Page 25 of The Sheikh's Fake Fiancée

She nodded. “It was beyond impressive.”

“Tomorrow I’ll take you to the grand ballroom. I expect we’ll have our reception there after our wedding.”

She jerked back. “After our wedding?” She blinked, her heart beating erratically. She’d had enough shock for one day! “Our engagement is fake, remember?”

He shrugged, though his dark eyes were watchful and assessing. “I thought you might like to take it one step further and marry me for real.”

“Don’t!” she said, terror filling her as much from the yearning bubbling inside as the fact her pregnancy would never see her live that dream. “Don’t ever say things you don’t mean.”

“Who says I don’t mean it?” he put his drink down and stalked toward her. “We’re good in bed, shortcake, and we’re compatible in every other way. I couldn’t think of a better woman to have by my side.”

Holy shit.He was serious! “What made you arrive to this conclusion so quickly?” she asked. “We might have had sex a few times but we still hardly know one another.”

“We know enough,” he said softly. He reached out to clasp her chin, holding her gaze with his own. “Did something happen?”

Her pulse beat furiously. Did he know she was keeping a secret from him? No, impossible. He was just being a typical arrogant sheikh who expected people to fall in line for him. “Why does something need to happen for me not to agree with your plans? This was all meant to be an act!”

“Yet you feel something for me, don’t you shortcake? I see it in your eyes when we make love. I hear it in your sighs of bliss when you orgasm.”

“That doesn’t mean my heart is yours!” She shook her head, angry at him, angry at herself. “If you don’t mind, I’m going taking a swim in your lap pool.”

“Good idea,” he murmured. “I might join you.”

She resisted stamping her feet. It was pointless telling him she wanted time alone to work off some of her anxiety. He was insufferable and wouldn’t care anyway. He might have given her space at Holly Island, but she was in his domain now.

“Please yourself,” she said sourly.

He snorted. “If I pleased myself you’d be on my bed beneath me right now.”

Her pulse quickened as thrilling need shot through her. “Not happening,” she said. A pity her voice sounded so damn weak. That his smirk told her he knew she wanted that just as much as he did only made her more determined not to let it happen again.

Chapter Fifteen

Zania strolled into the room with its fifty meter lap pool, as though her heart wasn’t in her throat. As Kain followed her and shut the door behind them, she took off her robe that covered her from neck to foot, aware of Kain’s eyes on her in the little yellow bikini she’d taken from the yacht’s closet.

He took off his own robe and she yanked her eyes from his naked form, catching his amused gaze before she blurted out, “You’re not wearing swim trunks!”

“I don’t feel the need to in my own home. Feel free to strip naked, too. It’s quite liberating.”

That his cock was at half-mast made her more than aware he was aroused by her in the bikini. The last thing she needed was to be completely naked and his cock standing at full attention!

Why, because you’ll be tempted to have sex with him again?

She resisted pressing a hand to her midriff. Not going to happen! She’d promised him a month of her time and that was all he’d be getting—without any further physical relations.

Splash.

She looked over at the pool, where Kain had dived into the water and soon after cut through the water with long, even strokes.

Standing at the edge of the long, turquoise pool, she dove in after him, the water cracking around her body in a cool, uplifting rush. She lifted her head out of the pool, took in a deep breath, then dove back underwater and swam as far as she could go.

When she finally resurfaced, Kain was waiting for her, his dark hair ruffled and waterlogged, his eyes flashing with an emotion she couldn’t quite get a read on. “You’re a good swimmer, shortcake.”

She arched a brow as she trod water. “You’re not half-bad yourself.”

He chuckled. “A sheikh is expected to master all things, swimming included. Now I swim laps to keep my mind sharp and my body fit.”

“It shows.”

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