It was official. Paul Chapman was broken.

What happened to drawing a line in the sand?

“Say something,” she said, her hazel eyes burning into him. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips as she hovered at the edge of the sofa, her dress spread out like frosting on a cupcake.

“You were defending my honor,” he said, a laugh bubbling up from nowhere. Broken and crazy, what a combination.

She looked at him like he’d sprouted antennae and had started talking an alien language. “It’s not funny.”

“No, it’s ridiculous.”

He should be mad. Looking at all the facts, she’d made his life a whole lot harder. How were they going to explain the engagement away without making either one of them look bad?

But the idea of Libby getting so worked up trying to defend him that she’d blurted out this completely insane lie…well, it warmed something inside him. Some cold part that had been frozen and packed away long ago.

“We’ll make it work.” He stood and held out a hand to Libby to help her up from her chair. “We don’t have much choice now.”

“You’re not mad?” She grabbed his hand and followed him into the kitchen.

He shrugged. “Being mad is not going to fix the situation.”

Not only was he not mad, but the gesture touched him in some strange, illogical way. That little nugget of information, however, would follow him to the grave.

“I’m not that person who does insane things on a whim.”

“You dropped out of med school to start your own business despite having no support from your family. That sounds pretty insane to me.” He turned on his coffee machine and grabbed two cups from the cupboard.

“Insane, maybe. On a whim…no. I’d been plotting a way to get out of med school since the first day of the course.” A ghost of a smile crossed her face.

“So you favor planned insanity over the spontaneous kind?” he quipped. “Let me make sure I understand what happened. You told Sadie and Gina we’re getting married, right? Was anyone else there?”

“Your mother.” She looked down at her lap.

Paul cringed. “Okay, so it’s safe to assume the whole family knows.”

“I made her promise not to tell anyone.”

The sincerity radiating from her face was touching. But she clearly knew nothing about the way the Chapman family operated.

“That promise is about as solid as cotton candy.” He held a cup under the spout on the coffee machine, and the scent of freshly ground beans filled the air. “I guarantee you, by now everyone believes we’re getting married.”

“I told them we were thinking about it.” She accepted a cup from him and blew on the steam.

“How did my mother react?”

She grimaced, pressing a palm to her forehead. “Like I’d announced that unicorns had been sent to make all her problems go away.”

He gave her a pointed look.

“Okay fine, so they think we’re getting married. What do we do?” She sipped her cup, a line forming between her brows. “We’re supposed to break up after the wedding. Won’t it be worse if we’re supposedly engaged?”

Paul swallowed against the distaste in his mouth. He knew their time was coming to an end, but he couldn’t seem to think about it without his body repelling the idea.

Of all the things you should be worried about with this situation…it’s not that.

“It will, but that’s what we have to work with now.” He finished making his coffee and carried it to the kitchen bench.

She nodded, her fingertip tracing the rim of her cup. Silence settled over them; there wasn’t much more to say on the issue of their sudden “engagement.” Libby had done the right thing by coming to him straightaway instead of letting him find out by the inevitable phone call that would come in the morning.

“Anyway, I’ve got bigger things to focus on,” he said.

“Like what?” Libby’s face was a mask of relief at the change of topic.

“I’ve been working on the business plan. You’re right, I do need to take it seriously…even if I think all the detail is stupid.”

She grinned. “I’m glad you came to that conclusion all by yourself.”

“I’m sick of not going for things that I want.” He nodded, as if convincing himself. “I want this, I know it’s a good idea, and it will bring in more money for First. I’m the best person to do it since I’m way more charming than Des and Noah.”

Feelings warred within him: pride, fear, hope, and excitement. All battling for control. He had to channel them into something before he blurted out that he had feelings for her. That their “relationship” had changed him already…for the better.

“You’re smarter than you give yourself credit for,” she said, her face sincere for a moment before she realized what she’d said. “But you’re not smarter than me.”

“Maybe not when it comes to business.” He took the cup from her hands and set it down on the bench. “But I’m smarter when it comes to other things.”

“Like what?” she whispered.

“Sex.”

“That’s all you want me for, isn’t it?” She laughed as if the statement was a joke, but he caught the uncertain flicker in her eyes.

He never wanted her to feel like that. Sure, he couldn’t give her anything more…but it wasn’t all she was worth. Not by a long shot.

He brushed her hair over one bare shoulder, trailing his fingers along her skin. His blood buzzed at the sharp intake of her breath, sending all the pressure rushing south. Goosebumps rippled across her skin where his fingers had been, like proof of his touch.

“You inspire me, Libby,” he said, sliding his hand up her neck to cup the back of her head.

“I do?” She tilted her face up to his, her hazel eyes bright and wide.

“You’re so ambitious and driven.” He pressed his lips to her jaw. “You don’t take any shit, but you’ve got a good heart.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me.” She laughed, narrowing her eyes at him in mock scrutiny. “You’re trying to get me into bed again, aren’t you?”

“We don’t have to make it to the bed.” He hoisted her up and carried her to the dining table.

“You know that girl Cassie came here for you.” The words slipped out as he set her down.

“What?” He shook his head.

“She moved to Australia for you.”

Paul raked a hand through his hair and rubbed the nape of his neck. “No, she didn’t. She’s been sick of London for a while, and I said she should come here because the weather is nice.”

“How long after you said that did she move?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “A month.”

“Had you ever said it before?”

“Well…” He frowned, his eyes dropping to the ground as he tried to recall. “No.”

“So she came here as soon as you said she should.”

“You’re making something out of nothing. We didn’t have a relationship or anything, we were just backpacking and barhopping. It wasn’t serious.”

“I think she wanted it to be.”

“How do you know that?”

Cassie had known from the start that he was on the rebound from Sadie when they’d met. He’d taken the money he’d saved up for her ring and spent it on three months of travel and denial. Cassie was a temporary thing, a way to drown his sorrows, and he’d been nothing but honest about that.

“I saw the way she looked at you, Paul. She came here for you, and you’re absolutely clueless.” Libby swung her legs back and forth. “Did you promise her the world?”

“To get her into bed? No, she knew exactly what she was getting into.” How could Libby think he’d lie just to sleep with someone? “It’s not my fault if she wants more.”

“Well, whether or not you were up-front with her, she has feelings for you.” Libby swallowed and shrugged, her face neutral. “Maybe you should go and talk to her after we ‘break up’.”

“I’m not interested in Cassie…not like that. Not anymore. She’s just a friend.” He paused for a moment, watching the way her eyes flicked over his face as if she was looking for something. “You’re jealous.”