Secrets of a Bollywood Marriage

His mouth lifted in a lopsided smile. “Not without your insistence.”

She rested her forehead against his chest, unable to look at him. She felt shy. Uncertain. She had fought for him to have a life outside the office, but she didn’t feel like she had made any significant achievement. “You really don’t ask for much,” she muttered.

“I asked for everything. And I got it.”

And then I lost it.... The words hung above them unspoken. Dev rested his hand against the crown of her head.

“You’re the one who didn’t ask for anything,” he pointed out.

“That’s because I would ask for the impossible. What purpose would that serve?”

“I can make anything happen.”

She smiled at his arrogant statement. He was confident of his abilities but she knew there were some things even the great Dev Arjun couldn’t achieve. She wanted to ask for another chance. Try to save their marriage with no time limit. She wanted to stay but she knew nothing had changed. She couldn’t risk her future with a man who would strip her of her voice, her power and her financial independence, believing it was for her own good.

“What do you want right now?” he whispered. “Ask and I will give it to you.”

She wasn’t going to ask for the moon or the stars. She wasn’t going to ask for her heart’s desire when she knew it wasn’t going to happen. Instead she focused on what she could have for now.

“I’ve had enough of this wedding.” Tina lifted her head, her gaze ensnaring his. “I want to go home and take you to bed.”

His smile turned wicked. “I’m all yours.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

TINA STIRRED IN her sleep, burrowing her head against Dev’s shoulder as the blanket slipped down to her waist. She felt as if she should remember something but the memory was just out of reach. She stretched, murmuring with delight when her breasts pressed against Dev’s chest as her legs brushed against his.

A small smile formed on her lips as she dragged her foot along his calf. She enjoyed the friction of his rough hair against the side of her toe. Tina felt the solid muscle and strength under his warm skin. She liked waking up next to him this way. Naked with their arms and legs tangled, as if they couldn’t stand the idea of letting go in their sleep.

She’d have to get used to waking up alone again. Tina’s smile faded as she slid her hand down Dev’s rock-hard abdomen. According to their original agreement, she only had a few more days of this—a little more than a week.

Tina didn’t want to think about it. She tried to block it from her mind as she brushed her fingertips along Dev’s hip, noticing how he didn’t stir under her touch. She wanted to wake him up and make love. Lust heated her blood at the thought. She didn’t want to waste a minute of the time they had left together.

She was almost embarrassed at how eager she was to be with her husband. It wasn’t too long ago when she had looked for every possible way to stay out of his bed. At the beginning of this deal, she had started a countdown, telling herself that she could get through the two months. Now it was a reminder that this was all going to end and she would have to accept a life without Dev.

She wasn’t ready, Tina thought as she wrapped her hand around his erection and sighed. She wanted another chance at her marriage. A do-over.

She could have it if she told Dev about the baby. But she couldn’t do that to him again. She couldn’t keep him in this marriage because she was pregnant. She couldn’t let him take over her life. She knew he was doing it out of a sense of duty, protection instead of punishment, but it was a fate she couldn’t accept.

Tina knew she had to tell Dev about her pregnancy. It was the right thing to do and he deserved to know, she decided as she slowly stroked him. Her instincts told her to wait until he no longer had legal power over her. It wouldn’t be that many more days before she moved out. Today was the fifteenth and...

The fifteenth. Tina froze, her hand clenched around Dev’s velvety soft skin as the shock rippled through her. Today was her wedding anniversary.

Her eyes flew open. Her heart was beating fast, her throat tightening as her gaze collided with Dev’s.

* * *

She knew. Dev was aware of the moment she realized it was their wedding anniversary. His breath caught in his throat as he watched the myriad emotions flickering in her brown eyes. Not one of them was celebratory.

Did she still think this marriage was a failure? He wasn’t ready to give up. Tina was the only woman he wanted and he was going to convince her to stay.