Page 40 of Reckless Kiss

“Because this is a transaction. You don’t rate marriage anymore. I need to fulfil my aunt’s condition to get the business. If I take you to bed, it will make it something else entirely.”

“Is that so bad?”

“I can’t fall in love with you, Erica. I need to get my family settled. They’re relying on me.”

“People not in love have sex.”

“I’m going to fall for you. I know it. Experiencing how you feel in the most intimate way, I know it will break me when you walk away.”

“How do you know I’ll walk away?”

“Because that’s the deal we struck. You’re here for two months, then you’ll go back to your job, do whatever it is with the script your reading, and I’ll be left here with a broken heart.”

“I need to extend my stay with your aunt if we are to date, plan, and marry. We’re setting a date for three months, aren’t we?”

“Can you afford to stay for three months? I don’t mean financially, but with your job.”

“I’ll need to leave for a week at the end of the two months, but then I can come back.”

She needed to get fittings for the movie scheduled straight after leaving the island. But now, with the deal she made with the handsome man, she’d need Yanny to work her schedule without messing about the film production. Now there was a dress to consider and shoes.

“I can check with my aunt about the bookings for the cottages. She’ll prefer you stay there far away from my bed until we’re married.”

Erica giggled at the old-fashioned rules. “When will I get to meet her?”

“We’ll let her see us together from afar. Maybe when you have your swim.”

“I need to do more than swim. I have to practise holding my breath under water. Increase my lung capacity and strengthen every muscle in my body.”

“Is this for your job?”

“Yeah.”

“You take it really seriously.”

“I have to if I want to be authentic.”

Archer went silent again, pulling her closer to his body. Erica liked being tucked against him. She liked feeling his warmth and his protection. Taking a chance on his declaration of no sex, she placed her palm on his stomach. He was hard to the touch. Sliding her fingers under the edge of his t-shirt, she stroked her fingers on his bare skin. When he didn’t move or push her away, she splayed her fingers further up his torso. Erica was desperate for the connection. She didn’t want a cold relationship, even if theirs was fake.

“I could help you,” Archer said, drawing circles on her bare shoulder with the pad of his thumb.

“Help me with what?”

“The swimming, endurance, and holding your breath. I did gig racing here on the island as a kid and teenager. Everyone must know how to be a strong swimmer living on an island. As an oil rig worker, that plan is never to fall in the water. If you did in the North Sea, you wouldn’t last very long in the cold water, but I still kept up training.”

Erica pushed up and rested her weight on her bent elbow. Looking down at Archer’s face, she saw his sincerity shining in his eyes.

“Do you have time? I’ve been given a plan to do eachday and watched a dozen videos online. It would be great to have someone help me keep track and support me.”

“I can spare a couple of hours each morning. We can get to know each other at the same time.”

“Thank you so much,” she said, leaning down to kiss him.

It was an automatic reaction to kiss him. Archer’s soft lips turned hungry as his palm cupped the back of her head. Erica went along with his kiss, sliding her tongue next to his as he rolled them. He nestled between her parted legs, balancing most of his weight on his elbows as he explored her mouth, throat, and collar bone with his lips. She could feel he wanted her, flushed at the knowledge one kiss turned him on. When Erica lifted her hips to shift her position, Archer pulled away and rolled to his back, panting.

“You’re going to kill me,” he said.

Erica giggled at his over-exaggeration as she sat up. Then, pulling her loose blouse over her head, she flung it to land on his face.

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