“Eric,” her voice gave away the reluctance she felt as she took a step backward, still clutching the bouquet he’d given her tightly. “I…I—‘’

“—Say yes.”

It didn’t come out as a plea, it was an order, a warning, a reminder. And she saw the look in his eyes, the one that threatened to expose her if she tried anything funny.

She moved her eyes through every single person in the room. Each one of them had smiles of admiration on their faces, their eyes pleading with her ...