The Innocent's Emergency Wedding

by Natalie Anderson

He sat very still, his gaze not leaving hers. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman in her twenties who’s still a virgin. It’s not that common, Katie.’

  He said it as if there was something wrong with her. Of course it had to be her—yet again she was the one at fault.

  ‘Maybe not in the circles you hang out in, but I don’t think it’s that abnormal,’ she said stiffly, barely masking her inner rebellion. ‘No doubt I’m the most untouched woman you’ve ever met. And you’ve married me. The irony is extreme, don’t you think?’

  She tossed her head—embarrassed, defensive and wary...but mostly with herself. With that little weakness she had within her when it came to him.

  ‘Does Carl know you’ve not had a boyfriend?

  She paused, horrified at the question. ‘I don’t know.’ She stared down at the blanket covering her. ‘You think he wanted to marry me because of that? Like I was some kind of virgin sacrifice?’ She rejected the idea completely. ‘Marriage is for a long time. Brian could’ve just offered him the use of my body for a night...’

  Suddenly she was bitterly hurt. Anger forced her to look back into Alessandro’s too-handsome face.

  ‘You can’t think why he’d want me for a wife at all, can you?’

  ‘I can’t understand why anyone would want a wife at all,’ he countered calmly. ‘Or a husband, for that matter. It’s not you personally.’

  ‘And yet here you are, married to me,’ she pointed out.

  Alessandro stared back at her. They were locked in a still, silent moment.

  ‘I think Carl wanted someone controllable. A doormat,’ she finally said, slicing through the strained atmosphere.

  ‘You’re not that controllable,’ he muttered.

  ‘No. I’m not.’ She lifted her chin, embracing the defiance he sparked within her. ‘And I’m not going to struggle with six months’ celibacy because I’ve been uninterested in that all my life,’ she said scornfully.

  Desperately she wanted to believe her own words. Desperately she wanted to score a point against him because he made her so uncomfortable.

  But he didn’t rise to her bait, he only goaded her more—with that smile.

  ‘I don’t think you’re “uninterested” in that,’ he said softly.

  ‘You can’t imagine anyone being uninterested,’ Katie scoffed.

  ‘Lame call, Katie.’ He sent her another considering look from beneath those long, dark lashes. ‘You might be inexperienced, but you’re not that immature.’ He paused, his head cocked. ‘Who gave you your first kiss?’

  She stared down at the blanket between them and refused to answer.

  ‘Katie...?’

  The hint of appalled incredulity in his voice let her know he’d figured it out.

  ‘Don’t let it go to your head,’ she gritted.

  ‘It’s not going to my head,’ he drawled wickedly.

  ‘Really?’ She lifted her chin and glared at him. ‘Do guys seriously get off on this?’

  He laughed, but it didn’t sound easy. ‘Don’t try to distract me. Denial is unworthy of you, dolcezza. I’ve kissed you. You kissed me back.’

  ‘And let’s agree not to do it again.’

  He shook his head. ‘You are afraid—why?’ He frowned at her as if she was a conundrum. ‘If you’ve waited this long there has to be a reason.’

  Oh, he had to be kidding...

  But his insistent prying had pushed her past her learned reticence. She’d make him as uncomfortable as he made her.

  ‘Maybe I was waiting to give my virginity to my husband,’ she said in dulcet tones, and sent him a demure look. ‘That’s a reason why a lot of women wait.’

  He stared at her, as still as a predator waiting for his moment to pounce, an unreadable expression on his face.

  She rolled her eyes again, masking the intensity this conversation was building within her. ‘The only reasons I’m a virgin are lack of interest and lack of opportunity.’

  That devilish look lit within him. ‘Why, how convenient... You have both now...’ he murmured.

  Surely he didn’t mean—?

  He leaned closer. ‘I’m interested. I’m your opportunity.’

  She just stared at him.

  ‘Right here, right now. We both know how well we’d get on together. What do you say, Katie?’

  She was almost certain he wasn’t serious, but the awful thing was part of her had already melted in complete surrender...and she was angry with both herself and him for that.

  ‘I say I’m not interested.’

  His smile swerved. ‘Are you sure about that?’

  Her breathing quickened. ‘I also say you’re mean.’

  ‘Opportunity is not the only reason.’ His lips twisted in mockery as he proved her a liar. ‘Are you waiting for love, Katie?’

  ‘Well... I’d have to at least like the guy,’ she retorted furiously, pushed to the extreme.

  He winced and pressed his hand to his heart. ‘After all I’ve done for you...?’

  ‘Don’t tease.’ She borrowed his look from under lowered eyelashes. ‘I’m no match for you.’

  He stared for a second, then laughed. ‘And that little pretence shows just how up to my weight you are, Katie. You’re quiet because you’ve had to be—not because you didn’t have something to say. You’re not entirely shy.’

  He reached out and grabbed her hand, flattening her fingers when she tried to curl them into a fist.

  ‘You’re going to have to get used to a little touching, Katie.’ He traced circles on her palm with his index finger as he spoke. ‘If you want to prevent Susan from being anxious you’ll have to present a blissfully happy façade to her. You said it yourself: you’ll have to fake it. You’ll need to look and act like you’re in love with me and you can’t talk to her until you’re certain you can do that.’

  He spoke lightly, but she understood that he meant every word.

  ‘I’m not having the world know this marriage is a sham. You wanted this, you’ve got it, but you’ll have to act the part. I will touch you. I will kiss you. Everyone knows I’d never be cold with my wife.’

  She realised that beneath that tease, even as he touched her so softly, he was angry.

  ‘I’ve seduced you away from your fiancé after all,’ he mocked. ‘You’re going to have to look spellbound.’

  Waves of heat rose just from those tiny tickling circles. His skilful fingers cast sensations like confetti—skating caresses that sent shivers of anticipation down her spine.

  She swallowed the hard lump in her throat. ‘You’re sure that isn’t for your own ego?’

  ‘You know my ego doesn’t need the boost.’ He held her hand more tightly and leaned closer. ‘You can’t blush every time I come within two feet of you. You can’t pull away or look shy...’

  She didn’t want to pull away. Unfortunately she suspected he knew that too.

  ‘We’re going to need to practise,’ he added softly.

  ‘You’re kidding?’

  He shook his head and smiled wickedly. ‘As serious as ever—that’s me.’

  With that he tugged her closer and pressed his mouth on hers. It was a teasing, light kiss, one she could have broken from easily. But she didn’t. Instead she stilled, uncertain whether to push him away or kiss him back. Then her body overruled her brain and decided for her and she leaned closer.

  Instantly he slid his other hand to the nape of her neck, holding her so he could kiss her even more deeply. His lips roved gently, firmly, and his tongue stroked in a light tease. His fingers still clasped hers. His touch felt beyond intimate, bathing her in rose-gold heat. He was warm and strong and giving.

  Delightful, dizzying wisps of wonder trickled through her veins. She tasted his smile in his kiss and somehow she smiled too. Who’d have thought kissing could be so e
asy or feel so right?

  Yet the second she thought that a flicker of something else rose. Once again he’d unleashed something long hidden—something so sharp she wasn’t quite ready for it. But she couldn’t stop. She couldn’t pull back. The desire to keep kissing, keep touching, keep connected to him was too strong.

  * * *

  This was a mistake. Alessandro wrestled with his conscience and his want, but his ability to reason was slipping further the longer he had his mouth sealed to hers. The longer he lost himself in her sweetness. And she was so very sweet.

  Anyway, since when did he even have a conscience? There was nothing wrong with just kissing. It was simple fun that meant little...only short moments to enjoy.

  But she was a virgin. And she was also his wife.

  Those facts clawed at his gut. How was he supposed to stop their chemistry from combusting for six whole months? It was an impossible ask.

  He forced himself to break the kiss, lifting his head to stare down at her. Her heavy-lidded eyes contained a dazed sparkle and her lips looked soft and lush and reddened. Her ragged breathing gave her away, as did the building heat of her skin beneath his fingertips.

  She was no porcelain doll, no unfeeling automaton. She was full-bodied and hot and the sexiest thing he’d seen... And he’d never wanted a woman the way he wanted her now.

  With a muffled groan he slammed his mouth back on hers, pulling her fully into his arms, needing to feel her against his chest. She was as soft and lithe as he’d imagined. And he was doing them both a favour, si? Their marriage would look real enough and they’d rid themselves of the frustration riding them both. She’d become a little more worldly...

  His reasons, justifications, excuses faded as he succumbed to the pleasure of caressing her. He obeyed the driving urge to touch more, taste more. He pushed gently so she fell back onto the bed and he followed, his body tensing as he felt her hands slide to his waist.

  He kissed her neck, marvelling at her soft, smooth skin. He ached to touch every inch of her. He swept his hand down to her hip, feeling the supple arch of her body, listening to the rise of her breathing and then another of those little moans, followed by a gasp as she tried to catch it back. Hell, he loved those moans of hers.

  He toyed with the hem of her tee, tempted to lift it and seek out the even softer skin of her waist, her breasts. He’d kiss and caress them until the pleasure sent them both insane...

  ‘Stop...’ she said in a small breathless voice. ‘Alessandro, please stop.’

  He froze, cold shock tossing immediate regret over him. He’d lost control when he never did. But he’d thought she was with him.

  He braced his fists either side of her and pushed up, refusing to give in to the overriding urge to touch her again. Her eyes were closed, and her full mouth was turned down in an expression of complete misery. Had he misread all those signs he thought he’d felt?

  ‘Katie...?’ he questioned hoarsely.

  ‘You don’t have to...’ She trailed off.

  Confused, he watched the emotions flicker across her face as he tried to get his brain to catch up with her conversation. He didn’t ‘have to’ what?

  ‘You’ve proved your point, okay? I’m...’ She drew in a shuddering breath. ‘You don’t have to do anything more.’

  Wait—so this wasn’t about her not wanting more...this was about her thinking that he didn’t want more?

  He was utterly thrown. The low burn of shame angered him—because her accusation was partly true. Hadn’t he wanted her surrender? Hadn’t he plotted to tease her, to prove she wanted him? But that had been for ever ago. Within two seconds of touching her all pretence, all game-playing, had burned away, revealing the raw reality of the attraction between them.

  ‘This isn’t about me proving anything, Katie,’ he said bluntly.

  She still didn’t look at him. ‘Like I said, I’m no match for you,’ she muttered.

  ‘I kissed you because I wanted to. I want you. Because, as infuriating as you are, you’re also fascinating and I want to touch you. Everywhere. Sorry if you find that offensive.’

  Rosy colour swarmed over her skin and she finally opened her captivating eyes. ‘You think I’m fascinating?’

  ‘And infuriating,’ he repeated bluntly. But he couldn’t help smiling at her.

  Her glare was impressive, but undermined by the fact that she was still frozen with shy awkwardness on the bed before him.

  ‘I thought you were just... I thought it was just a game.’

  ‘Katie.’ He half laughed, half sighed. ‘It’s always a game. That’s what sex is. I enjoy baiting you, but only because I genuinely want you.’

  He leaned closer. Provoking her was more fun than he’d had in ages. But touching her was shockingly sublime. And quite possibly addictive.

  Her baleful expression didn’t ease. ‘Because I’m inexperienced?’

  ‘Are you really this insecure?’ he growled. ‘I’ve kissed you every chance I got, in case you hadn’t noticed. Long before I knew that you were inexperienced. If anything, that puts me off.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘We shouldn’t... I shouldn’t.’

  ‘I’m sorry if it’s an inconvenience,’ she said sarcastically. ‘Maybe it’s hard for me to believe when no one’s ever wanted me before.’

  He laughed. But then swiftly sobered as he realised that in that last she had been entirely serious. A powerful harsh heat built inside him—something more than desire.

  ‘That’s only because you’ve been hiding.’

  He glanced down at the jeans and tee she wore. They revealed only a hint of her figure. She had cute curves, and long legs for a short person. She should be more confident—the way she was when she talked about her work.

  Tension swelled within him again. ‘I’m not sure we can keep this a marriage on paper only, Katie.’

  The likelihood of them getting to six months without having sex was virtually nil. The chemistry he felt, she felt too.

  She’d been sheltered—imprisoned, actually—but he would show her the world if she’d let him. Both literally and in this most personal of spheres. She was warm and sweet, passionate and strong. And they’d be free to continue with their lives at the conclusion...

  He suddenly stood, turning away as he grappled with the discomforting thought of her being free to find someone else after their marriage had ended. The thought of some other man making her moan in that soft, pleading way she had when he’d kissed her. It had been a primal purr, asking for more. But the thought of some other man being the first to show her just what she’d been created to do...

  He clenched his jaw. With one damn kiss everything had changed. This was everything he didn’t want. He was ill-cast in this role of rescuer. He’d never wanted marriage. He wasn’t cut out to make that ‘for ever’ commitment to one person. But they were locked in it now, and he was going to have to exert better self-control.

  Katie constantly blushed because she was an inexperienced romantic. He couldn’t be further from either of those things.

  And now her silence spoke volumes.

  Too late he remembered her offer to pay him back any time, anyhow. Did she think this was the how? Revulsion and regret at the power imbalance between them surged. She’d been raised to be too polite—required not just to be obedient, but subservient.

  Did she feel as if she couldn’t say no to him now he’d married her? The thought of her saying yes only to please him, or because she felt she owed him, was horrific. But she’d responded to him—he knew she had—and he’d stopped the second she’d asked him to. He could and would always do that.

  ‘I want you,’ he said roughly, unused to admitting anything he felt deeply. And this was beyond deep. ‘But I’ll only do what you want me to. And you have to really want it Katie.’

  She had to want it the way he did.

  Alm
ost uncontrollably.

  Desperately he glanced at his watch and made himself walk further away. ‘We’ve less than thirty minutes till we land.’

  ‘Will we go straight to see Susan?’

  He froze, then turned back to face her. ‘We’re not landing in England, Katie.’

  ‘What?’ Her eyes rounded. ‘Where are we going?’

  ‘Italy.’

  And the sooner they got there, the sooner he could straighten out his head and regain control over his wayward body.

  But he couldn’t resist one last tease. ‘We’re going on our honeymoon, remember?’

  CHAPTER SIX

  KATIE WAS SWEPT along on the tide of Alessandro’s dynamism all over again. She’d never encountered someone who could get so much done in so little time or with such apparent ease. They’d landed, cleared Customs, been ensconced in another gorgeous car and driven to another fabulous hotel.

  Completely different from Las Vegas, this was a beachside hotel, next to a harbour filled with billionaires’ yachts and stylish people drinking coffee and looking impossibly glamorous even at this early hour of the morning.

  Feeling hot and sticky and tired, Katie wanted to skulk into a corner and hide.

  Alessandro was pure practicality again, turning to her the second they were alone in another large suite. ‘You need more clothes. Do you want help selecting them?’

  She did need more clothes, but there had to be a limit to what she could take from him—besides which, she really felt like arguing with him.

  ‘I am not parading a selection of outfits in front of you like some...some courtesan,’ she said stiffly.

  He smiled appreciatively. ‘I didn’t mean me. I don’t have the time to take you shopping,’ he derided softly. ‘Anyway, I’d rather see you getting out of clothes than into them. I meant would you like a personal shopper? Like a stylist?’

  He thought she needed one. Katie sank into another mire of embarrassment, furiously trying to think of some smart retort and failing. Because the fact was she’d had very few sartorial options until now. The local village didn’t have any particularly stylish stores, and since Brian’s stinging judgement that one time she’d dressed up she’d hidden in baggy jeans and tees.