Page 98 of Warming the Sheikh's Bed & Love in the Fast Lane

Aurora blinked back the sheen in her eyes, feigning miscomprehension. “Nothing is going on. That’s the point.”

“I don’t get it. I’m sorry. You know I love you, but Alec’s my friend, too. I can’t help but feel that you’re leading him on. I don’t want him to get his heart broken.”

Aurora nodded, her throat thick. “I don’t want him to get hurt either. I’ve been honest with him from the beginning. I don’t see him as someone I’m going to get romantically involved with. So we hang out, and have fun.”

“And don’t have sex.”

“Right.”

Beatrice sighed, her confusion obvious. “Are you seeing someone else then?”

“No.”

“Is he?”

“Not that I know of.” Aurora shrugged. “It wouldn’t worry me if he were. Because we’re just friends.”

“And you really think he’s happy with that? There’s not a part of you that wonders if he’s maybe falling in love with you while you’re just ‘hanging out’?”

Aurora felt a tingle of shame cross her spine. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

Beatrice pushed a smile across her face. “I don’t want to think about it this week. It’s my wedding week, and you’re my best friend. But promise me you won’t let this go on forever.”

“I won’t. I swear.” She nodded, feeling like a woman on death row who’d just received a last minute reprieve.

“Because at some point, you have to either make it work, or recognise that you’re leading a great guy on just to kill time.”

“I know.” Aurora ran a hand through her silky blonde hair. “Come on. Like you said, this is your week. Surely there’s some floral arrangements we can discuss, instead of my uneventful love life.”

Beatrice was quiet for a moment, and finally shrugged. “You’re right. Let’s go try some more of the canapés.”

Aurora laughed indulgently as she fell in step beside Beatrice. “Not for me. I think I’ve had about as many tiny little quiche as I can. That is, unless you don’t mind me splitting out of my dress.”

“As if.” Beatrice rolled her eyes dramatically. “You could eat a truck full of crap and still be teeny.”

Her nerves wouldn’t take anymore food. The knowledge that Leonardo would be there sometime before nightfall was tying her in knots. “I’m good. But I’ll live vicariously through you.”

Beatrice grinned. “I’m pretty sure I can eat what I want to now, and it won’t make a bit of difference before the wedding.”

Aurora watched while Beatrice assembled a few snacks on a platter and carried it out to the large paved courtyard just behind the north wing of the house.

It had only been a matter of time. She’d known that since waking that morning.

And yet, when Leonardo appeared in the dappled shadows cast by the wisteria, Aurora felt as though her whole body had been slammed by a freight train.

All she could do was stare. He was sexily dishevelled in hip-hugging faded black jeans and a check shirt that had been rolled up at the sleeves to expose his tanned forearms. It was unbuttoned at the top too, displaying the thick column of his neck and coarse dark hair; Aurora felt her stomach clench in pained memory. His dark hair was long enough to brush against the collar, and his eyes seemed to throb with the connection they shared. A spark seemed to pass silently between them, arcing with electricity and awareness.

“Hey! You’re finally here!” Beatrice jumped up, oblivious to the energy that the two former lovers were generating. “Welcome to wedding week.”

Leonardo flicked his gaze from Aurora to Beatrice, a small smile on his lips. “It’s a wedding day, Bea. Not a week. A day.”

“That, my brother, is where you’re wrong. You get to be the celebrity of the family every other week, but not this time. This time it’s all about me!”

“And a little bit about Peter, right?” Aurora threw in with quiet amusement, earning a smile from Leonardo.

“Yeah, yeah. I suppose the groom gets a look in. But mostly, it’s my day.”

“I thought it was your week?” Leonardo teased, wrapping an arm around his sister and guiding her back to the table.

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