The Prince's Pregnant Bride / Billionaire Baby Dilemma. Jennifer Lewis
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Название: The Prince's Pregnant Bride / Billionaire Baby Dilemma
Автор: Jennifer Lewis
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Контркультура
Серия: Mills & Boon Desire
isbn: 9781408937204
isbn:
“Would you like some wine?” He gestured to the stocked bar in one corner.
“No, thanks. I’m fine.” Her rushed response surprised him. He moved to the cabinet and poured a glass for himself. He sat next to Lani on the sofa, each of them upright, formal, painfully separate. Even his favorite vintage tasted slightly bitter on his tongue.
What had he got himself into?
He set his glass down. “You don’t have to marry me, you know.”
Lani’s gaze snapped to meet his. “But of course I want to.” The gleam of panic in her eyes warred with her reassuring words.
“I know my mom has probably put a lot of pressure on you, and now I’ve piled on some more by publicly declaring I’d marry you, but I don’t intend to force you into anything. If you want to call it off, just say the word.”
He braced himself for her response. Her rejection.
The events of tonight had lit a fire inside him—a fire of warm ancient traditions and comforting rituals, and he’d committed to keeping that fire alive. The prospect of spending his life with the beautiful Lani had suddenly seemed to be one of the sweeter benefits of taking up the role his country expected of him.
Even now, her golden gaze sent a charge of electricity snaking through him, and his fingertips ached to roam over her soft skin.
But not if she didn’t want him. He had more than enough women after him back in L.A. There was no reason on earth good enough to force a woman into bed with him if she didn’t want to be there.
“I don’t want to call it off.” Lani’s words came out in a staccato rhythm. “I want to get married as soon as possible.” She wiped her palms on the shimmering fabric of her evening dress.
AJ cocked his head. “Then why do you look so damned unhappy about it? “
“I am happy, really.” She reached out to him and wrapped her arms stiffly around him. The goose bumps on her arms rasped his skin.
“You have a funny way of showing it.” Still, the hopeful gesture warmed his heart. He turned and put his arm around her. Only to find that she was shivering, her whole body tense and rigid.
He raised a thumb to her cheek and stroked it. “You need to relax.”
“I know. I’m just… excited.”
Panicked, more like. Maybe she was afraid he’d want to make love to her tonight? “We don’t have to rush into anything.”
“Oh, but we should. Everyone is expecting it.” Something flashed in her eyes, panic, or calculation, he couldn’t tell which. Curiosity unfurled in him like a flame.
He tilted his head and held her gaze. “You think they expect us to sleep together?”
“Probably, yes.” She nodded.
He lifted a brow. Heat flared in his groin. “Do you think we should?”
Her cheek heated under his thumb. “Yes, I do.” Her voice was low, breathy.
AJ blinked. He’d not expected that answer. In fact he’d had no intention of doing more than kiss her for now. But maybe she wanted to get such a big milestone out of the way? Or to make sure he was a considerate lover before she committed the rest of her life to him? There were many possible explanations, under the bizarre circumstances.
And since he was a healthy male, any one of them would do. He rose from the sofa, and took her hand. “Then I guess we’d better go into the bedroom.”
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