“Two days from now?!” The words exploded from Dara’s mouth in a pitch several octaves too high. “What do you mean two days from now?? You said that I would have at least a year to prepare!”
“As I stated, circumstances have changed.” He led the dumbstruck attorney to a padded bench beneath a large window and took a seat beside her. “Only moments before you arrived I was informed that the window of opportunity for our arrangement had narrowed considerably.”
It was not quite the truth, but Stefan had no qualms about misleading her. Had Dara known that he had been the one to shorten the timetable, she would no doubt have balked, and all his plans would have been for naught.
“Just like that? Stefan, there is no way I am ready for this.”
Stefan made careful note of her use of his first name. In all their dealings she had been painstakingly formal in addressing him. That she unwittingly initiated the familiarity between them indicated just how off-balance his announcement had left her.
“Dara, I have faith in your abilities to handle this.” His words rang with sincerity. “And you will not be alone. I shall be at your side.”
His words gave her a sense of calm that she knew would not last throughout the night. Still, for the moment Dara was able to regain her composure. “Remember those words when I call you up in the middle of the night needing reassurance,” she tried to joke.
“Should you require my reassurance,” Stefan informed her, “you need only cross the hall and knock upon my bedroom door. I have had the servants prepare a room for you here at Wyndemere.”
“Oh, no!” Dara cried, jumping to her feet and shaking her head vehemently. “No way!”
“Have you other options?” Stefan asked. “Options that will not compromise the agreement you willingly entered into with me?” He continued. “You cannot stay in an empty apartment, and it is senseless to take a hotel room for two nights when Wyndemere is more than capable of accommodating your presence.”
Dara grasped at her remaining option. “I have somewhere I can stay.”
“The home of Detective Garcia?” Stefan’s brow rose arrogantly. “No. I will not allow it.”
