The Man Every Woman Wants by Miranda Lee Page A

easy pretending to be in love with Miss Prickly.
    â€˜I won’t be long,’ she said, whirling and walking quickly back down the hallway. ‘The bathroom’s in there,’ she said over her shoulder, indicating a door halfway up the hall on the right. ‘That’s if you want to go before we leave.’
    â€˜I’m fine,’ he called back.
    She was as quick as she said she would be, dragging a small black travel-case in one hand and carrying a plastic suit-cover in the other. Ryan stepped forward to take the bag, leaving her with the coat hanger.
    â€˜I presume that’s a dress you’ve got in there,’ he said as they made their way out onto the front porch.
    â€˜Yes,’ came her brusque reply. ‘Here. Hold it while I lock up.’
    He was standing there, both hands full, when a cat suddenly curled around his right ankle, a sleek brown-coated feline who had ‘show cat’ written all over him. Until it peered up at Ryan.
    â€˜Good God!’ he exclaimed in shock. ‘Is this your cat?’
    â€˜What? Oh yes.’
    â€˜He’s only got one eye!’
    â€˜Hmm, yes,’ Laura agreed dryly. ‘I had noticed that, Ryan.’
    â€˜What happened to him? Was he in a fight?’
    â€˜No. He had a run-in with a car about a year ago. Didn’t you, sweetie?’ she said, her voice turning soft as she scooped the cat up into her arms. ‘Cost me a small fortune at the vet. Over three-thousand dollars.’
    Ryan just stared at her. Over three-thousand dollars on a cat?
    â€˜Yes, I know,’ she said, back to her droll tone. ‘Not what you might have expected from hard-hearted Laura.’
    â€˜You’re certainly proving to be more sentimental than I imagined.’
    â€˜Sorry to disappoint you.’
    â€˜I’m not at all disappointed. You should never apologise for having a softer side, Laura. It’s what makes a woman a woman.’
    â€˜It’s what makes fools of them,’ she retorted sharply. ‘Especially where men are concerned.’
    â€˜I can’t see any man making a fool of you.’
    â€˜As I said last night, Ryan, you don’t know women as well as you think you do. Which reminds me, what did your girlfriend say about your pretending to be my boyfriend for this weekend? Or didn’t you tell her?’
    Ryan realised straight away that the truth would complicate things unnecessarily. Far better Laura not know how badly Erica had reacted, or that they were no longer a couple.
    â€˜Of course I told her,’ he lied. ‘And she was fine with it.’
    Laura shook her head. ‘Amazing.’ She bent down to drop the cat gently at her feet. ‘Be a good boy, Rambo, and don’t go on the road whilst I’m away.’
    â€˜He’ll be fine being home alone?’ Ryan asked as they made their way out to the car.
    â€˜It’s only for one night. He has plenty of food and water and his own cat slap. I’ve asked one of the neighbours to keep an eye on him as well.’
    â€˜What breed is he?’ Ryan asked as he laid the suit-cover down on the back seat then placed the bag alongside his in the boot.
    â€˜Abyssinian.’
    â€˜Ah. I thought he was a pedigree cat. Have you had him long?’
    She shot him one of her impatient looks. ‘What is this, twenty questions?’
    Ryan decided to ignore her stroppiness. ‘I’m just collecting some basic facts about you. After all, a genuine boyfriend would know about your cat, wouldn’t he?’
    Laura sighed. ‘I suppose so. In that case, his name is Rambo and he’s almost five. I bought him after I…’ She broke off abruptly, her mouth tightening.
    â€˜After you what?’
    â€˜After I broke up with Mario,’ she went on at last, her voice as bleak as her face.
    â€˜I see,’ he said, wondering what exactly dear old Mario had done to turn Laura into such a man-hater. Had