Read Online Let's Pretend (Romantic Comedy, Contemporary, Second Chance, Sensual) by Monique DeVere - Free Book Online Page B

All except that last night when she’d made love with him like she was saying goodbye—because she was. He knew she tolerated his caresses this weekend because he made sure her family were always within sight. To flinch from him in their presence would attract questions she didn’t want to answer.
    When she didn’t draw back, it threw him off kilter.
    She looked up, meeting his stare as she placed her hands against his chest to steady herself.
    “It isn’t a crime to relax in a bubble bath with a bottle of wine, Luc.”
    He raised his brows. “You drank a whole bottle while you were in there?”
    “Not entirely.” The little giggle and slight sway told him if she hadn’t finished the bottle, she very nearly had.
      His arm tightened slowly, edging her closer until he had her pressed against him. Her soft curves tempted Luc to touch her, slide his hands over every part of her body the way he used to. Only now, he didn’t have that right. Belle had made it clear she no longer wanted him in her life. Why would she welcome his touch?
    But she wasn’t pulling away as he’d expected; instead, her gaze dipped to his mouth in a kind of intoxicated fascination. When her gaze flew to his, her eyes darkened to indigo as she glided her tongue across her lips. She wanted him to kiss her, and it was all he could do not to submit to his desire to do so.
    Luc drew in a breath filled with the scent of feminine soap, floral shampoo and...wine. Battling the urge to pull her onto the bed and make love to her, he cleared his throat. “Don’t look at me like that, sweetheart.”
    He’d thought he could play it cool. Grab the opportunity to spend time with Belle in an environment that forced her to be civil toward him. He’d even been given a better deal once he’d made it to Connecticut, and she’d asked him to pretend all was well with their marriage. Only, they both knew that was far from the case.
    He should have stayed away.
    When she had told him of her decision to end their marriage, he hadn’t asked for an explanation. At first, he had thought she would come around if he gave her space. Then when he’d realised she was serious, he had hidden his hurt and stood behind pride, refusing to beg her to give him a reason. Now he found he couldn’t simply give her up without a fight. The time had come for Belle to offer more of a motive than irreconcilable differences.
    When Mia had informed him of the weekend get-together as if he’d already known about it, the desire to see Belle had been too strong for him to resist.
    Now here he was, knee-deep in deception and no closer to understanding Belle’s motivation for divorcing him. Add to that the fact he’d never wanted to kiss her so badly.
    “Like what?” Distracted, her gaze dipped to his mouth again; the slumberous stare sent warmth flowing through his loins.
    Sanguinity unfurled in his chest. He’d fallen in love with Belle from the moment she’d turned exhausted eyes on him and said, “So you’re the infamous Lucas Delaney from London?” And he wouldn’t lose her without a fight. If these last months were any indication, life would be unbearable without her. He’d witnessed the Irish saying firsthand—it was indeed a cold house without his wife.   
    He laid his free palm against her cheek, stroked her bottom lip with his thumb. “Like you want to devour me.” His voice came out in an intimate murmur. He tried to smile to lighten the moment, but his face wouldn’t relax. “When you look at me like that, it makes me want to present myself as a banquet.” He suspected the smile didn’t reach his eyes either.   
    “Are you offering yourself for me to feast on, Luc?” Belle’s voice took on a playful, yet sensual husky tone that shot what little blood he had left in his head south.
    She leaned her mouth an inch closer to his.
    “Isobel, you’re playing a dangerous game. Once I start to kiss you, I’m not going to stop until we’re both panting and