The party was going off without a hitch, but Lisa was still nervous as she watched Jeff in deep discussion with his boss, General Armstrong.

"Are they planning something top secret?" Nell whispered in Lisa's ear as she handed her a glass of champagne.

"I have no idea," Lisa answered, taking a sip while never letting her eyes leave the two men. The General was a distinguished-looking man, early sixties, still in fit fighting shape. A "silver fox" as Nell had described him. But he couldn't hold a candle to the man standing next to him. There was just something about Jeff. The saying still waters run deep seemed so apt.

"I think the party's gone well, don't you?" Nell asked, glancing around the room at the various clusters of people talking and eating the hors d'oeuvres Lisa had painstakingly chosen with the caterer.

Lisa snapped her gaze from her husband. It made her nervous to see the General talking to him so seriously at what was supposed to be a fun event. She'd worked closely with Jeff's secretary to ensure everything was done according to the expectations of the high ranking military who would be attending, but what if she'd gotten something wrong? Made some faux pas that embarrassed Jeff?

"I hope so," she murmured, taking another drink of her champagne.

"The place looks gorgeous," Nell added. "And the food is perfect, there's plenty of it. I really can't imagine what else you could have done to make this whole thing a success. Your mom has even been keeping that mean old retired General in the corner laughing."

Lisa had to grin at that one. "He is a grumpy one, isn't he?"

"Not once your mom turned on the charm. I think he has a crush."

"He's old enough to be her father."

Nell smirked. "So maybe it's a fatherly crush."

Both women stared at each other for a moment before bursting into giggles.

"What's so funny over here?" Jeff asked as he sidled up to Lisa and put an arm around her waist before taking a sip of his scotch. She knew it was just for show, but damn she liked the feel of his warm weight across her back and hips.

"Just girl talk," Lisa said, reaching up without thinking to wipe a drop of the scotch off the corner of his lips, his tongue darting out to take the liquid off her skin. Nell smirked and Lisa tried to ignore her as heat warmed her in places best left unwarm in public. "What were you and the General so serious about over there?"

"Something I need to speak with you about, actually." He turned to Nell. "Can you excuse us for just a moment?"

"Of course," Nell answered. "I think I'm going to go help that charming bartender to my phone number." She sashayed off toward the bar that was set up in the corner.

"Is everything okay?" Lisa asked, concern etching lines between her brows.

"Better than okay," Jeff answered. "I just wanted to give you the heads up that Armstrong is going to announce my promotion in a few minutes."

Lisa's eyes grew wide as she watched a grin of triumph slide across his sexy face. "No!"

"Yes," he said, looking almost boyish in his excitement.

She bounced on her toes a couple of times before throwing her arms around his neck. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered in his ear.

"Thank you. I couldn't have done it without you," he said.

Her joy faded a few shades. How she wished he meant that in the traditional sense—that he couldn't have done it because she'd supported him, advised him, been there for him. But of course he only meant it because she'd provided him with a cardboard cutout labeled "wife”.

"Of course," she said, her mood declining by the second.

He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. "I need to go stand with Armstrong for the announcement, but I'll find you in a bit?"

"Sure." She watched him walk to the front of the room where General Armstrong waited.

"Mission accomplished," Nell murmured, as she slid into place by Lisa's side again.

"Yes," Lisa answered, her heart aching. Mission accomplished. One wife out of a job.

* * *

Jeff closed the door behind the last of the catering workers. He sighed, exhausted but happy. The party had been a substantial success. Lisa had pulled off the perfect classy holiday gathering. The guests had been glowing and exuberant as they left, everyone saying it was the best holiday fete they'd been to in years. Every last detail, from the decorations on the tree to the music playing in the background had been pitch perfect. Jeff was amazed at her skill.

Her looks and charm hadn't hurt either. Everyone from cranky old General Martin down to his own secretary raved about how talented and lovely his new wife was. And he had to agree. She was the perfect package. Smart, confident, beautiful. How he'd ever gotten so lucky he'd never understand, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He knew he had to make this marriage real as soon as possible.

Yes, Jeff didn't want to lose this woman, and if he needed to put another ring on her finger to prove it, that's what he'd do.

"Oh!" Lisa cried in surprise as he came up behind her at the kitchen sink and wrapped his arms around her waist.

He buried his nose in her neck, breathing deeply of her familiar scent. His cock swelled, trained already to respond uniquely to this woman.

"Leave that, and I'll do it in the morning," he murmured into her skin. "Let's go have a private celebration now."

She stiffened in his arms, and a warning flickered to life in his chest.

"Lisa?"

She turned slowly, as he stepped away, his hands still on her hips. Her gaze wouldn't meet his as she began to speak.

"I've been doing some thinking..."

That warning inside flared.

"I don't think we should do the friends with benefits thing anymore." She stepped out and around him, busying herself with something on a countertop across the room. "I mean, now you have your promotion, we don't really need to keep doing this for a whole year, do we?"

A wave of nausea passed through him. "Well, that's what we agreed to..."

"Right. But I don't think it's necessary. I mean, I can work with the latest round of new families to get them settled, then throw another party, maybe two. My guess is I can have all of it done by March, and then we can get back to our regular lives."

His head squeezed with pain. How was this happening? Yeah, she'd been a little distant the day they'd gotten the Christmas tree, but since then they'd continued to have sex, and she'd been so committed to making the party a success. Had she only done all that because she wanted him to get promoted so she could get out of the agreement?

"Um, ok, I guess if that's what you want. I mean, do you want to renegotiate? I'm happy to look at it all again. We could add a car to the house purchase, or maybe an IRA, that would be a great safety net for you when you get older..."

She turned to him with a sad smile. "No, we don't need to renegotiate." She shook her head. "In fact, I don't really want the money at all. What with the sex and everything, it doesn't feel right."

He stared at her. Fuck that. There was no way he was going to let her go back to her life with all the debt her asshole ex had left her hanging over her head.

"Well, you need to figure out how to make it feel right then," he snapped, a pain sawing through his chest. "We had an agreement, and you've more than fulfilled your part. The sex didn't have anything to do with it. I got my promotion, you'll get out of debt. I won't accept anything less."

Her eyes flared with anger. "It's not up to you to accept it or not. I'm not a prostitute. I won't take money from a man I've been having sex with."

"Lisa, I didn't mean—"

"I have papers to grade." She turned on her heel.

"Lisa—"

"Goodnight."

And just like that, Jeff went from being a new Brigadier General with the perfect wife by his side, to a simple soldier in love with a woman who didn't want him back.