Page 44 of The King's Fake Bride

“I bet you’ve been thinking about this all night.” I wrap one hand around her throat lightly, pulling her back to me. My thumb skips over her racing pulse. “You’re soaking wet.”

“Yes.” She rolls her hips, grinding harder into my hand with each rock of her hips until her body starts to quiver.

My cock throbs faster as I drive harder into her, keeping her pinned against me as she comes. Her arousal coats me as I come, teasing her clit until her body is spent and her chest is heaving.

When she turns to look at me, completely sated, all I want to do is take her up to my bed when we get to the castle and spend the night with her wrapped in my arms.

However, I know that the second she’s asleep, I’m going to slip out of bed and head to the couch.

Keeping feelings from developing will be impossible if I spend a day with her that close to me.

Even tonight, it felt like I was on the edge of a cliff and ready to throw myself over for her.

It can’t happen again.

CHAPTER 16

AMY

SIX WEEKS LATER

Itake a deep breath, looking at the red circle on the calendar. There’s a little less than three weeks until the wedding.

I don’t think I’m ready.

Nineteen days until I walk down the aisle to the start of a marriage I want but don’t know if I can handle.

In the weeks since Xander found me at the bar, I’ve felt more alone than ever, even when he’s sitting right beside me.

Tonight is going to be different.

This is going to be the last night I spend on my own, sitting in my future husband’s chambers and wondering if there’s even a friendship there to build a relationship off of.

I take a deep breath, heading into my closet and rummaging through the lingerie Daphne bought for me. Most of it is racier than anything I would even think about wearing right now, but there’s an emerald baby doll in the back. The fabric is light and airy, the right amount of sheer to make it impossible to focus on anything other than me.

Which is exactly what I need if the two of us are finally going to have a conversation for the first time in days.

As I slip into the baby doll, there’s a moment of wondering.

Am I doing the right thing?

Should I leave him to his own devices?

Will I be comfortable in a marriage with a husband who has made it his mission in life to avoid being alone with me?

I don’t think I can.

As I pull on a silk robe over the lingerie, I consider changing into jeans and a blouse. Something a little more understated. Nothing that looks like it was made for seduction.

Whatever. Lingerie is better than completely naked.

Unless he doesn’t find me attractive. Then this is going to be for nothing.

I could walk into the room, and he could walk right out of it without a second thought.

Groaning, I run my hands down my face.

When I met with Cora the other evening, she told me that her nephew thrived on isolating himself and that she was hoping I was the one who would break through it all.

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