Marriage by Mistake

you."
    Kelly's eyebrows shot up. Was that so? She switched her gaze to Robby. He wore much the same expression as Troy, restrained hope. Kelly felt a leap of her own hope. Well, what do you know? She had a pair of allies here. Or at least...sympathetic bystanders. She smiled. "Okay, then. We're all on the same page."
    "What?" Robby asked.
    "She means we all agree," Troy explained, but squinted at Kelly. "Though I'm not sure we do. I want you to stay, Kelly, but I don't think you can change Dean."
    "Not change him." Kelly tsked. "Release him."
    "Uh huh," Troy said, and squinted even harder. Robby bent on Kelly a very similar expression, one of confusion and concern.
    "What?" Kelly asked.
    "Nothin'," Robby claimed.
    "Oh, not a thing," Troy agreed.
    But they both kept looking at Kelly in a most peculiar manner until she got up from the table and, still wondering how to get at the real Dean, left the room.
    ~~~
    Kelly did not surprise Dean at the office that Sunday. Alone on the executive floor, he found his concentration slipping. He kept expecting a call from the guard downstairs or a knock on the hall door. It never happened.
    At the office, he ordered a salad for dinner, then went home about eleven p.m. He braced himself as he walked the path from the garage to the house. But no curvy female jumped out of the bushes. Except for the crickets, all was quiet along the country path.
    Inside the house, it was even quieter. Dean held his breath to listen. But nobody lurked in the darkness of the kitchen, no tantalizing temptation came out of the shadows.
    He went into the hall, still breathing shallow, straining his ears. But nothing, nobody. He went up the stairs.
    Maybe she's left . He halted at the top of the stairs with a peculiar, sinking sensation. He'd taunted her that morning, deliberately mocked her. Maybe he'd gone far enough to make her quit the scene altogether.
    No. Dean shook his head. The woman was stubborn. She'd made up her mind and she would act on her theory, baseless as it was.
    Not that he wanted her to remain in his home, of course, but he was sure that she had. Dean hesitated at the top of the stairs. Well, almost sure.
    In the midnight house, Dean stole silently toward Kelly's room.
    He knew he was being ridiculous. Inconsistent. But he needed to know. Was she still here?
    When he came to her door, he found it closed.
    Dean stood in the dark hallway and fought an urge to open her door. Was she, indeed, inside her bedroom?
    I'm acting like a fool . Dean took a step back. He couldn't open Kelly's bedroom door just to satisfy his curiosity, intense as it might be.
    But he might open it for another reason. Dean tilted his head. He could open it to discover if she were willing to go through with her implied invitation of the night before in the garage.
    Facing her closed door in the hall, Dean felt his body warm and swell toward arousal. He snorted softly. Why, Kelly didn't have to jump out at him from the bushes in the dark. He could do a bang-up job of getting seduced all by himself. Look at him.
    He snorted again and took a deliberate step back.
    She was inside the bedroom. Of course she was, or her door wouldn't be closed but open, ready for the staff to clean the room in the morning.
    Dean felt a flood of relief at this reasoning. He didn't question the relief, but turned and strode cheerfully to his own bedroom.
    The next morning he exercised in the basement gym and then showered, all at his usual hour. Or at least, it was his usual hour since Kelly had moved in and he'd taken steps to avoid her. Dressed and ready to drive to the city, he took a detour on his way out the door, however, poking his nose into the morning room. There he carefully counted how many plates had been set out for breakfast.
    Confirming her presence in the house gave him a satisfaction that was no doubt absurd. Besides, she was going to confirm the matter herself soon—and outrageously.
    Once at his office downtown, Dean alerted Mrs. Barnes to let him know immediately when his wife arrived. He made sure to sound as if he was eager for the occasion.
    It was a busy day. But between the phone calls and the dictating, Dean kept half an ear open, waiting for Mrs. Barnes' warning.
    It never came. Kelly didn't come. She didn't even call.
    Okay, she'd be waiting for him at the house then, Dean thought. Dinner. She'd think to catch him at the family meal. He decided not to work late tonight. He could face the music. Accordingly, he