**Edited by Adelina Clonts**

“The Rented Husband”

2011 © All Rights Reserved

Chapter 3

Brody reached out in front of Olivia and opened the door. She stopped dead in her tracks and peered over at him out of the corner of her eye looking at him suspiciously. He flashed her one of his million watt smiles and simply shrugged his shoulders.

“Ladies first,” he said cordially.

Growing up in the South he had always been taught that opening doorsand pulling chairs out for the lady was the gentlemanly thing to do, and he considered himself to be a perfect gentleman, most of the time anyway. Although right now, he was insanely curious as to why Ms. Fancy Pants suddenly asked him to lunch. He had Olivia Murray pegged as the sort that didn’t fraternize with guys like him. No, actually he couldn’t really see her with any kind of man; not with the stick that seemed to be permanently stuck up her butt.

Brody stayed just a couple steps behind her as they walked into the deli andtook a moment to admire exactly how fine her butt was, even with a stick lodged up in it. The way that her rear end swayed with each purposeful step she took would make any red blooded breathing man stand up and take notice, he mused. The lady sure had a confidence that radiated from her, one that even possibly rivaled his own. And that was saying something considering the size of his ego.

After walking into the deli, Olivia was feeling the overwhelming first signs of nerves settling within.Was she crazy for asking Brody O’Connor to do this, to be her rental husband? She answered herself by snorting aloud at the mere absurdity of the question.

Stopping at an empty booth she glanced over her shoulder at the admittedly handsome man. His cerulean blue eyes were watching her every move. He was grinning at her with a charming smile that she was certain had probably melted many women’s hearts over the past few years.

“What?” he finally asked her lifting a questioning brow. Olivia shook her head and took a deep breath.

“Nothing,” she said curtly. Averting her gaze and flattening her mouth into a grim line. She added a stiff, “Nothing at all,” before rigidly sliding into one side of the booth. Her mind briefly drifted back to her earlier phone call with Ashley. Romancing the idea of another arranged set up with what her sisters newest idea of hubby material might be, chased away any jittery nerves she previously had.

Once Olivia had taken her seat, Brody slid into the booth across from her and rested his elbows on the table. He could sense that Ms. Fancy Pants had something on her mind but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out why it would have anything to do with him of all people. He would have figured himself to be the last person on earth that Olivia Murray would have come to for a civil lunch conversation, not that he was complaining. Even with her astute manner and tapering gaze, Olivia Murray was most definitely hot.

“So,” he started and lightly tapped his fingers against the table top in a rhythmic beat. “Why did you want to see me?” he asked her straight out because his curiosity was getting the better of him.

Her piercing brown eyes stared back at him with such intensity that he almost buckled under the pressure. She had easily earned the name Dragon Lady in the court room and now he clearly understood why. With just one look, she could almost bring a man to his knees.

“I-” Olivia said and then snapped her mouth shut when two menus were slapped on the table in front of her and a gaudy waitress stood beside them.

“What can I get you two?” the assertive waitress with the double D breast enhancement straining out of the top of her too small shirt asked, looking solely at Brody. She was smiling from ear to ear and not so subtly trying to push her chest out even further for his benefit.He turned that award winning smile on the waitress who swayed slightly before grabbing a hold of the edge of the booth to steady herself.

“I would like a sweet ice tea, pretty miss,” he said and then winked at her.Winked, who even does that anymore? Olivia asked herself annoyed by the situation as a whole. Rolling her eyes Olivia loudly cleared her throat, interrupting the little private conversation occurring right in front of her.

“Remember me?” she said with false sweetness when the waitress turned to her and frowned. “Didn’t think so,” she grumbled under her breath, “I would like an ice water with lemon, please.”

The little waitress jotted down their drink orders before offering another suggestive smile to Brody. Of course he returned it and the giddy waitress seemed to skip off happier than when she made her first appearance.

“Unbelievable,” Olivia muttered when the waitress was out of earshot from the booth.Brody chuckled.

“You know what you need Olivia?” he stated leaning over the table so that he could be closer to her. Brody didn’t know why he leaned, other than the fact he had this strange desire to count all of the little freckles that rimmed her nose and blithely wondered where else she may have some of those adorable freckles.

“What?” she replied hesitantly. Olivia didn’t miss the little glint that he had in his eyes, the one that had mischievous written all over it. Maybe that should have been her first warning of caution about what he was going to say next.

Brody crooked his finger in a come hither motion for Olivia to come closer. He could see that she was wary of him already and he was getting a kick out of watching her try to keep that cool façade she was so famous for.

Olivia figured what the hell and leaned in so that she was just an inch from Brody O’Connor’s face.

“Tell me, Mr. O’Connor, what is it that I need?” she asked. And for just a moment, Brody frozeat listening to the way she posed that question. Such fervid sensuality seeped out Ms. Fancy Pants that startled his thoughts unexpectedly and, truth be told, it knocked him for quite a loop.

“I’m waiting, Counselor,” she breathed out, looking at him expectantly. Brody closed his eyes and easily regained his own composure.

“You need,” he said and kicked up that corner of his mouth before continuing, “You need a good ole’ fashion ‘roll in the hay’ so that you can pull that shoved up pole out of that pretty little ass of yours.”

Olivia gasped in shock and covered her mouth. Suddenly jumping back from him she could hardly believe what he had just said.

“You did not just go there,” she accused, her brown eyes wide with fury.Brody leaned back in his booth and laughed.

“I‘m only stating the obvious, Counselor,” he said, struggling to contain himself. He had achieved the reaction that he wanted and was pretty pleased with himself. The look on Olivia’s face was priceless. “You might want to close your mouth Olivia before a big bug flies into it,” he saidlaughing once again.

“That’s it,” Olivia snapped. This was a bad idea. There was no way she could deal with a man like Brody O’Connor for an entire week in Hawaii, pretending to be married of all things. She’d kill the man before they ever landed on the island. Olivia reached for her purse and stood from the booth at the same time that the waitress so conveniently returned with their drinks. The waitress, Tiffany was her name according to the little name plate pinned to her shirt, had a smile for Olivia now.

“Leaving so soon?” she quizzed.

Olivia reached in her purse and pulled out a five dollar bill slapping it on the table with more force than necessary. She shot a look over at Brody that expressed exactly how much she did not appreciate his assessment of what she needed. Who was he to tell her what she needed anyway? Heck, for all he knew she had a different man for every night of the week, she told herself. Brody O’Connor was nothing but a Grade ‘A’ asshole.

“I need to get back to the office to get ready for an upcoming meeting,”she saidwith as much dignity as she could muster. “Maybe even go and find me some hay somewhere,” she added before haughtily turning on her heel and walking away. She could hear Brody’s boisterous laughter even as she hit the door and stepped back out into the midday sun.

God, what a fool I was, Olivia chided to herself walking down the sidewalk back to her office. Marcey was right, she conceded, as always. Brody O’Connor was a certifiable, egotistical, pompous of a breathing jerk. Thank goodness she came to her senses before she made possibly one of the biggest mistakes of her life. Just as she hit the steps to the office building, her phone began ringing inside of her purse. Reaching in, she pulled it out, nervously checking the caller ID. It was her Mom. This day was getting better by the minute, she thought mockingly to herself.

Sighing, she answered the phone and said, “Hi Mom,” with what she hoped sounded like mild enthusiasm.

“Sweetheart, how are you?” her mother asked.

“I’m fine,” she said, knowing that her tone sounded short, but Olivia's patience was hanging by a very thin thread.

“You don’t sound fine dear, is something wrong?” the older Mrs. Murray asked with sincere concern one could expect from a loving mother, sometimes too loving.

“I’m fine,” she reiterated. “It’s just been a long day,” Olivia stated as she sauntered back into her office hastily collapsing in her comfortable chair.

“Alright, if you’re sure,” she said, not sounding so convinced.

“I’m sure Mom,” Olivia said, trying to reassure her mother while tucking her purse into the side drawer of her desk. “Was there something you needed?” Olivia asked. She loved her mother but if she let her, her mother would go on rambling forever about nothing; and she still had several files to get to done before calling it a day.

“Actually,” her mom answered, “There is. I would like you to come to the house tonight for dinner. Your fathers’ buddy is coming in from Maine and he has his son….”

“Mom, got to go- important client just walked in,” Olivia spoke up quickly, cutting her off. She already knew where this conversation was heading and she was so not willing to go there.Couldn’t they just give it up already?

“But…” her mom tried to speak and Olivia cut her off again.

“Tell Dad I love him and I love you too, Mom, bye,” she said abruptly while disconnecting the phone call.

Dropping her head on the desk in front of her she groaned. How was she going to keep thwarting all of their attempts at once? She knew that her family loved her, but they were driving her absolutely nuts.

“Excuse me,” a familiar voice piped up from her door. As soon as she heard the voice she cursed herself for not closing it when she walked back into her office in the first place. Looking up she once again stared into the infamous face of Brody O’Connor. He was still smiling and wow, the man had some of the whitest teeth she had ever seen. ‘Did he ever do anything other than smile?’ she briefly pondered before sitting up only to scowl back at him.

When Olivia didn’t respond Brody took the initiative and stepped into her office. He felt bad for offending her back side at the diner and wanted to try smoothing things over just a little. They were co-workers after all.

“Um, I…I just wanted to apologize for my behavior back there,” he said with sweet sincerity. “It was uncalled for.”

Olivia only glared back at the man. She couldn’t believe he had enough gumption to waltz into her office, say sorry and expect everything to be okay. Their eyes remained locked onto each other’s, when her desk phone began ringing, startling her from the trance like state. Glancing over she spotted the familiar number and sighed.Her mother wasn’t going to give up; not today, not tonight and definitely not in Hawaii. Olivia made no moves to answer that phone call. Instead, she turned back towards the incredibly handsome man standing in her office.

“You’re really sorry, huh?” she stated, looking for a confirmation from Brody himself.

“Yeah, I am,” he replied as he cocked his head to the side. “Do you want me to get on my knees and beg for your forgiveness?” he asked cheekily. Olivia sat back in her comfortable chair and crossed her hands over her chest.

“As appealing as that visual sounds, no. But…” she said and this time she offered a sly smile of her own. “Counselor, I have a proposition for you. Are you interested?”
Brody took in that smile and told himself that if he had any sense at all he should back pedal out of the Dragon Lady’s office and he should be doing it right now. But his mother had always told him that when it came to pretty women, all his good sense seemed to fly out the window, and this case was no different. Taking a step closer, Brodymimicked her stance and crossed his hands over his chest too. It was an old tactical move meant to intimidate, but it did nothing in the face of the legendary Olivia Murray.

“Alright,” Brody said after a moment of audible silence. He could feel the rising tension between them mounting in the room and finally asked the million dollar question of the day. “I’ll bite, Counselor. Exactly what kind of proposition do you have in mind?”