think about how much she wanted to kiss him again, to taste his Nash taste and smell his clean, woodsy Nash smell and relish the warm, electric, delicious way he made her feel.
And she certainly wasn’t going to think about how much she wanted to drag him into a room with a bed, slam the door, and ravish him until both of them were bruised with pleasure, aching with gratification, and too exhausted to do so much as blink.
Lucky for her, they were almost to her parents’ house. Aria was certain Mom and Dad’s reactions to her sudden marriage would banish even the hint of lust from her bloodstream.
She tapped her fingers on the armrest in Nash’s truck, her rhythm getting faster and more urgent as they pulled onto her parents’ street.
“ Nervous again?” Nash asked.
“ Terrified might be a better word,” Aria said. “I’m pretty sure my mama is going to kill me.”
“ Why’s that?”
“ Sue loves weddings. Like really loves them,” Aria said, knee jogging up and down as the house came into sight. “She nearly had a heart attack when I told her I had eloped the first time. Now that I’ve done it again…” Aria’s heart jumped into her throat and lodged there, making it hard to breathe.
“ I’m not sure I can do this,” she squeaked as Nash parked the truck. “What if she never speaks to me again?”
“ Come on, now. It won’t be that bad.” Nash’s hand settled on her knee, sending a shock of awareness flowing through her body.
She could tell he meant to be comforting, but his touch was so far from comforting, it wasn’t even funny. His warm hand on her bare skin only made her anxiety spike higher. How was she going to do this? How was she going to pretend to be in love with Nash in public without letting the way he made her feel bleed over into their relationship in private?
She wasn’t going to last a day at this rate. She would be begging him to touch her by bedtime, and well on her way to making a fool out of herself by tomorrow morning. And in the meantime, her mother would be disappointed, her Daddy would think she was insane, and when it was over, the entire family would feel sorry for her. It would be the “Poor Aria” show all over again, and the shame of being pitied by everyone she loved would make something inside of her curl up and die like a slug covered in salt.
She couldn’t do this. This was a mistake, a terrible, terrible mistake!
“ Breathe,” Nash said, his low, honeyed voice penetrating the haze of panic fogging her thoughts. “You made a decision that is in the best interest of your daughter. That’s what this is all about.”
Aria took a deeper breath and nodded. He was right. This was about Felicity. If she kept her focus on her daughter, everything would be all right.
“ Now let’s go in there and convince your family we’re a happy, healthy couple who are going to give your daughter a wonderful home,” Nash said, pressing on before she could start to stress all over again. “I know it won’t be easy, but think about it this way: after today, the rest of the town will be gravy.”
Aria looked over at him, at his earnest expression and kind eyes, and something fluttered behind her ribs. If she didn’t know better, she would think she was sitting next to a man who really cared about her. But she’d seen Nash go from sweet to nasty before. She knew better than to let his comforting drawl and encouraging words make her drop her guard again.
She knew better, but that wasn’t always enough to keep her stupid heart in line.
Your heart has nothing to do with it. It’s Felicity that matters. Keep your heart closed up tight and your legs closed tighter, and do what you need to do to keep your child from being forced to grow up with a full-time parent like Liam.
Woman up, Aria. Your daughter needs you.
Aria sat up straighter, resolve renewed after her mental pep talk. “I’m ready,” she said, gripping the door handle. “Let’s go in there and
And she certainly wasn’t going to think about how much she wanted to drag him into a room with a bed, slam the door, and ravish him until both of them were bruised with pleasure, aching with gratification, and too exhausted to do so much as blink.
Lucky for her, they were almost to her parents’ house. Aria was certain Mom and Dad’s reactions to her sudden marriage would banish even the hint of lust from her bloodstream.
She tapped her fingers on the armrest in Nash’s truck, her rhythm getting faster and more urgent as they pulled onto her parents’ street.
“ Nervous again?” Nash asked.
“ Terrified might be a better word,” Aria said. “I’m pretty sure my mama is going to kill me.”
“ Why’s that?”
“ Sue loves weddings. Like really loves them,” Aria said, knee jogging up and down as the house came into sight. “She nearly had a heart attack when I told her I had eloped the first time. Now that I’ve done it again…” Aria’s heart jumped into her throat and lodged there, making it hard to breathe.
“ I’m not sure I can do this,” she squeaked as Nash parked the truck. “What if she never speaks to me again?”
“ Come on, now. It won’t be that bad.” Nash’s hand settled on her knee, sending a shock of awareness flowing through her body.
She could tell he meant to be comforting, but his touch was so far from comforting, it wasn’t even funny. His warm hand on her bare skin only made her anxiety spike higher. How was she going to do this? How was she going to pretend to be in love with Nash in public without letting the way he made her feel bleed over into their relationship in private?
She wasn’t going to last a day at this rate. She would be begging him to touch her by bedtime, and well on her way to making a fool out of herself by tomorrow morning. And in the meantime, her mother would be disappointed, her Daddy would think she was insane, and when it was over, the entire family would feel sorry for her. It would be the “Poor Aria” show all over again, and the shame of being pitied by everyone she loved would make something inside of her curl up and die like a slug covered in salt.
She couldn’t do this. This was a mistake, a terrible, terrible mistake!
“ Breathe,” Nash said, his low, honeyed voice penetrating the haze of panic fogging her thoughts. “You made a decision that is in the best interest of your daughter. That’s what this is all about.”
Aria took a deeper breath and nodded. He was right. This was about Felicity. If she kept her focus on her daughter, everything would be all right.
“ Now let’s go in there and convince your family we’re a happy, healthy couple who are going to give your daughter a wonderful home,” Nash said, pressing on before she could start to stress all over again. “I know it won’t be easy, but think about it this way: after today, the rest of the town will be gravy.”
Aria looked over at him, at his earnest expression and kind eyes, and something fluttered behind her ribs. If she didn’t know better, she would think she was sitting next to a man who really cared about her. But she’d seen Nash go from sweet to nasty before. She knew better than to let his comforting drawl and encouraging words make her drop her guard again.
She knew better, but that wasn’t always enough to keep her stupid heart in line.
Your heart has nothing to do with it. It’s Felicity that matters. Keep your heart closed up tight and your legs closed tighter, and do what you need to do to keep your child from being forced to grow up with a full-time parent like Liam.
Woman up, Aria. Your daughter needs you.
Aria sat up straighter, resolve renewed after her mental pep talk. “I’m ready,” she said, gripping the door handle. “Let’s go in there and
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