Her sigh carried total exasperation. ‘I have better things to do than try to mix words with you. Before this goes any further, I have a confession to make.’

‘That sounds ominous.’

‘The thing is, I didn’t really tell my parents the truth. There is no barbecue lunch tomorrow at their place.’

‘Sorry. I don’t get it.’

‘I wanted to show you how complicated things could become if we start telling all and sundry that we’re getting married. I realise you want our wedding to look real. But I’d like to be able to get a quiet divorce later without having to explain anything to my family. Wouldn’t you?’

‘I don’t have any family to explain my actions to,’ he replied, making her wonder about him again.

‘What, none at all?’

‘None at all,’ he ground out in a way that stopped her from asking any more questions on the subject.

‘What about your friends?’ she asked instead.

‘I only have two close male friends. Rich already knows the situation and Reece soon will. I’ll be asking him and Alanna to our wedding.’

‘What on earth for?’

‘The photos. And the kudos. Reece is a very high-profile businessman and Alanna is having a baby. Helsinger will be impressed that I have friends with brains, and solid family values.’

‘Maybe, but I’ll be embarrassed.’ As much as Natalie liked Reece and Alanna, they were former clients. She didn’t like them knowing she was marrying Mike for money.

‘You? Embarrassed?’ he scoffed. ‘Never! You’re tough as teak.’

Natalie stiffened. If only Mike knew.

‘Not nearly as tough as you,’ she countered tartly.

‘True,’ he agreed. ‘So what did you tell your folks?’

‘As much of the truth as I could. I told them all about you and your potential partnership deal with Mr Helsinger and that you were willing to pay me a million-dollar bonus if I could find you a wife in a day. Which I happily told them I did. I just didn’t tell them that it was me.’

‘That was very clever of you.’

‘Yep, that’s me. Clever as well as tough. So you’re right, Mike. Your testosterone is quite safe with yours truly. Clever and tough are not attributes in a woman which turn men on.’

Mike wished that were true. Unfortunately, his male hormones hadn’t been this stimulated in a long time.

Of course, his recent celibacy had to be part of his problem. But it wasn’t the only reason for his constant state of arousal. That sassy mouth of hers turned him on no end. Not to mention her deliciously repressed body.

Mike smiled a darkly rueful smile. She’d really had him going there for a while over that barbecue business. He’d actually started to worry over what he’d tell her folks about his background.