Free Foolish Expectations by Alison Bliss

don’t. I can’t marry you for security. That isn’t what a marriage should be based on. I believe in the sanctity of marriage. What I don’t believe in is marrying a complete stranger on a whim because we couldn’t keep our hormones in check.”
    “Then we’re perfect for each other. I don’t believe in divorce. Never have. I’ve always planned to have a family one day. Might as well be now. We’ll make it work.”
    “We hardly even know each other.”
    “Living together will make it easier for that to happen, though.”
    “It won’t work, Nash. Trust me, you wouldn’t like living with me. I get moody sometimes.”
    “You’re already moody. I’m not worried about that.”
    She let out a heavy breath. “I’m being serious. It would be a marriage based on a lie…on a pregnancy. I’m sorry, but I don’t want a husband just on paper.”
    “Good, because that wasn’t what I was suggesting. It would be a real marriage, Bailey. I’d be the loyal, doting husband and father, while you would be my lovely wife and mother of our child. We’d share the same bed and everything. I wouldn’t ask you to give anything up.” He gave her a smug grin and shrugged his eyebrows at her. “Especially when it comes to sex.”
    She pushed him out of her way and stood up alarmingly fast. Then she walked over and opened the front door. “Get out,” she said, narrowing her eyes.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “You mean besides that insulting, detached proposal you offered me?”
    Nash stood up and walked closer, but didn’t dare try to touch her. That was probably a smart move because she was seething mad. But he apparently wasn’t about to let her throw him out without giving it another shot. “Bailey, I want this to work.”
     “No, what you want is for us to be paper dolls living together in a stiff cardboard-constructed home with no passion or feelings. You want polite, fake smiles during breakfast and meaningless pity fucks after dinner. Well, no thank you.”
    “Sweetheart, you misunderstood. My parents’ marriage was much like that. That’s not what I want for us. If you’ll just let me—”
    “There’s no us ,” she said firmly. “I can’t marry you, anyway.”
    “You mean you won’t marry me.”
    She hesitated, then dropped her gaze. “Both,” she said. “Now I want you to go.”
    He eyed her suspiciously. “Wait. You’re not telling me something. What is it?”
    “I asked you to leave.”
    Nash shut the door and turned to face her. “What is it you’re not saying?”
    “Stop it. I…I don’t want to lie to you anymore.”
    “Then don’t.” He cocked his head to the side, waiting for an answer. “Come on, Bailey. Tell me why you can’t marry me.”
    Tears welled up in her eyes. “Because…I’m already married.”
    The look on his face crushed her.
    It had been an undeniable mix of confusion and frustration. Nash couldn’t understand how she had been married—virginity intact—to one man, now impregnated by another, yet still completely alone. Sad thing was, she didn’t understand it herself. But she’d already married one man for the wrong reasons. She wasn’t about to repeat the mistake.
    “So you’re saying that this baby could possibly be…your husband’s?”
    “No, it’s not his.”
    “You were with someone else, then?” He rubbed at his temples. “Jesus. How many men have there been?”
    God, all of this is going wrong. “Nash, I…no, you’re the only man I’ve ever been with.”
    His eyes blazed fire. “Don’t screw with me, Bailey. You said you’re married, for Christ’s sake. Don’t you dare tell me you haven’t slept with your—”
    “It’s true!” she cried, embarrassment slapping her face and stinging both cheeks.
    He snorted and rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. I’ll play your stupid game. Then what the hell were you doing on your wedding night?”
    She blinked rapidly, forcing back the building tears. “You.”
     

 
     
    Chapter