Page 15 of On His Bride's Terms

Faye made a slightly strangled-sounding noise as her father put her hand into Primo’s. He curled his fingers around it securely, not even sure at this late moment that she wouldn’t try to walk away. The fact that he still wasn’t sure of her after she’d laid down a slew of ultimatums before agreeing to this marriage told him all he needed to know about how exciting it would be to marry her.

As for those ultimatums—no cohabiting and only going to prearranged social events. They didn’t perturb him. It wasn’t as if he was suddenly ready to cohabit either, but it would be more practical, long-term. In six months she’d have grown comfortable in his world—he was sure of it.

What if she wants out?asked a little voice.

He dismissed it immediately. She wouldn’t want out. He could only enhance her social standing and add to her business contacts. Her father would be reaping the benefits of not having to worry about the family business.

Primo slid her a glance now, as the celebrant welcomed them. Faye was presenting him with her very perfect side profile, not a hair out of place. Once again, her remoteness made his fingers itch to undo her—literally. Because he could see the pulse under her skin. Fast. He imagined it as hot as his.

Turning this marriage from part-time into full-time, and revealing the woman under the sky-high walls she hid behind, was a challenge that fizzed in his veins. And her insistence about not having a family? He wasn’t too bothered about that... Let him persuade her first that they could be good together, and then they could move on to the next phase: to build an enduring marriage with a legacy that would last for generations.

Primo faced forward, Faye’s hand in his, and vowed that this marriage would be as successful as every other venture he’d ever invested in. Failure wasn’t an option. Not for Primo Holt.

CHAPTER FOUR

Venice Carnival, two days later

FAYEHATEDTHATshe felt so conspicuously alone. Especially as she was now a married woman and the reason she was alone was her insistence on coming here for work.

She could be on her honeymoon; even arranged marriages indulged in arranged honeymoons. But she’d insisted on sticking to her work schedule, and now she felt a bit like a child who had overplayed her hand.

The simple gold wedding band that Primo had slipped onto her finger only two days ago was heavy. She resisted the urge to look at it and see how it nestled against the engagement ring. Markers of his possession of her. When he hadn’t yet possessed her at all. Not like that.

She felt a little breathless.They’d only shared a kiss. But that kiss would be burned onto her memory for ever. The civil wedding ceremony had passed in a blur of vows and promises that she’d been too conscious of Primo to focus on. Standing beside her. So tall and broad.

If she hadn’t had to walk down that aisle at a snail’s pace to meet Primo she might have stumbled at her first view of him waiting for her. He’d been dressed in a light grey three-piece suit, with a slightly darker silk tie and a white shirt. He’d had a small sprig of flowers in his lapel matching her posy. A touch that had made Faye feel inordinately emotional and somehow guilty. She’d put no thought into the wedding plans, leaving it all up to Primo’s team.

But apart from all of that he’d been almost too beautiful to look at directly. Not beautiful. Gorgeous. And sexy. Filling out his suit in a way that drew the eye to his powerful physique. Hard jaw. Firm mouth.

And then that mouth had been coming towards hers before she’d been able to prepare herself, and the kiss that she’d thought about from the moment she’d met him had been every bit as terrifyingly exposing as she’d feared it would be.

Faye had been on dates in the decade since her divorce. She’d even taken some lovers. But not one had ever ignited such a burning inferno inside her. Not even her husband had done that, she’d realised in that moment. It was as if there’d been a spark deep within her, just waiting for Primo to ignite it fully.

When Primo had pulled back, it had taken an age for her to open her own eyes. She’d realised he was practically supporting her as her legs had turned to jelly. Mortifyingly, before she’d been able to gather her wits, he’d leant close again and said, for her ears only, ‘See? I told you there was something between us. I look forward to getting to know you better...wife.’

Those words had made her insides swoop and dive like a besotted teenager’s. She’d pulled back, terrified he’d see just how much his kiss had impacted her. How much the knowledge that hedidwant her impacted her.

But he’d simply smirked, as if he could hear her every thought, and taken her hand, tucking it under his arm, making sure she was all but welded to his side as he’d strolled back down the makeshift aisle and the quartet had played a sunny, joyful tune.

A short time later they’d sat together for lunch. Primo had taken a sip of wine and said, ‘You’re still insisting on going to Venice this evening?’

Faye had only had to think of that kiss and the way he’d smirked at her to nod her head fervently and say, ‘Absolutely. I can’t let my clients down.’

‘Shame. Maybe I could come with you? I’m due to take a short break, actually. I could play house husband while you work?’

Faye had immediately been rewarded with an image of a naked Primo lounging amongst rumpled sheets in the midst of the fading grandeur of a palazzo, awaiting her return like some louche playboy, there for her pleasure...

Faye shook her head to dislodge the memory.

At that moment a waiter in an all-black silk Pierrot suit with a mask covering his face passed by with a tray, and she swiped a glass of sparkling wine before her imagination went any more rampant. She took a big sip.

She was here at the Carnival to meet with some clients and visit art galleries. She’d just negotiated a couple of deals totalling in the millions, and she should be savouring her success, but it felt hollow. Because for the first time she was noticing that she had no one to share it with.

Damn Primo Holt for awakening a weakness inside her.

And more. Desire.

It just went to show that she didn’t have to scratch far beneath the surface to unearth vulnerabilities she hadn’t felt in a long time. So much for her prized independence!

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