Page 15 of The Devil's Pawn

“Well…I…um…” I stammer, my eyes darting between him and the floor.

I’m acutely aware of his taut muscles being too close to my skin and his exhales drifting past my lips.

“Are you afraid of me, Raquel?” The back of his hand reaches out, tracing my jaw.

God, he loves to touch, and I love being touched. I’m in so much trouble.

“No.” My rapid, audible breaths betray me, calling me a liar.

“Good. Because I can behave myself, even with you sleeping beside me.” His tone oozes with sensual prowess as our gazes align with fierce intensity. “The question is, can you?”

I clear my throat, hoping to clear my body of all thoughts of him at the same time. “Why is this even necessary? Why can’t we have separate rooms?”

“Look…” He marches away toward the door. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. The contract hasn’t been signed, so you’re free to go. I can drive you home now if you want.”

“No!” I practically jump a step. “It’s…it’s fine. I’ll stay here. With you.”

“You sure? I don’t want to push you into something you’re clearly not ready for.” He moves a foot toward me, killing some of the distance he’s created.

“I’m sure. We’ll figure it out.”

“I know this is a lot…” That softness in his gaze that attracted me to him back at the bar is back. “But if we don’t appear truly married and the seller somehow finds out, then my deal with him will go to shit, along with the money and documents I promised you.”

I can’t let that happen!

“I understand, Dante.”

“How about this?” he counters. “How about we get the marriage certificate done today, but we wait on the contract while you try this arrangement out for a week? Like a trial period. Then, if you’re fine with it, we’ll sign the paperwork. But if you want out, I’ll have the marriage annulled and find someone else to make my wife.”

The way he says that word, wife…I kind of don’t want him to find anyone else.

I jerk my head back. “You can get a marriage certificate that fast?”

“I know some people.” He winks.

He must be someone big in the business world.

“Yeah, the trial period seems fair.”

I’ll agree to anything at this point. Whatever he needs me to do, I’ll do it just to avoid marrying Carlito.

“What’s your full name, by the way?” I think it’s time I know the last name of the man I’m about to marry.

“Cavaleri.”

Raquel Cavaleri.

I toss the name around in my head, liking the sound of it, even if it’ll only be mine for a short while.

“How about we get some breakfast?” he asks, jarring me from my thoughts. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

It’s close to six a.m. now, and my stomach growls right on cue, as though hearing his words.

“Come on, hungry fiancée,” he teases on a laugh. “Let’s get you fed.”

“Fiancée?” I taunt as we head back down the stairs, me beside him. “You haven’t even given me a ring yet.”

“Would you like me to get down on one knee too while we’re at it?” He slams me with another show-stopping smile, glancing at me sideways. “I can definitely make that happen if you want, wifey.”

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