Claiming My Bride of Convenience

You’re nothing but a bastard. You were born one, you will remain one, and you will die one.

I certainly wouldn’t countenance another one being brought into the world, for that was what it would be if Daisy had a child that was not my own.

‘I hardly think that’s what we’re talking about here.’

Daisy’s chin was still lifted, but her lips trembled. She wasn’t as confident as she pretended. The thought brought satisfaction, as well as a surprising shaft of disappointment. Some contrary part of me had enjoyed her boldness.

‘And you can’t exactly call yourself cuckolded considering we’ve never...?’ Her voice wavered and she looked away.

‘We’ve never...?’ I prompted silkily.

My blood was flowing hotly through my veins and that slinky tube of a dress was begging to be peeled off her curvaceous body. What I’d insisted I would never do suddenly seemed like a very good idea. The right idea, all things considered. I could prove a point, and do it quite pleasurably.

‘You know what I mean,’ Daisy said, her voice little more than a whisper.

‘What I know,’ I replied as I closed the distance between us so that I could feel the heat rolling off her body and she could feel it off mine, ‘is that a few minutes ago you told me you wanted a baby.’

Her lips parted and her eyes widened in realisation. ‘Not yours.’

‘And yet I’m your husband,’ I remarked. ‘Wanting my baby is the most sensible idea, really.’

‘N...no,’ she stammered. ‘It isn’t.’

Her skin was pale golden and freckled and she smelled of vanilla and almonds. Delicious. I lifted my hand and traced the pure line of her collarbone with the tip of my finger.

She shuddered under my touch and took a step back. ‘You’re taking this all wrong.’

‘I really don’t think I am.’

‘What happened to marriage in name only?’

Yes, what had happened to it? It was starting not to seem like such a good idea. Distantly I remembered the original purposes for my marriage—to spite my grandfather and keep living my life the way I wanted to. And yet somewhere, tangled up in all that, had been the desire to do some good to someone and even be honourable about it—although whether I’d achieved those aims was debatable.

Yet all of it—all my resolutions and all my revenge—went up in smoke as I looked at Daisy standing in front of me, a flame of beauty, firing my own desire. In this moment all I wanted was her.

‘Perhaps,’ I said, ‘we should renegotiate the terms of our arrangement.’

* * *

Matteo’s eyes turned the colour of smoke as he took another deliberate step towards me, his intent clear in every taut line of his body. I remained rooted to the spot, unable to move, to think. I’d never expected this—the heat in his eyes, the sure touch of his hand. The mere caress of his fingertips on my collarbone had sent arrows of exquisite sensation shafting through me. If he touched me again...

Why did that feel like a promise?

‘Matteo, you’ve made it very clear that you want a marriage in name only.’

My voice and legs both shook as I managed a step backwards, away from this sudden new temptation. I’d always known Matteo was handsome, appealing, sexual. But I’d thought I was strong enough, smart enough, to stay immune. Clearly I wasn’t.

‘Don’t mess that up just because your pride is dented by my asking for an annulment,’ I said, trying to sound reasonable instead of terrified...and tempted. So, so tempted.

‘This isn’t about pride, Daisy. It’s about desire.’

His voice was as smooth as silk, so assured as it flowed over me. He took a step closer, close enough that I could breathe the woodsy scent of him again, and it made me dizzy.

‘I meant—’ I began, my voice wobbling, but I was silenced by the touch of his hands spanning my waist.

‘And this is what I meant.’

His palms were warm and strong through the thin material of my dress, pulling me towards him. I gasped out loud as he captured my mouth in a kiss that demanded—and I gave.