The Billionaires' Brides Bundle

“You called me that before. It isn’t my name.”

“What in hell does what I call you have to do with what we’re discussing?”

Alyssa blinked. What were they discussing, exactly? She wasn’t sure anymore. Lucas was standing too close. His hands on her shoulders were too warm. His eyes were too dark.

“I like the name Lyssa,” he said, his voice softening. “It suits you. Does it bother you that I call you by it?”

Bother her? Why would it? The way he said it, Lyssa, as if he were whispering it to her. As if it belonged only to them. As if they were alone together, their mouths fused, their bodies on fire…

Oh God!

“No,” she said coolly, “no, it doesn’t bother me at all. Anyway, you’re right. It has nothing to do with what we were talking about.”

“Reputations.”

“Yes.”

“Well, the point is…” Lucas cleared his throat. “The point is, the sight of you disconcerted my people.”

“You mean,” she said sweetly, “they’re not accustomed to seeing you carry home the spoils of war?”

“They’re not accustomed to seeing me bring a woman into this house,” he said, refusing to be sidetracked. “I’ve never done it before.”

Why did that make her want to smile? “You haven’t?”

“That’s what I just said, amada. No, I have not. And I suddenly realized my people would—well, they would see you and come to the wrong conclusion.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t want them to think I brought you here for sex.”

“So, I was right. You’re concerned about your own rep—”

“Damn it,” Lucas growled, “that’s not it! You’ve been through enough. Why should anyone pin a label on you because of me?”

Alyssa blinked. Maybe there was a heart buried under all that macho muscle.

“That’s—that’s very kind, but—”

“Let everyone think you’re my novia. It will protect you from gossip.” His mouth twisted in a rueful smile. “Trust me, amada. Gossip travels, even from one side of the Atlantic to the other.”

“Well—well, as I said, that’s kind of you. But—”

“At the end of all this, I’ll simply say we decided our engagement was a mistake.”

She nodded. “Of course,” she said, and wondered why what he’d said should make her feel a little sad.

Lucas nodded, too. “I’ll tell Dolores to come up and see you. Let her know what you need.”

“Everything,” Alyssa said, with a little laugh. “Clothes. A toothbrush. A comb. A shower—”

“I can take care of that.”

His voice was suddenly low and husky. She looked up and caught her breath at what she saw in his eyes.

“The clothes, I mean,” he said softly. “I’ll take you with me tomorrow. You can buy whatever you wish.”

“I couldn’t—”

“Of course you could.” He smiled; one hand cupped her chin and he traced her lips with his thumb. “I carried you off, amada. I owe you much more than a shopping trip.”

“Lucas—”