The Russian's Furious Fiancee Page 0,12
looked back at him sharply. “Are you crazy?” she asked softly, so no one else could hear just in case there was a mental issue this man didn’t want known to others.
He laughed softly and shook his head. “I can assure you that my mental state is perfectly sound. I simply decide quickly what I want and go after it.”
She’d been cutting her chicken carefully, but gave up and placed her knife and fork down on the china plate and folded her hands in her lap. “And you’ve decided upon me for your wife? What were your criteria?”
One shoulder lifted casually as he savored a bite of his lunch. “Someone poised, personable. Someone who has been raised to know the importance of socializing for her husband’s business enterprises and assisting wherever possible.”
She waited, wondering where he was going with this but when he stopped, she shook her head. “That’s it? Those are your only requirements in a wife?” She was stunned. Horrified actually. “What about love? Desire? Being best friends and wanting to share one’s life with another person?”
He shook his head and waved those criteria aside as insignificant. “Those are all silly myths people tell themselves to justify an ill advised marriage. I prefer to maintain logic in both my business as well as my personal relationships.”
Several people passed by their table at that point and Eva stared at her food, trying to assimilate all he’d said. When she glanced across the table at him, he was eating his meal as if he hadn’t just dropped an enormous bomb onto the lunch table.
Her eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to her. “My parents already know about this, don’t they?”
“Of course. I never would have broached the subject without their cooperation. Which is what they were trying to explain to you last night but you were being skittish about the whole process. Not a very good start, by the way.”
Eva’s eyes widened when the man actually admonished her for wanting to avoid him. “Let me get this straight. You saw me, decided I would be an appropriate wife, approached my parents to negotiate the terms and here you are, settling the matter over lunch. Did I miss anything?”
Damon considered telling her that he’d hired a service, but he was starting to understand that Eva might be a bit more emotional than he’d anticipated. He didn’t mind. He knew he could overcome her issues as soon as he understood what they were. “What are your objections to the relationship?”
She laughed, shaking her head at the way he continued to believe their engagement would proceed without any consent on her side. “There isn’t a relationship! I think that’s my biggest objection.” People were starting to look in their direction so she lowered her voice and picked up her fork to pretend an interest in her meal.
“Then we’ll meet a few more times to get to know one another. But in the meantime, I would advise you to start planning the wedding. I think the beginning of April would be fine. Are you up to the challenge?”
“Challenge?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you asking me if I’m up to the challenge of finding some redeeming qualities in you that would make this relationship more palatable? Or are you asking if I’m capable of organizing a social event in two months time?”
“Since the first is irrelevant, the second would be the question.”
She watched him for a long moment, wondering if the man was human. She reached across the table and touched his hand slightly. When her fingers felt the warmth of actual flesh, she pulled away quickly, startled by the heat of his skin.
He raised an eyebrow in question at her touch, his hand stilled as he looked at her. “What was that for?”
She shrugged and looked down at her delicious smelling meal, barely touched because her stomach was churning so badly she didn’t think she could eat anything. “I was just wondering if you were a robot.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I’m definitely not a machine, Eva. I’m just logical and don’t let emotions rule my decisions. You could learn a lot from the way I conduct my life. It seems as if you’re life is ruled primarily by emotions and reactions.”
She shook her head, ignoring his criticism completely since he didn’t know her at all, besides two conversations that were definitely not representative of the way she lived her life normally. “I’m not going to do this, you know.”
“Yes,