became her sons stepfather. So how could she not a ccept Xanders marriage proposal?

She moistened lips that had gone dry. If I were to accept I said if, Mr Fraser, she emphasised,

when she saw the look of triumph flare in those dark blue eyes. I think you had better call me Xander, dont you? he invit ed.

She gave him a scathing glance and deliberately didnt respond to his invitation. A childish gesture, perhaps, but she had a

feeling that any advantage she might ever have over Xander Fraser was going to be a small one! If I accept, exactly when were

you thinking of this marriage taking place? Xander damped down his feeling of elation that she was even considering his offer

 which was pretty strange for a man who, after Chloes infidelities, had sworn he would never marry again!

But this was a marriage to be made out of necessity rather than choice, he excused himself. It was for his daughters sake, not his own

exactly the reason he had settled on Casey Bridges along with her son Josh, who Lauren adored in the first place!

He shrugged. As soon as we can get a licence, I would have thought. The sooner the better, infact. Why wait, Casey? he added persuasively as he once again saw

that look of panic in her face. The sooner its done, the matter settled, the sooner we can all get on with our lives.

He had always liked and respected Brad Henderson, and he knew it was the other mans grief at losing Chloe that was making him

behave irrationally at the moment; unfortunately, Xander couldnt afford to give the other man time to

come to his senses. He was all too aware of the damage that Brad could wreak in Laurens life as well as his own before that happened.

The sooner he got Casey Bridges to agree to his marriage proposal the better. He found itdistinctly unflattering that she viewed

marriage to him in so poor a light most women he knewwould have jumped at the offer.But then, the women who had been in his life

the last year were as hard and grasping as Chloehad been. He had chosen them deliberately. At least he knew where he stood with women

likethat. He would certainly never consider for any reason! offering marriage to one of them.

Casey wasnt like them would never be like them which meant he had to back off a little andgive her some time to

make her decision. Hopefully, she would realise there were far too manyadvantages for Josh to allow her scruples to stand in the way.

Why dont you take overnight to think about it, and Ill call you in the morning? he suggested lightly.

Overnight? Casey echoed with another sur ge of inward panic. Could she take just a few hoursto make a decision that

would affect the rest of her life? And Joshs Josh. Her weak spot. A weakness Xander Fraser had

already exploited to his advantage But apparently not her only weakness, Casey acknowledged thoughtfully as she remembered theway she had

trembled, the warmth that had coursed through her body, when Xander Fraser hadtouched her.Yes, she had to take into account her unmistakable

response to all that leashed magnetism, too.She would be foolish not to do so. She raised her chin and infused her voice with

determination. Why dont I take my time to think about it and call you when I reach a decision? His mouth tightened, his gaze narrowing

speculatively as she deliberately turned his suggestion back on him. Why dont you? he finally growled, taking his wallet from the back

pocket of hisdenims to remove a business card and place it on the coffee table. But dont take too long,hmm? he added.

Or what? Casey wondered with a frown as she watched him turn on his heel and leave.The front door closed behind him seconds

later.Would she find the offer had been rescinded if she dithered too long in giving him an answer? Would he decide she wasnt worth the trouble and

find someone else someone morereceptive to make his offer of marriage to? CHAPTER FIVE M

R FRASER Xander, Casey, he insisted as he easily recognised her voice on the other

end of the telephone line. He should; at almost seven oclock in the evening, he had been waiting al l day for this call!

Ive reached a decision, she told him without preamble. Xander wasnt in the least reassured by her businesslike tone. He had an

uncomfortable feelingthat Caseys scruples might have won out, after all. Of a sort, she added, less certainly.

Xander frowned. His patience was already tried to the limit because hed had to wait all day for her phone call.