The Perfect Match (Blue Heron #2)(47)

“Why am I not surprised?”

“Well, obviously, I have to know what I’m getting into.”

“Of course. Go on, then.”

Honor opened her bag and took out the outline she’d worked up today (and then deleted from her computer, just in case the Feds came looking). “Okay. So INS, which is now called something else—”

“USCIS,” Tom said.

“Right.” Yes, of course he’d know that. “The regulations state that we have to stay married for two years, minimum, or you get deported, and you can never get a green card or be a citizen.”

“I know.”

“And if we get caught and convicted of marital fraud, you get deported, and I could get ten years of jail time. And fined a quarter of a million dollars.”

“That’s a bit stiff, isn’t it? Murderers get off with less.”

“Yes. But that’s what it says.” She folded her hands and tried to put on her business face. “Look, Tom, here’s what I hope. Instead of viewing this as marital fraud, I’d like to think of it as an arranged marriage, sort of. I’d like to go into it with a good attitude.”

“What do you mean?”

She looked over his shoulder. “Just...with the thought that maybe it could work out permanently.”

“You mean, we’d stay married and grow old together.”

“Um, yes.”

He raised one eyebrow. “Are you madly in love with me, Honor? Already?”

“No.” Hell. Time to be brutally honest. She’d pu**yfooted around Brogan for years, and where had that gotten her? Nowhere. “Look. I’m thirty-five. I haven’t met anyone—”

“Except Braedon.”

“Brogan.”

“Whatever.”

“Yes, except Brogan. And my views on marriage have changed from when I was a dopey teenager. I’d like to be married. I won’t lie. I’d like to have a baby.”

“Just one? How about two?”

“Um, sure. Two would be nice.”

“Possibly three?”

“Well, I’m thirty-five.”

“So we’d have to bang them out, then, all in a row. Or have triplets, maybe? How about quints?” He grinned, flashing that crooked tooth.

She waited a beat. “Can you be serious? I’m trying to work this out for both of us.”

“Sorry. How have your views on marriage changed, Honor dear?”

She took a slow breath. “I think people expect too much, maybe. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to find the perfect person. Because no one is perfect, of course. You’re nice, sort of. You’re smart. You seem like a decent guy.”

“Don’t forget fantastic in bed.”

“You know, sure. Fine. Yes. Last night was...fun.” She was sweating. It wasn’t hot in here, but she was sweating. “I’d marry you, Tom. But I’d like to think that you’d give it a try. Not just...tolerate me for two years.”

Suddenly his face grew serious, wiping away the ridiculous appeal. “What if you meet someone, Honor? Someone real, that is? And fall in love, just like on the Hallmark channel?”

“I’d still give you the two years. I understand what’s at stake.” She cleared her throat and wiped her hands on her pants. “As for the baby thing, I figured we’d give it some time, see if we’re really compatible.”

He glanced away and rubbed his thumb across his bottom lip. “So you’re willing to give up two years of your life to me, just so I can be near Charlie?”

Honor looked at her hands. “Yes.”

“That’s incredibly noble of you. Why else?”

“Quite honestly, you’re my best prospect in years.”

The smile flashed and was gone. “You don’t have very high criteria, do you?” There was something in his gray eyes...pity, maybe.

“I don’t know about that,” she said tightly. “But I can tell you that I’d try to make things work, I’m an honest person, I’d never cheat on you and...and that’s it. If you can say the same, then let’s give it a try.”

“Is there anything else you’d like to say?” he asked.

Aside from Brogan, you’re the first guy to kiss me in six years. I’d rather have something with a stranger than nothing with no one. “Nope.”

“What else is on your list there, love?”

Her toes curled in her shoes at the endearment. “We should have a timetable.”

“Very well.”

“Do you think INS will be investigating you?”

“I’ve no idea.”

“In any case, I think we should move in together, the sooner, the better. Your place, by the way. My father’s getting married, and I don’t want to hang around and be underfoot.”

“You live with your dad?”

“Yes. So we should move in, start getting to know each other, then I can meet Charlie, and we can look like the real thing if INS does check up on you.”

“And possibly become the real thing.”

She looked up from her notes. Her heart felt suddenly too big for her chest. “Maybe.”

He didn’t say anything. Just looked at her.