Page 66 of Her Inconvenient Groom (French Conquests 4)

“It’s so wonderful to see you. Amazing that you’re here.”

“I got bailed out.”

“I know.”

“How did you—” He paused as realization kicked in. “Did you do this? Did you post my bail?”

Now that the truth was out there, she felt oddly shy. On paper it was ridiculous, a victim of attempted murder posting bail for the prime suspect. But with nothing but the briefest hesitation, she had instructed Sienna to call her French legal office and give them clear instructions to get Dustin Spencer out of jail, no matter what it took. “I did,” she admitted.

He was taken aback, perplexed. “Why?”

Why, indeed? How could she possibly tell him that she did what she did because she loved him? Why would she dare to imagine that such an admission would be welcome? So she simply said, “I knew an injustice had been done to you. I knew the cops had it wrong.”

“How could you know that? As far as everyone is concerned, I had means, motive and opportunity.”

“Maybe. But you’re missing the most crucial ingredient.”

“Which is?”

“Enough evil in your heart to attempt to destroy someone so utterly, cause them so much agony.”

The next thing she knew he was kissing her, fervently, like a starving man. She didn’t realize how much she had been longing to feel his lips on hers again until they were there, in their familiar warmth. He kneeled forward on the bed to get closer to her, slipping his arm around her.

And then he pulled away, looking almost appalled at his behavior. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”

“It’s okay.”

“I shouldn’t have—”

“It’s fine.” She reached out and touched his cheek. “The only thing that would upset me now would be if you didn’t kiss me again.”

He looked unsure, and then to her enormous relief he complied, pressing his lips against hers again. She wished she was strong enough to fling her arms around him, pull him down to her so that he was pressing against her body, and was stunned by the rush of fervent desire that coursed through her.

Wasn’t her body dying?

Then why did it feel so much?

He lifted his lips from hers and looked into her eyes, his face still so close she could feel his breath against her cheek. “God, I missed you. All those days, wondering if you were dead or alive. Knowing that if you died, I would, too.”

“I was worried about you, too. Wondering if you were okay in there, if you were going to be okay through everything they would do to you in there.”

He shrugged, trying to make a joke of it. “Well, the food wasn’t as good as Rosemarie’s—”

“Dustin! I was scared for you!”

“And I for you.” He paused, and Chantelle had the feeling that whatever would come next would be serious, weighty. “I missed you, Chantelle. Every moment, every day. And now that I’m here again, I know I don’t want to be apart from you. Please, let me be with you.”

“What do you mean?” He couldn’t be saying what she thought he was saying.

“I mean, can we try to make this marriage work? A real marriage, rather than just a business contract?”

Chantelle let the full impact of his plea reverberate through her. It was as weighty as if he was proposing to her, offering to tear up the farcical piece of paper they’d both signed when each of them was desperate for something that the other had possessed. And replace it with something real.

Now, both of their reasons for uniting had been removed. For Dustin, his sister was out of the hospital. As for Chantelle, Kai Clark no longer lived anywhere but inside her heart.Their hearts.

“Chantelle?” He was waiting anxiously for an answer, but it was an answer that she couldn’t give.

“I don’t know.”

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