Read Online A Pregnancy Scandal by Kat Cantrell - Free Book Online Page A

fell into this kiss. As her senses exploded with Phillip. He kissed her masterfully, purposefully.
    When he pulled back, she nearly wept.
    â€œI’d like an intimate marriage in every sense of the word,” he rasped, clearly as affected as she was.
    She’d wished for something to fill the void in her life—perhaps she’d found it. She just couldn’t help but think she’d bitten off more than she could chew.
    â€œWith the exception of love,” she reminded him. Just to reiterate the ground rules.
    â€œRight. I had that once and I’m not a believer in second chances.”
    That was a hard line to take. Second chances were sometimes the only thing standing between a person and the rest of her life. Without a second chance, Alex wouldn’t have been afforded the opportunity to start over after nearly ruining her life.
    What if he didn’t like the fact that she’d needed a second chance? That had to be hashed out now, not later.
    Nodding once, she took a deep breath. “Then there’s something you need to know before you make a final decision about marrying me. You could find this out for yourself with your connections. But I want you to hear it from me. When I was fifteen, I was arrested and convicted of theft. I got probation and my record was sealed. But the media might find a way to dig it up if my husband is running for president. I thought you should know.”
    Phillip’s expression didn’t change. “Is that the extent of your record?”
    â€œYes.” Because it was the only crime she’d got caught doing. Not because it was the only illegal thing she’d ever done.
    â€œI’ll get my publicist on it immediately. If we talk about it up front, we can play it off as youthful indiscretion. This is exactly why marriage is important for you, too. If I can forgive it, the world can, too.”
    He made all of this sound too easy. She had a feeling he’d knock down any argument she threw out because he’d decided what he wanted and planned to wear her down until she accepted the inevitable. “I never really had a choice about marrying you, did I?”
    He flashed a grin. “Of course you do. Would you like some time to think about it?”
    No, they could debate this to death or get started on the rest of their lives. “Where do I sign?”
    That got a genuine laugh out of him. “We can let our lawyers handle that. In the meantime, we have a wedding to plan.”
    The idea exhausted her. Other women must love that kind of thing, but a wedding? How fancy did it have to be? Maybe they could elope. “I’d rather eat some toast and take a nap. Don’t you have people who can handle a wedding?”
    His eyes glowed as he smiled. “Absolutely, if that’s your preference. Let me take care of everything. You pick out a dress and show up.”
    That sounded so nice. No picking out floral arrangements and visiting venues for the reception? Senator Edgewood had her vote. He really was making this easy on her.
    She had a feeling that might not last. Especially since she had a suspicion he’d glossed over every single one of her objections for a yet-to-be-established reason. He needed her. Why remained to be seen.
    * * *
    Music rang out in the sanctuary, signaling the start of the ceremony. Phillip trained his eyes on the double doors at the rear of the Methodist church north of downtown Dallas where his parents had been members for thirty years. He hadn’t seen Alex in over a week and for some odd reason it had put a hitch in his stride.
    This wedding served a purpose. It wasn’t supposed to be sentimental. Or emotional. It was a compromise. He and Alex had a deal to be partners in raising their child and they’d agreed it made sense to be legally married. She was okay with the fact that he wanted to stay loyal to his love for Gina. He was okay with her lack of social skills.
    Nerves