Free Effortless by Lynn Montagano Page B

played on my deepest fears and here I was, doing exactly that to the man I loved. “Hey,” I whispered, stroking his cheek. “Look at me.”
    Swallowing hard, he did as I asked. The love that burned in his eyes dimmed. “This isn’t going to get any easier, Lia. The public curiosity will be insatiable. You’re like a new toy for the press to play with.”
    “I can handle it.”
    “You’re not in Orlando anymore. This isn’t some online blog run by a small time reporter. These people are relentless. They’ll use you to get to me because they know I’m vulnerable now.”
    “Are you saying you don’t want to marry me?” I couldn’t even get the words out.
    “Amelia.” He cupped the back of my neck. “At some point you might be wondering why
you
want to marry
me
.”
    “That’s ridiculous. I’d marry you tonight if you wanted. You need to stop it with the paranoia about my leaving you.”
    He scowled. “One headline called you a piece of arm candy and you couldn’t handle it. The skeletons in my closet will always be there for you to use as ammunition.” He stared at me with no emotion. “Get changed so we can leave soon.” With that, he left the room.
    Well, this night was getting better and better by the second, wasn’t it? He had a point though. I went right for the jugular the second I felt threatened by his silence and the unknown. Grabbing a dark red cotton dress from the closet, I changed and went to the living room. Alastair stood by the fireplace, holding one of the framed photos of us I’d put out. A weird sense of deja vu consumed me. I went over to him and placed my hand on his back, feeling the warmth of his skin bleed through the cotton shirt.
    Turning, he lifted an eyebrow and looked right through me, leaving a chill in my bones. He was angry and rightfully so. Desperation to make things right bubbled through me. Leaning close, I kissed the corner of his mouth. “Do we have time to make up before we go?”
    Placing the photo back on the mantel, he traced his dark gaze down to the hem of my dress and back up. The tiny hairs on my arm stood at attention when he skimmed his fingers along my skin. I wet my lips as a reflex, knowing it would elicit a soft moan from him. Hovering his lips above mine, he parted them. I did the same, anticipating his kiss. He pulled back just as our mouths were about to touch. The denial made my lower abdomen clench.
    Stroking my cheek, his intense stare burned through me. He slanted his head and leaned in again. I trembled with want when his damp, warm breath tickled the edge of my parted lips. Tilting his head away, he denied me a second time. I could feel the tremendous vibrations of my heart in my throat. He was toying with me. I reached up to touch him and was halted by his firm grasp.
    “Kiss me,” I begged, arching my back so I pressed against his chest. “Please.”
    “Why do you doubt my love for you?”
    “I don’t. I would never doubt that.”
    “I know you’re frustrated. So am I. Neither one of us handled this well.” His eyes hardened to stone. “And I know you would never doubt how I feel about you but—” He faltered, catching himself and reeling in any trace of emotion. “I hate arguing with you.”
    Caught in his dark stare, I leaned closer, pulled to him by the unrelenting magnetic force that connected us. “I’m sorry.”
    Our lips were on the brink of touching but he restrained me with such force I couldn’t get what I wanted. My arms ached from his powerful hold. I didn’t fight him. I couldn’t. He was in control and I had no choice but to pay for my words.
    “Do you want me to kiss you?” he asked, releasing my arms and tracing his thumb over my mouth.
    “More than anything,” I whispered, losing myself in his feather light touch. “Please don’t be angry with me.”
    Softening his expression, Alastair tipped my chin up. “I’m not angry.” A wicked grin curled his sculpted lips, which he’d now poised