The Marriage of Inconvenience

by Nina Singh

  Of course, Angel didn’t know any of that, and it hardly mattered now. She deserved a chance to fully move on, to find someone more suitable so that she could reclaim her rightful position as the sole Scott heir.

  On that reminder, he forced himself to remain where he was. He watched as a group of men on the grounds below them started setting up the party-style tents. Others were stringing streamers on the plants and trees along the perimeter.

  “Look, we knew things would be a little awkward.” He tried not to laugh at the understatement. “But we have to be more careful, judging from Mila’s reaction in there just now.”

  “You’re right. And she told me after breakfast that it appeared we were making amends to each other.”

  “Right, so no more repeats of what just happened in there. Agreed?”

  “Agreed. We’ll have to act very different,” she said without looking up, a slight hesitation in her voice.

  He was doubtful, too. Playacting as the loving couple was easier said than done lately. But how the hell was he supposed to convincingly act like the man who still made love to her at night? When all he could focus on was the desperate need to do so and the clear knowledge that it would be wrong.

  “Our actions as of late have been less than convincing, but we can work on fixing that,” he repeated with more conviction than he felt.

  “Certainly.” She blew a bang off her forehead. “How?”

  How the hell did he know? “Uh—I should probably hold your hand more often.”

  “I suppose that would be good.”

  “And I should probably put my arm around you more often.”

  She nodded emphatically. “Right. And I should pretend to enjoy it.”

  He snapped his head to look at her. Fury and disappointment rocketed through him until he noticed the small lift at the corner of her mouth. She actually had the nerve to tease him at a time like this.

  “See if you can manage to do that,” he said drily. “That should allay some of their suspicions.”

  “And definitely no more arguments,” she said, much more serious.

  She stared at him. “I just have one question.”

  Oh, no. “What’s that?” he asked, though he really doubted he wanted to answer.

  “You’re usually Mr. Logical, always focused on the facts. You usually immediately home in on the most reasonable scenario. Why is it that you only appear irrational when it involves me?”

  The question caught him off guard. Why exactly did he get so scattered when it came to her? Why did he still feel any sense of responsibility toward his estranged wife?

  He turned away from her to walk to the other side of the balcony. “Very good question, Princess. Trust me, my life would be so much easier if I had an answer.”

  * * *

  Before she could ask him to expand on that surprising comment, R.J. suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to her.

  “Looks like we have a chance to do some damage control,” he whispered.

  Damage control? What in the world was he talking about?

  Sheer shock replaced her confusion as he gently lifted her chin. The breath caught in her throat, and she was afraid to look up at him, afraid of the sudden change in the conversation.

  And then he was kissing her.

  Dizziness assaulted her, and he must have noticed. He lowered his hands on her arms and held her closer. The sweet contact with his lips never wavered.

  She didn’t know why he was suddenly doing this, didn’t care. All that mattered now was that he not stop.

  She noticed movement in the corner of her eye. It hit her then. Tavov had stepped onto the balcony; he was watching them. R.J. was putting on a show. He was kissing her only for Tavov’s benefit.

  The hurt opened fire on her heart. All of a sudden it was too much: their arguments, his demands, the tension. And the taste of him, his heat up against her.

  Something snapped. She pulled her arms out of his grasp and lifted them around his neck. His sharp intake of breath didn’t even make her hesitate. She stepped closer to him, feeling the rock of muscle that lined his frame.

  “Oh, we need to be so much more convincing than that...” she spoke low into his ear. “A real wife,” she continued, “would be much closer to her husband as he kissed her.”

  “Angel—” His cautionary warning died on his lips when she rubbed against him.

  His arms went slack, then came around her again, tighter this time. A small voice whispered in the back of her brain. She knew she shouldn’t be doing this. She shouldn’t be baiting him this way.

  But somehow her mouth and body wouldn’t obey the logic.

  “And she’d do a lot more of this.”

  She boldly touched her tongue to his lips to demonstrate. One of them moaned, she couldn’t tell who. Maybe they’d done it in unison. His mouth pressed against hers fiercely, punishing. But the bruising kiss was more than welcome. She needed to see him moved, needed to know that at least some small spark of affectionate passion remained between them. Needed to have him touch her for her, not for the benefit of an audience.

  A movement to her left told her Tavov was leaving. R.J.’s quick glance said he’d noticed it, too.

  But their kiss didn’t stop. His palm splayed at the small of her back, and he hauled her through the miniscule breath of space between them. Waves of pleasure rocked through her at the contact. She became more adventurous and trailed the tip of her tongue along his lips. Finally, he opened his mouth and forcefully took her in. She thought the taste of him would drive her wild. And she wanted it to, wanted to push herself to the edge of sanity and bring him there with her.

  This was what her dreams had been about. This intensity she’d never forgotten. She savored the taste of him on her tongue, the feel of him against her body. She was shaking from the inside out. He wanted her. His kiss told her he always had.

  He yanked her away suddenly. “What the hell?” he bit out, fury vibrating through his whole body.

  It had backfired. She’d tried to elicit some response from him and instead she was the one quaking with desire. He grabbed her by the elbow and led her away from the balcony doors. All traces of gentleness were gone as he pushed her up against the wall.

  What a mistake. He’d never been a man to be pushed. Somehow, she made herself meet his gaze.

  “Don’t play games with me, Angel.”

  She tried to move away, and he slapped both his palms against the wall on each side of her face. She flinched as he leaned closer, his breath hot up against her skin.

  “I already told you not to push for something you’re not sure you’re ready to give.”

  She’d hurt him. R.J. attacked only when he was wounded.

  Briskly, he took her by the arm and pulled her into the suite, shutting the balcony door behind them.

  She cleared her throat. “I—I’m sorry. I know you don’t want me to—”

  His eyes narrowed, and he cut her off. “It’s not about what I want.” He cursed under his breath. “The whole problem is how badly I want you still.” He rammed a hand through his hair. “But this can’t happen between us.”

  Angel wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground. How many times could she throw herself at this man only to be turned down?

  She had to ask the question that had been plaguing her. Couldn’t avoid it any longer. “Is there someone else?”

  He hesitated a brief moment, as if weighing his response. Finally, he rubbed a palm down his face. “No, there’s no one else.”

  She couldn’t help the surge of relief that shot through her. But R.J. still looked downright anguished. “Then what is it? I know there are things you’re keeping from me. Things you’ve never let me in on. I wish you’d just trust me enough to do so now.”

 
He studied her face. “I was trying so hard not to rehash the past on this trip.”

  “But it keeps coming up, doesn’t it? I get it, you’re still angry.”

  “Angry?”

  “Yes. That I didn’t come with you when you asked. I understand that.” She took a deep breath. “I thought you’d come back.”

  “Oh, Angel. Sweetheart.”

  “The truth is, I didn’t come with you because I thought you’d be back for me. I was so wrong.”

  He studied her face. “Maybe you’re right. Perhaps it is time to come clean about some things.”

  “Please.”

  “Right before I got the job offer in Silicon Valley, your father paid me a visit.”

  Angeline’s heart stopped for an instant, then started beating double time. This wasn’t going to be something she wanted to hear. “What did my father have to say?”

  “He had an offer for me.”

  “I don’t understand.” But as she said the words, the realization dawned on her. The offer was a bribe.

  “He said he’d make it worth my while to take the job in California. He wanted to pay me to leave. To leave you.”

  Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place. R.J.’s admission answered so many questions, solved so many unanswered little mysteries: R.J.’s sudden interest in moving far away. For a job he’d barely been interested in when he’d first been offered it.

  “I see,” she said, trying to process it all. “That explains a lot.”

  “I didn’t want to tell you.”

  “I wish you had. I could have told you right away that I don’t blame you. I’m glad it worked out so well for you.”

  He blinked. “What are you saying?”

  She swallowed past the sickening wave of nausea that had suddenly gripped her. “I’m saying it’s okay. I mean, look at all you’ve accomplished with it.”

  “Wait. You think I took it. You think I took his money.”

  That’s clearly what he was telling her, was it not? “Isn’t that why you left?”

  “Is that who you think I am?”

  “You mean...you didn’t?”

  “Of course I didn’t” He’d raised his voice. His eyes grew a deeper, darker shade.

  He was the one getting angry? “Is that supposed to make me feel better? You didn’t take my father’s money, but you left anyway. Without telling me anything about what was happening.”

  “I knew things would never work out. Not with your father’s ever-present shadow looming over us. I figured we would either take the leap and both leave, or I’d give you a chance to reunite with the only family you have. I left it in your hands.”

  “Unbeknownst to me.” And he was her family by then. He was her husband.

  “Your father was willing to pay me a large sum of money to stay away from you. That’s the kind of man he thinks I am.” He exhaled a heavy breath. “And you seem to think I’m the kind of man who could take him up on it.”

  She stepped right up to him, jabbed a finger at his chest. So hard her knuckle hurt. “You don’t get to play the wounded party here. By keeping me in the dark about this, you made a major decision for both of us.”

  “Would it have made a difference in the end? If you’d known?” He grabbed the offending hand and held it in his own. “I couldn’t stay there after that.”

  “You should have come to me. I could have explained it.”

  “Explained what?”

  “That my father pays for everything. It’s how he gets his way,” she bit out. “But you made it so easy for him. You gave him exactly what he wanted, and he didn’t have to pay a dime.”

  * * *

  Angeline stood and waited as a breath of a wave slapped around her toes, the water refreshingly cool.

  The sea air massaged her face. The effect should have been peaceful, but her heart was still racing, pounding against her chest. She’d abruptly left R.J. alone on the balcony in a desperate attempt to get away. Somehow, some way, she had to get her mind around what he’d just told her.

  The damning secret he’d kept from her for three long years.

  She heard soft footsteps behind her and realized her respite would be short-lived, however. It appeared R.J. had followed her.

  “I need to talk to you,” he quietly said behind her. His voice was tight. He drew a breath. “I’m sorry.”

  “Are you apologizing for what just happened, or what you’ve been keeping from me all this time?”

  He blew out a breath. “Either. Both.”

  She bit down on the scathing response that came to her lips. What good would that do? What’s done was done. “Apology accepted.”

  “That’s it?”

  “What else?”

  “You have to understand something, Angel. I’m not sure I’d do anything differently if given the same reality today. I did what I thought was best.”

  Dear heavens. He honestly believed that. “Then there really is nothing else to say, is there?”

  She plastered an insincere smile on her face. “Hey, listen. It’s okay. Right now, we’re business partners, right? Not your everyday garden-variety type but business partners just the same. Let’s just focus on that for the time being.” She herself had to, or she might just lose her mind on this trip.

  It was hard to read his expression.

  He nodded once. “Right. Partners.”

  “Partners,” she repeated, trying not to choke on the word.

  She turned and started walking again, afraid to look into his eyes any longer.

  He continued behind her. “Was there something else?” she asked.

  This time he smiled. “Yeah, actually.”

  “What is it?”

  “I think we should leave for a while.”

  She shook her head, confused. “Leave?”

  “Yeah, I think we should get away from the orchards. You know, do some sightseeing or something.” The smile turned into a boyish grin. Its effect on her felt like a blow in the stomach.

  “Sightseeing? Now?”

  “What better time?”

  “I thought you said this wasn’t a pleasure trip. That we had to do what we came here for and leave.”

  He looked up toward the horizon. “Yeah, I know. But it occurs to me that we could use the distraction. Let’s face it, staying here under Mila and Tavov’s watchful eye continuously, it’s starting to feel like being in a zoo exhibit or something.”

  “What about Mila and Tavov?”

  “I told them we wanted to take in the sights. And that we didn’t expect them to chaperone us, that they were doing enough already.”

  “They bought that?”

  “Not really. I had to insinuate that we wanted to have some time to ourselves, without others around.”

  “You didn’t!”

  “Don’t worry, I was diplomatic about it.”

  “I’m sure you were. What did you have in mind?”

  They continued walking. Angel let the water lap around her ankles and drench the hem of her long skirt.

  “You were right about the island,” R.J. said. “It is one of the prettiest areas in the world. The city is supposed to be amazing. Restaurants, shops, a bazaar that could compete with the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. I think we should go explore it all.”

  Her breath caught. He hadn’t forgotten what she’d said on the flight over here. Though she knew better than to think it was more than an apologetic gesture.

  “R.J., you don’t need to placate me. I’m a big girl.” She wiggled her toes in the water.

  “That’s not what I’m doing. I just think it would be good to get away for a while, and the city is only about an hour away by car. So why not?”

  Why not? Because it sounde
d like a dream to her, like a fantasy she’d not dared to hope for during the last few years. What would she have given to be able to spend the day with R.J. just a few short weeks ago? Now she was being offered the chance to, even if it was just to assuage his guilt. If she was smart she’d turn him down. Heaven knew her heart wasn’t ready for such an experience, not after the conversation they’d just had.

  Then again, she certainly could use the distraction.

  “I think you should tell Tavov and Mila we’ve changed our minds,” she told him.

  He lifted his eyebrows. “You don’t want to go?”

  “I mean that we’ve changed our minds about going alone.”

  His expression shifted. “You’d rather not go alone with me.” He turned before she could answer. “I’ll go tell them you’d like them to come.”

  She reached out to touch his arm. “No, not them.”

  “Then who?”

  “Reid and Kaya.”

  Understanding settled over his features. “The bride and groom.”

  She nodded. “I think they probably could use the chance to get away, too. And they could show us around like true natives. I know you’ve been there before, but they’ve got the insider’s track.”

  He studied her. “It means that much to you to spend this time with them?” he asked.

  She nodded, hoping he wouldn’t guess as to just why. If R.J. got the opportunity to spend just a few hours with the young couple, if he could just witness firsthand how excited they must be about getting married, maybe it might make the whole idea of toasting at the wedding a bit more palatable. Especially after the conversation they’d just had.

  He shrugged. “Why not? It might be fun. Though I’m gonna warn you it’s been a while since I’ve been out on any kind of double date.”

  “It will be fun. Just give me a half hour to get ready.”

  “All right,” he agreed. “I’ll go see about securing a vehicle.”

  She turned away to stare at the water before speaking. “I’m glad you were finally straight with me.”

  He didn’t say anything, his only response a soft sigh before walking away.