Page 43 of The Wrong Fiancée

But even as the thought crossed my mind, I knew I was lying to myself. She cared—just like I did. The idea of Dante going anywhere near Elika tore me apart. So how must she have felt, walking in on Fee and me having sex?

Sam and Ginny hugged us, putting on a show of how close we all were to the world.

"Dean and I have been talking about our wedding," Felicity looked at me, her eyes bright, "and we've decided that we'll marry here in Kauai. Our home away from home."

I kept a smile on my face even as I felt anger race through me. How dare she make such an announcement without discussing it with me? We had not talked about wedding dates. We'd talked about having a long engagement.

"So, keep your calendars clear for next Spring," she continued.

She knew I wouldn't challenge her in public and risk humiliating us both, which was exactly why she pulled this stunt. I knew Felicity well enough to know that when she felt she was losing, she had no problem playing dirty. She suspected something was going on between Elika and me, and she was right; something was. Our past was catching up with us.

Once we were off the dance floor and finished dealing with the congratulations that everyone wanted to shower us with, I gently tugged Felicity aside, guiding her away from the crowd. The soft glow of the tiki torches flickered, casting long shadows on her perfectly made-up face. The ocean breeze tousled her hair just enough to make it look like it had been artfully styled that way, and the distant sound of laughter and clinking glasses filled the air. But all I could focus on was the tightening in my chest.

"What the fuck was that about?" I kept my voice low and controlled.

She smiled up at me, that dazzling, calculated smile as if nothing was wrong. "Dean, darling, now's not the time. Everyone's so excited for us."

"No," I insisted. "Now is the time."

Her eyes narrowed just slightly. She wasn't used to me challenging her like this, especially not in the middle of a perfectly curated social event. I could feel her bristle, but I didn't care. Not anymore.

"We haven't discussed a wedding date," I hissed. "We talked about a long engagement, remember?"

Felicity's smile didn't waver, but I saw the flicker of irritation in her eyes. "I just thought it was time we made a decision," shereplied smoothly, her voice honeyed but sharp underneath. "Everyone's been asking, and you know how important it is to plan ahead for something like this. Kauai is perfect. It's the logical choice."

"Logical?" I repeated, a bitter laugh escaping before I could stop it. "Felicity, you didn't even consult me. This isourwedding, not just yours."

Her expression shifted, the mask slipping just enough for me to see the frustration behind it. She looked around, and even though we were away from people, I was certain our demeanor didn't impart a happy, engaged couple. "Dean, please. Don't make a scene. We can talk about this later."

"We're not getting married next spring," I told her.

We're not ever getting married.

"Dean," she began and then fell silent when she saw the look on my face.

"This is not how I do relationships."

Her eyes filled with tears. "How do you do them? You've been insulting my mother and?—"

"I have been tolerating your mother," I gritted out. "The fact that you don't have an issue with her behavior makes me wonder about you."

She gasped. "I can't believe you just said that."

"I can't believe you just announced a wedding date."

She swallowed and closed her eyes for a moment. She opened them and flung herself at me. I had no choice but to catch her.

"I love you," she whispered in my ear. "I love you so much, and I know. I know…I know, Dean, and I forgive you."

I grabbed her wrists and pulled them off from around my neck. "What the fuck are you talking about now?"

"You slept with her, didn't you?" Her lower lip trembled like she was holding on to her hurt.

"Since we met eight months ago, Fee, I've only been with you," I said deliberately slow. "Only you. I don't cheat."

Her chest heaved. "Stop lying. Someone saw you with her in your car and?—"

"I gave her a ride because her bicycle had a flat tire," I cut her off. But I felt guilty. Horribly so. I hadn’t physically cheated on Felicity, but my heart and mind had wandered toward Elika more than I was comfortable admitting.

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