Eliza groaned. “No. No. No. I ban Father from giving my boss the gun routine. It’s not good. No, scrap that, it is never good when he does it. He’s not supposed to threaten my boss with impending death.”
“I think it is already done, honey.” Her mother kissed her head, helping her out of the dress.
She wanted to get dressed back into it, but instead, she slid into the dress she’d put on. With the headache she had, there was no place for her to try and wriggle into any item of clothing. The dress went right over her head with ease.
“Are you okay?” her mother asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I’m going to go and see how Preston is doing.” She went to leave, but her mother caught her face and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “What was that for?”
“I can’t just kiss my daughter because I love her?”
She smiled but knew her mother was just happy to be organizing a wedding. Eliza found Marsha in the kitchen.
“Preston has gone to the pool,” Marsha said.
“Thank you.”
She went toward the door leading out to the garden, but Marsha stopped her, placing a swimsuit into her hands. “Just in case.” She pointed toward the pantry with a brow raised.
Eliza snuck into the pantry and slid into the swimsuit. Her hair wasn’t pinned up.
Sliding the dress back into place, she left the pantry. Marsha was nowhere to be found.
The moment she was in the garden, she took a deep breath and followed the path down to the pool.
She waited as Preston finished swimming a lap.
“Sorry you had to see that,” she said.
“I wasn’t.”
She crouched down so she was a little closer to him. “You’re not sorry that your fake fiancée was trying on a wedding dress?”
“Nope. Can I tell you how beautiful you looked?” he asked.
“You can only say that if you think it is true.”
“Then my statement stands. You looked beautiful.”
Her heart raced. “You think I’m beautiful.”
“We had this conversation last night, but I see the tequila wiped your memory, which sucks for me. I think you’re an incredibly beautiful woman, Eliza.”
“You’re not just saying that.”
“I’ve got no reason to just say it. Do you care to join me?” he asked.
The water did look so inviting.
Getting to her feet, she pulled the dress over her head and tossed it toward the nearest lounge chair, where Preston’s clothes were also abandoned.
She moved toward the stairs, and Preston was already there, putting his hands on her waist and helping her into the water.
“I’m quite capable, you know,” she said.
He spun her around and pressed her up against the side of the pool. “I have no doubt you’re more than capable.” He was so close to her. When he nudged her up against the counter, she gasped as she felt the hard length of his cock against her stomach. “But I wanted an excuse to touch you. Is that such a crime?”
“Preston, don’t you think this is getting out of hand?” she asked.
She couldn’t help but close her eyes as his fingers skimmed up the sides of her body, his touch so close to her breasts, but never getting there. Sinking her teeth into her lip, she waited, but he pulled back.
“No, do you?”
Opening her eyes, she saw he’d given her some space.
“They’re planning our wedding.”
“I know.”
Was she talking to a brick wall?
She clicked her fingers. “Marriage. The ring. All of it, Preston. This isn’t a game.”
“I know.”
She jerked back a few feet. “You don’t care?”
“Why would I care?” he asked. “My parents approve of you. They’ve gotten your parents to help. Your friends are here. What are you so afraid of?”
“This is a lie.”
“Is it?” he asked, cupping her face. “When I touch you, does it feel like a lie?”
“You’re talking about sex. Marriage is in the long term.”
“I haven’t seen my parents so freaking happy like this for me.”
She covered his hands with her own. “Because they believe we’re really engaged.”
“Why don’t we be?” he asked.
This made Eliza pause. “What?”
“I think it’s time for us to make a new deal.”
“You know what, I cannot talk to you right now.” Eliza padded toward the end of the pool and climbed out.
She didn’t want to go back to the main house as there was just too much going on.
Ignoring her dress, she went toward the back of the house, passing several rose beds as she did.
Eliza didn’t get far before he’d caught up with her.
“Wait,” he said.
She was just about to pass the pool house when he captured her wrist. Eliza didn’t fight him as he opened the door and pressed her up against the wall.
“The only thing that makes sense to me right now is this,” he said, slamming his lips down on hers.
She pressed her hands to his chest, intent on pushing him away, but with the feel of mouth and his body against hers on her, she couldn’t do it.