Page 22 of Pregnancy Clause in Their Paper Marriage

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be.’ His voice was gentle as he reached for her hand, caught it in his own. ‘Tell me what’s going on. Because if we want even a chance at making this work, I need to know.’

This wasn’t part of their deal, Christos thought as he waited for Lana to speak, still holding her hand. He didn’twantto know what made her tick, that was the whole point. If she’d had a bad experience, if there was some pain or trauma in her past that made her scared of sex, he didn’t want to know because he already knew he wouldn’t be able to deal with it.

So why was he asking? Why, right now, did he want her to tell him?

‘Lana?’

‘I’ve...had a few bad relationships,’ she confessed. ‘One in particular. I guess it’s...affected my perception.’

‘Of sex?’

‘Yes. Of sex. Of intimacy. Of...everything.’

It wasn’t actually, he realised, something he hadn’t known, or at least suspected, even if she’d never told him the particulars. Her wary, ice-cold attitude to physical intimacy had been something of a giveaway, after all. ‘Tell me about it?’ he invited, even as he wondered why he was asking. He didn’t want to ask. He didn’t want to know. And yet here he was.

She stared at him for a moment, golden brows drawn together, clearly conflicted. ‘I didn’t think this was part of our deal.’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘Knowing our personal histories?’

‘Getting close.’

‘This isn’t falling in love, Lana, this is just being forewarned. I don’t want to make any more mistakes, since it seems I did make one tonight.’

To his deep dismay, her eyes filled with tears, one almost slipping down her cheek before she brushed at it with her hand. He was so not good with tears. ‘You didn’t make any mistakes, Christos.’

‘I feel like I did.’

‘Well, trust me, you didn’t. No one has made me feel the way you did.’ She bit her lip, a smile lurking in her eyes now along with the tears. ‘I hope that doesn’t freak you out.’

‘It doesn’t.’ Truth be told, it made him feel like a million bucks. ‘But what happened to you?’

A sigh escaped her, long and shuddery. ‘All right, I’ll tell you. It’s only fair. But I think I need a glass of wine first.’

‘All right.’

She slipped from the sofa and disappeared into the kitchen, while Christos leaned back against the sofa and closed his eyes. This had all got a bit intense. He’d come here with one agenda, and one agenda only—to make Lana respond to him physically. To open her up like a flower and let her enjoy the unfurling. But he hadn’t intended for it to become emotional atall, and yet here they were.

He couldn’t back away now. Not the way he had with his mother, his sisters—shutting down when they needed him most, walking away when they’d asked, even begged, him not to. He’d thought he’d be different with Lana, because his emotions weren’t engaged.

And they weren’t, he reminded himself, so he could handle this conversation. He could help her, without feeling anything himself. This was all about the physical, anyway. Making sure Lana enjoyed sex.

As long as they kept it that way, it would be fine. He would be.

She came back into the room, a wine bottle in one hand, a pair of glasses in the other. ‘I brought two,’ she said, brandishing the glasses, ‘in case you wanted some?’

He shrugged, smiled. ‘Sure.’

She must have sensed something a little off about his tone, because she cocked her head, her blue, blue gaze sweeping slowly over him. ‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes, of course.’ He didn’t sound all right. He was starting to get freaked out, although not for the reason Lana thought. He loved knowing he’d been able to make her respond to his touch, but he didn’t want her to respond to him likethis. Telling him her secrets. Sharing her pain. Yet how the hell could he explain that?

I’m fine, but don’t talk about your trauma, because you know what? I can’t handle it.

‘I’m fine,’ he said, but Lana did not look convinced. She opened the bottle of wine and poured them both glasses, handing him his before curling up on one end of the sofa with hers.

‘Do you want me to tell you about this?’ she asked, and he raised his wine glass to his lips.

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