On a Wednesday afternoon, I ask Damian Winters to marry me. To be clear, it's not a proposal. It's a business transaction. I have a sticky family situation, and the simplest way to deal with it is to pay him to be my husband for six months.

Damian used to work as an escort so he knows how to keep things professional. We don't have to be friends. We don't even have to get along. I need someone to fill a husband role, and he'll do just fine.

It doesn't matter if he's the hottest man I've ever met. Work takes up all my time and energy, so I don't have room in my life for complications. I'm not going to fall into bed with him. And I'm definitely not going to fall in love.

I hope.