“Do you find it in brothels?” she challenged. He shot her a fiery glare. She quieted her voice and said sheepishly, “Or wherever you’ve been looking?”
“I’ve never looked in abrothel,” he told her. “And no, I haven’t found it where I’ve been searching.” He squeezed his eyes closed and took a shuddering breath. “One time, I found love during a waltz.”
“What happened?” she whispered.
He stared down at his hands. “I lost it,” he choked. “Slipped right from my fingers.”
Her fingertips grazed his chin, and she lifted his face to hers. Her voice was as soft as a caress. “If neither of us can find love, and we both need to marry, why not give this a shot? Maybe we can find love with each other.”
With an earnestness in her eyes, she innocently offered him his dreams. But he hesitated. Was this truly what he wanted? A marriage ofconveniencewith Jasmine? He glanced down at her kiss-swollen lips. Her honeyed voice had whispered,‘don’t stop.’Even if she didn’tlove him, she was open to the idea. It would be easier to woo her when he had constant access to her. He would be a gentleman. Take it slow. Let her set the pace.
And really, that was the plan all along, wasn’t it? The corners of his lips lifted. And if she thought it washeridea, who was he to turn her down?
“Let’s play this out. Hypothetically, of course.” Matthew controlled his smile, trying not to appear too eager. As if onlynowcoming up with the timeline, he said, “The wedding will take some planning. Your mother planned Cassandra’s in nine days, so we can expect a similar timeline. If I grease the Archbishop’s palm, I could get a special license. That would rush things along.” He offered, “If everything goes smoothly, we’ll be wed in… a week and a half?”
Jasmine eyed him suspiciously. “You came to that conclusion fast.”
“I’m a quick thinker, Lady Jasmine.” He grinned. “Something you’ll learn to appreciate in a husband.”
“You’ll do it then?” Jasmine’s face lit up with a brilliant smile. “You’ll marry me?”
“Yes, Jasmine Sinclair.” Matthew beamed back at her. “I will marry you.”
As he was about to pull her in for a kiss, footsteps echoed down the hall, coming closer to the door. Matthew listened intently. Not only footsteps but also ajanglingof keys! They were saved!
Jasmine’s eyes shifted to the door, then back to him. She stood and pushed his shoulders back into his chair.
“Sit back.”
Jasmine lifted her skirts, flashing tanned thighs and—Oh, God—he yelped as she straddled him. Matthew’s jaw slackened. Heart in his throat, he swallowed hard.
“Kiss me again,” she urged.
“Why?!” he squeaked.
“It’ll make it convincing!”
He gestured to her on his lap. “This isquiteconvincing!”
A key slid into the lock from the other side.
The handle turned.
“Matthew.” Eyes pleading with him, Jasmine whispered, “Do you want this, or not?”
He had half a second to decide.
He didn’t need it.
“Yes, Jasmine. I wantyou.”
Holding the back of her neck, he guided her mouth to his. As his lips pressed to hers, his other hand wrapped around her waist. He teased the buttons along the back of her dress, pulling her closer. And he kissed her—soft and slow. When she tried to hasten their kiss, he took his time gliding his tongue over hers.
Even as the door opened behind him, he lingered on her lips. Everything that came after this moment would be fast and ugly. This kiss needed to hold them over until their wedding day. He wanted her torememberit this time.
A cough sounded from behind him, and he pretended not to hear it. Holding Jasmine to him, he gently savored her. She tasted sosweet. A low sound came from the back of her throat, and she held him tighter, rocking forward in his lap, grindingrightover him—
Anotherfirmcough came from directly behind him, and Matthew recognizedthatsoundimmediately.Ice flowed into his marrow. After separating from his lips, Jasmine stared behind him, eyes wide with terror.