Free The Convenient Wedding: a contemporary romance (The Rosa Legacy Book 3) by Susie Warren

Anderson rained tiny kisses on her neck, and she could feel her entire body melting into him in response. He captured her mouth in a seductive kiss and she sighed when his tongue slid over hers. She moved her hands to explore his chest and she could feel his body pulse with desire. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed while continuing to kiss her deeply.
    When he lowered her down onto the bed his hands pushed open her robe. He lightly glided his hands over her breasts and captured her mouth again. A warning signal sounded loudly in her mind that she was going too far with him. He was interested in using her to fuel his ambitious political agenda.
    She pushed hard against his chest and he lifted his head to gaze into her eyes, she said “I can’t do this.”
    Lucia could fell the adrenaline pumping through her veins and tried to breathe calmly. Anderson released her and she closed her robe and sat up.
    “What the hell are you playing at?” He ran a hand through his hair. The tension snapped between them.
    Her body still felt on fire for him. “You can’t expect me to take this marriage seriously. We barely know each other.” 
    “I do expect you take this marriage seriously.” He told her harshly.
    A few seconds went by while Lucia tried to gather her scattered thoughts. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” Lucia quietly said to him.
    “Make love to your husband?” he angrily supplied the words she didn’t want to voice.
    “Why is that? Have you had a bad experience?” Anderson questioned her.
    She got off the bed and went over to the look out the window, wanting to block out his physical perfection. “No. I don’t consider our marriage real. It is a means to an end.” 
    “Our marriage is real, bella. We need to start a life together.” Anderson came up behind her and reached out for her.
    “I’m not ready for this.”
    “What do you want? A pledge of undying affection?” Anderson murmured, “I adore you.” as he kissed her neck.
    “Don’t. I have no false illusions about your reason for marrying me.” Lucia pushed him away.
    Anderson studied her for a moment. He said “What do you want from our marriage?”
    “Nothing. I want nothing except to try and survive the next several months.” Lucia turned to face him.
    “Just trying to survive our marriage will not convince anyone, especially our families. We had an unusually fast courtship and we will be under intense scrutiny to see if our marriage is real.” Anderson explained calmly.
    Lucia crossed her arms saying, “Fine. I can pretend that you are a wonderful husband.”
    “Show me that you adore your husband and are madly in love with him.” Anderson challenged her.
    “I don’t know what you mean.” Lucia looked at him.
    “I think that you do.” Anderson waited for to make the first move.
    He was right. They needed to convince everyone that they had a normal marriage not just a convenient cover for political reasons. The clarity of their situation began to come into focus. She had dug herself in much deeper and now it was time to live with her decision.
    She tightened her robe. “You are right. It would be much easier if we had a physical relationship. But I hardly know you and I will not just go to bed with you. Marriage or not.”
    He threw his hands up. “Then how do you plan to handle our relationship? We need to display a closeness that will not be possible without a physical closeness. No longer can you play the part of nervous bride. It was quite endearing but when we return from our honeymoon, you must look every part of a confident, secure wife.” 
    Lucia responded, “I’ll learn to just fake it.”
    “You are quite expressive. Everything that you are thinking and feeling is written on your face.”
    “So what am I thinking right now?” Lucia challenged him.
    “You are angry with me for expecting more from you then you are willing to give. Why are you so afraid to trust?” Anderson asked her. He moved