Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Natalie closed her eyes, acutely aware of Corinne watching them from her position in line. Of course Corinne had spotted the subterfuge right away. Even if the trust fund wasn’t hanging in the balance, giving Natalie a big fat motive for a hasty marriage, never in Natalie’s life had she gotten away with a lie to her mother. Corinne was a human polygraph test that she’d been taking and failing since birth.
That’s not my weed, Mom.
Our test determined that was a lie.
Natalie attempted a small smile at her mother over her shoulder and was given an impassive look in return. Ingram Meyer watched the whole exchange happen, visibly taking mental notes behind shrewd eyes. He really did see everything, didn’t he? Who in this crowd and the town beyond could be considered his eyes and ears? Anyone at any time? Faking this union was going to be a lot more complicated than she’d imagined. “I’m pretty sure it’s too late, Adonis,” she muttered, her gaze straying back to Ingram. “I think we’ve been made.”
August shook his head. “We’ll salvage it.”
“Doubtful. I hope you can get your money back for this ring.” A line popped in August’s cheek. His giant hand was beginning to sweat inside of hers. Was he worried? Obviously. He wanted that bank loan as much as she wanted her trust fund released.
They were almost to the hostess station when one of the passengers squeezed past them toward the exit, crowding Natalie closer to August’s big, warm body. The air was beginning to cool, thanks to the approaching sunset, and she’d accidentally left her black silk jacket in the car. In other words, the heat he gave off felt incredible on her goose-bumped arms. And when she didn’t immediately move away, he angled toward her slowly and corralled her closer with a forearm to her lower back.
“You want my jacket?” he said gruffly, his breath stirring her hair.
That dreaded pulse started beating between her thighs, her toes twitching in her heels. “Oh sure. After catching me off guard, embarrassing me on purpose, and proposing publicly without so much as a discussion, now you want to be chivalrous.”
“How long are you going to stay pissed, Natalie?”
“It only happened ten minutes ago!” she whispered furiously. “We could have had a civil conversation and arranged everything properly. But no. You had to have the upper hand.”
“I’m sorry. All right? Is that what you want to hear? Because I am.” He jerked his chin toward the opening of the train. “You almost said no.”
“I should have said no.” Natalie shook her head. “I should just bite the bullet and ask my father to amend the terms.”
His sturdy frame stiffened, long moments passing while those words hung in the scant space of fading daylight between them. “Hey.” He dropped his mouth to her ear. “We’re in this. Quit talking about backing out. I’m taking this seriously now.”
“Do you really think you’ll be able to take this ruse seriously for an extended period of time, though? Because, according to my mother, we have to share an address, August. For the marriage to be considered viable and for the purposes of the loan. And all you want to do is make me look stupid. I don’t trust you.” Her heart thunked noticeably, dropping lower and lower by the moment. “Oh my God, what have I done?”
He surprised her by pressing their foreheads together. “Natalie.”
“What?”
Three seconds passed. Four. “I will never, ever let you down again. Is that clear?”
The strangest thing happened in the wake of that unexpected vow. The clamminess of her skin subsided and her pulse slowly returned to normal. She found herself nodding, even, because how could she do anything else when she’d never seen him look so serious? Or heard that thread of honor so deeply woven into his tone. This was August the Navy SEAL.
Still, she wasn’t 100 percent ready to take that leap into trusting him. Not after everything. Not when they were so fresh from the stunt he’d pulled. “We’ll see, I guess.”
“You will see,” he countered without the slightest hesitation. “Now are you coming with me to the Lovers’ Nest or not?”
When had August pulled her closer?
Better question. When had she pushed up on her tiptoes so her arms could reach around his neck? She started to retract her touch, but he shook his head. “If I were your real fiancé,” he said quietly, for her ears alone, “this is how I’d hold you. All the time. So this is how we should stay.”
“Right.” The big slabs of his pecs were inches from her mouth and she had the strangest urge to sink her teeth into them. Maybe even had a premonition that he would enjoy it. There will be none of that. “Later, we can h-have an actual discussion and lay down some ground rules. Come up with a timeline for our respective goals. But first and foremost, let me reiterate, there is going to be absolutely zero sex. I cannot stress that enough.”