“Could I have one of you two kissing before you put her down?” the photographer asked. He obviously wasn’t in on the fact that their marriage was for show only.
“Of course,” Luca said a little too eagerly. And then he looked at her as though begging her to just go with it.
Luca’s hands gripped her tighter as he rolled her body closer to his. As his face drew closer, her pulse raced. This wasn’t a good idea. And yet neither moved to stop it.
Their gazes met and held. In the background, the camera flashed. But for Elena, all she could see was the desire reflected in Luca’s eyes. Was she looking at him the same way?
He didn’t have to beg. The truth was that she enjoyed his kisses, a lot. A whole lot.
Just then he pressed his lips to hers. Was it wrong that she was grateful for this excuse to kiss him? And what would happen when their excuses for being intimate faded away?
She’d be left with these delicious memories. And so she took advantage of the moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. He tasted minty and delicious. And his kiss was filled with passion and promises of more.
Elena couldn’t write off the rush of desire as a little too much champagne, because she hadn’t had any. Nor would she have any in her condition. So did that mean all these rising emotions were real?
Luca pulled back and gently lowered her feet to the ground. His gaze met hers. They stared at each other for a moment as though they were each trying to figure out what had just happened. But with the photographer walking them through various poses—from sipping nonalcoholic apple cider to cutting the cake—they didn’t get a chance to discuss what had happened during that kiss. Maybe it was for the best. Emotions were running high today, and it was hard to tell what was real and what was an exaggeration.
And then there was their first dance as husband and wife. Luca knew she enjoyed jazz, and so he put on “It Had to Be You” by Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood. The volume was just right to wrap around them, cocooning them from the outside world and transporting them to a place where normal rules didn’t apply.
She paused for a second, wondering if Luca had picked out this specific song on purpose. It wouldn’t be unrealistic. She hadn’t missed his detailed level of planning for this rushed wedding. If she wasn’t careful, she’d start to get caught up in this fantasy and believe that this wedding was real in every aspect.
The rays of the setting sun on the distant horizon painted the penthouse a warm gold. The piano music played and Tony Bennett’s soft voice filled the air about them. This whole scenario was amazingly romantic.
As Luca’s arms wrapped around her, her thoughts went back in time. When they were kids and weren’t permitted to attend the palace balls, she would put on her finest dress and Luca would be in his school uniform. They would dance in the grand foyer. They’d both ended up laughing as they pretended to be all grown up and used proper mannerisms.
But tonight there was no pretending. They were adults, and being proper didn’t appear to be on the agenda this evening. Luca held her close—quite close. And it was taking all of her will not to rest her cheek against his shoulder.
When her body accidentally brushed against Luca, need flared within her. She wanted her husband with every fiber of her body. Her insides heated up as desire pooled in her core.
The breath caught in her throat. This can’t be happening. She couldn’t give in to her longings.
Luca leaned close and whispered, “Relax.”
The way his breath tickled her ear sent goose bumps racing down her arms. All the while, she had to think about something else—anything but the way her body was responding to Luca’s. She focused on the lyrics of the song playing in the background. It was a duet, and they were singing about finding that special someone and how fate played a role.
But Elena hadn’t found that special someone. She wasn’t even looking. She didn’t want to be lied to again.
Not that Luca would lie. He’d tell her straight up that he didn’t love her. He had a double-reinforced wall about his heart and there was no breaking through it. He made sure of it.
The thought made her sad.
This wedding—this whole day—was too realistic. And yet, it was all a show. She couldn’t let herself get caught up in it. Even the song was surely just a coincidence.
The backs of her eyes burned with unshed tears. These darn hormones had her reacting to things that she would otherwise be able to shrug off.
Luca continued to twirl her around the floor. She attempted to put a respectable distance between them. Because if she wasn’t careful, she was going to get swept up in this piece of fiction. In the end, she would have nothing but a broken heart. And that would forever ruin her relationship with Luca. How could they raise a child together if nothing existed between them but hostility?
Just then the music switched to a love song by Frank Sinatra. The beautiful lyrics made her think of everything they were both deprived of by this empty marriage. They were doomed to live a lie.
Oh, no! This is just too much.
Elena pulled herself out of Luca’s arms. Her gaze sought out the hallway and then she ran. She didn’t know where she was running to, but she just couldn’t pretend to be the loving bride any longer. The photo session was over. The whole thing was over. This was a mistake. A big mistake.
She just needed a few minutes to gather herself. And for those stupid love songs to stop playing. She didn’t want to think about how things were supposed to be. She was having enough problems dealing with how things were.
Elena ran to the first bedroom she came across and threw the door shut with a resounding thud. She willed Luca not to follow. She didn’t know what to say to make this situation all right for both of them.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ONE MOMENT SHE was in his arms...
The next she was gone.
Luca stood there, watching as his wife ran away from him.
What had happened? He thought he was doing a good thing. He knew that Elena never imagined this for her wedding, but he’d wanted to give her some nice memories. He’d tried to remember all her favorite things, from the chocolate cake with raspberry ganache to the jazz music.
It hadn’t been easy to arrange this evening on the spur of the moment, but thankfully he had a well-connected assistant. He had every intention of bribing her to follow him to Halencia. He could well imagine his perfect assistant handling the business while he was spending time with his family.
That was, if he still had a family. Why had Elena run off?
Maybe he’d tried too hard.
The thought was driven home by the lyrics of love reverberating off the walls and enveloping him. That had definitely been a miscalculation. What did they say? That hindsight was crystal clear? In that moment, he knew exactly what that meant.
Luca strode over to the stereo system and switched off the music. And then he turned to the photographer and his assistant. After thanking them for making room for them in their schedule, Luca showed them to the door. He didn’t give them any explanations—mainly because he didn’t have any.
He wished he knew exactly what had upset his bride. Was it the music? Was she that miserable being married to him? Or was it the pregnancy hormones?
Was it wrong that he hoped for the last option?
Luca rubbed the back of his neck and stared down the hallway. It seemed like a lifetime since he’d been able to talk to Elena casually. Before Paris, he’d known how to make her smile. He’d known which words to say to encourage her when one of her projects seemed insurmountable. He’d known how to make her laugh out loud until happy tears pooled in her eyes.
And yet, he realized it really wasn’t that long ago that he’d had his best friend. If only he hadn’t broken the cardinal rule of best friends—don’t
sleep together. Since that unforgettable night, he’d lost his ability to speak to Elena without upsetting her. And this evening was no exception.
With much trepidation, he stopped in front of the closed bedroom door. He still didn’t have a clue what to say to her. I’m sorry? But he wasn’t sure what he was sorry for.
He rapped his knuckles on the door. “Elena?”
No answer.
“Elena, please talk to me.”
Again, there was no answer. Worry settled in.
He knocked again. “Elena, I’m coming in.”
He tried the doorknob, but it was locked. Surely she didn’t feel that she had to lock the door around him. What in the world was happening to them?
“Elena, you’re worrying me. Please tell me you’re all right.”
“I’m fine.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Will you let me in so we can talk?”
“No. I don’t want to talk.”
Now what? He wasn’t just going to walk away. There had to be a way to fix things. He lowered himself to the floor. He leaned his back against the doorjamb.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said as a matter of fact. “I’m going to stay right here until we work this out.”
No response.
He would keep talking and hopefully he would get through to her. It’d worked in the past. But that had been when they were kids, when Elena hadn’t understood why he got to do things at the royal palace that she was not permitted to do. At the time, he hadn’t understood, either. When you’re a kid, social status doesn’t mean anything, especially when the person in question is your best friend. But now that their circumstances had shifted dramatically, he didn’t know how to deal with the changing landscape.
If he was this confused, he couldn’t imagine that Elena was doing any better, considering she was pregnant. The thought of the baby—his baby, their baby—was still mind-blowing. And maybe the wedding celebration on top of it all had been a bad choice.
He leaned his head against the door. “I only meant to make you happy today. I heard you on the beach when you said you wanted to be able to tell people about your engagement. I thought that would extend to your wedding. I wanted to make it a special memory for you. I knew I couldn’t give you the magical day you’ve always dreamed of, but I tried to make it not so depressing.”
This was so much harder than he’d ever imagined. “I know ours isn’t a marriage made of love, but it’s one based on a lifetime of friendship. Maybe it will be stronger than others. Because whether you believe it or not, I’m still your friend. I know that you hate peas. That you’re afraid of horror movies. And that your favorite color is purple. And I really, really miss my friend. Is there any chance I can have her back?”
The silence dragged on, and he didn’t know what else to say.
Then the lock clicked, and the door snicked open. And there stood Elena. He got to his feet. The sadness in her eyes ripped at his heart. Was he responsible for all this?
He didn’t think about it; he just reacted. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. And to his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him. Her head rested on his shoulder.
This right here—it was right. He felt calm and centered when she was in his arms. Or maybe it was because she wasn’t upset with him any longer. It didn’t matter. He just had to keep the peace. It was good for them and it was good for the baby.
When they pulled apart, he noticed the tear marks that had smudged her makeup. He didn’t say a word about it and pretended he didn’t notice. He took her by the hand, which he immediately noticed was cold.
He guided her over to the bed, where they sat side by side. She picked up something. It looked like a slip of paper. The way she held it made it seem important.
“What do you have there?” he asked.
Her gaze moved to him and then back to the paper. “It’s a picture of our baby.”
That was the last thing he’d expected her to say. The thought of seeing their baby for the first time filled him with anxiety. It would make this so real—so binding.
Suddenly he felt trapped, and the walls were closing in on him. He got to his feet and started to pace. This wasn’t how an expectant father was supposed to feel. What was wrong with him? He’d failed his family, and now he was about to fail his child.
“Don’t you even want to see it?” Elena’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
He stopped next to her.
She handed over the black-and-white photo. He stared at it. This was his baby?
He squinted, trying to make out more than a blob. Try as he might, he didn’t see anything that resembled a baby.
“What’s the matter?” Elena asked.
“Ah...what?” He wasn’t sure what to say that wouldn’t get him in more trouble.
“You were frowning when you looked at the sonogram. If you don’t want anything to do with the baby, just say so.”
Luca shook his head. He decided to leave his uncertainties about his parental abilities unspoken. “It’s just that I can’t make out the baby. It’s just such a...”
“Go ahead. You can say it. It’s a blob. I call it my little peanut. That’s the gestational sac. It was too early to make out the baby.”
“Oh.” He sat down on the edge of the bed and gave her the photo. “I thought I was missing something.”
“Just relax. We both have a lot to learn.”
It was nice to know that he wasn’t in this all alone. “I’m really sorry I made such a mess of things today with the wedding and the reception.”
She looked at him. “You didn’t. It...it was really nice. It just wasn’t real.”
“But it was real. We are married.”
“But not for the right reason.” When he went to protest, she pressed a finger to his lips. “Do you love me? Not like a friend, but like a lover with that I-can’t-live-without-you passion?”
He wanted to tell her that he did, but he couldn’t lie. He never allowed himself to love anyone. Maybe it was his parents’ numerous fights behind closed doors—fights they didn’t think anyone ever heard. But he had, and he distinctly remembered his mother saying that she wished she’d never married his father.
He’d only been ten, but that night he was certain the world he knew would never be the same. Because his mother did pack her things. She took him and his very young sister and they went to his uncle’s. He’d never thought his parents would work it out. But somehow, some way, they did return to his father in Halencia. He never did learn if his mother had married his father out of love or duty.
Or maybe he’d dismissed the idea of love when his mother had been murdered. When he learned that life ended in a split second that you could never be prepared for. He watched his father—the strongest man he’d ever known—disappear within himself and become a shell of the man he’d once been.
If that was love, Luca was certain that he didn’t want any part of it.
“No. I’m not in love with you.” His voice was soft, as though that would ease the blow.
“Good.” Elena blinked repeatedly and swallowed hard.
“Good? I didn’t think you’d say that.”
“Why not? I’ve already had one man lie to me. At least you’re honest.”
He was quiet for a moment as he digested her words. “So you’re okay—I mean, you don’t have any expectations about us?”
“I expect that we’ll do whatever it takes to protect our child.”
“Agreed. But earlier—”
“Was pregnancy hormones and exhaustion.”
“You’re sure?” When she nodded, he said, “Then we should get you home.” He got to his feet. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
He strode out of the room. He grabbed his clothes from earlier and chan
ged into them. This evening hadn’t ended the way he’d planned—with a fancy dinner including all of Elena’s favorite dishes. But he’d never been around a pregnant woman before. In the future, he’d see to it that she didn’t overdo it.
Now dressed in shorts and a collared shirt, he returned to Elena’s bedroom. The evening had come to an end. He should feel relieved, but he didn’t.
She looked at him, and her eyes momentarily widened. “What happened to your clothes?”
“What?” He glanced down at his outfit. “They look fine to me. And here are yours. Hurry and change. I’ll have the car brought round.”
Before she could protest, he closed the door and walked away. He strode back to the living room, where he blew out all the candles that adorned the room. This whole evening had gone astray. And now Luca had to face spending his wedding night without his bride.
And try as he might, he couldn’t stop thinking of that kiss at the chapel and then the one here at the penthouse. He hadn’t married Elena out of love, so what was up with the feelings that had bubbled up inside him when the minister pronounced them husband and wife?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WHY HAD HE suddenly gotten so quiet?
Elena sat in the back of the town car as it eased down the private lane to her parents’ house. Luca sat beside her, staring out the window. Ever since he’d seen the sonogram, he hadn’t said anything about the baby. Was it possible he was having second thoughts about being part of the baby’s life?
She wanted to ask him then and there, but she couldn’t. She didn’t want the driver to overhear.
And then the car pulled to a stop in front of her parents’ house. They got out and strolled up the walk. Before they made it to the stoop, Elena stopped and turned to Luca. “Don’t forget your promise to keep the marriage and the baby a secret.”
“I won’t.” In the moonlight, Luca looked so handsome. He’d worked so hard to make today memorable, but she’d gone and ruined it. The guilt weighed on her. She would make it up to him. She wasn’t sure how just yet, but something would come to her.
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