Excerpt from:  The Marriage Project

Principal #2: The voice of love can win the most stubborn heart . . .

"I want you."

His words impacted, provoking a slight hiccup in her breath, while the tiniest of shivers trembled through her. "I know."

Her tone carried far too much reluctance. "Wrong time, wrong place?" he guessed.

"Yes."

"And if it was the right time and place?"

"I’m not in the habit of making love to complete strangers on stuck elevators."

"You haven’t answered my question."

"You don’t live in Seattle, do you? This couldn’t be anything more than a brief affair." She eased back. "I don’t do brief affairs."

"What if it turns into more than that?" He couldn’t help himself. He cupped her head and drew her close enough for another kiss. It was taking unfair advantage, but he didn’t care. He wanted her and he’d use whatever means necessary to have her. "Are you willing to explore the possibility?"

"Yes, I’m willing."

Satisfied, he tucked her close. "Then we’ll wait until the right time and place."

She released her breath in an irritated little sigh. "Kind of you to agree. Not that you had much choice."

"You’d be surprised at what choices I had."

Her head jerked upward, clipping his chin. "Do you really think you could have seduced me?" she demanded.

He rubbed his jaw. Served him right for being so arrogant. Not that it stopped him from further arrogance. "There isn’t a doubt in my mind."

"I’m not that easy."

"Neither am I." He felt around until he found his coat and carefully returned it to her shoulders, tucking her close to his side once again. "I just know where that kiss was heading."

"It was only a kiss," she grumbled.

"Guess again."

"Come on, Harry. You’re not being very practical about this. I’m not likely to be swept away by pure emotion and since we’re so much alike, neither are you. We’re too smart to get caught in that trap."

He grinned. "Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart. Maybe you’ll convince one of us."

"Will they rescue us soon?"

Apparently she’d decided to change the subject. An excellent option when you were losing the battle. Retreat and find an easier war to wage. "Not much longer now." He dropped a kiss in the middle of her curls. "Try and relax. We’ll be out of here before you know it."

"And then we’ll go our separate ways."

"We’ll see." A companionable silence fell between them, one he was reluctant to break. But there was a final issue they needed to clarify and it was past time he took care of it.

"Madison? You know... It’s just occurred to me that we never introduced ourselves." It wasn’t quite a lie, though close enough to make him uncomfortable. "I think I should tell you my full name. It’s Harry Jones."

Silence.

"Jones," he emphasized. "Ring any bells? As in the Jones from The Ten Principals of Love?"

More silence.

"Okay. Time for a bit of blunt honesty. I hope this doesn’t tick you off, but... Bartholomew is my father."

Still more silence.

He cleared his throat, hoping to find a way to salvage the situation. When he stopped and thought about it, it was ludicrous. The man who’d faced down owners and directors of multi-million dollar corporations was intimidated by the prolonged silence of one highly practical, overly protective, claustrophobic, half-a-Sunflower. "I know I should have told you before this, but considering how nervous you were, I didn’t want to make it worse." Why didn’t she say anything? "Sweetheart?"

Her only response was a soft, delicate snore.

It took a few seconds for the truth to hit. When it did he shook his head. Damn. This couldn’t be good. The minute she learned his name, she was going to be furious. And he couldn’t blame her. He should have told her sooner. He might have, too, except for one small detail. He didn’t want her to learn his identity until after she’d formed an unbiased opinion of him.

Face it, Jones. The chances of Madison’s opinion of him being unbiased once she knew why he’d come was remote to nonexistent. He grimaced. In fact, the only one hundred percent certainty was that she’d never speak to him again.

From the book:

 

THE MARRIAGE PROJECT

by Day Leclaire

Harlequin Romance #3651--May '01

ISBN: 0-373-03651-5

Praise for Day Leclaire’s books: "A gorgeous, yet practical woman has her work cut out for her dealing with her impractical family, especially when her grandmother falls for the author of a book on falling in love. It’s not a problem until this woman gets stuck in an elevator with the author’s devastatingly handsome son. Fearing she will let her family down, she tries hard to keep her head and not give in to her impractical side, but the man won’t budge because she is perfect for THE MARRIAGE PROJECT (4 1/2 Gold). Day Leclaire does it again with her trademark larger-than-life characters, quirky scenes, brilliant storyline and just absolutely wonderful romance." Shannon Short, Romantic Times

Copyright © 2001 by Day Leclaire.  ® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher.  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.  For more romance information surf to: http://www.eharlequin.com