A Marriage for Show: A sweet, small town, marriage of convenience, second chance romance (Tall Dark and Driven Book 5) by Barbara DeLeo

Author:Barbara DeLeo [DeLeo, Barbara & DeLeo, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-26T05:00:00+00:00

Ruby watched Christo’s easy stance and thought about what the other women had said about him. They’d seemed in awe, as though he were some supernatural being. She’d heard a group behind her speaking in whispered tones about how gorgeous he was, but how aloof and—one of them had said—unchartered. She wondered how many of them would do as she’d done yesterday and agree to become his wife.

A rope of partygoers trailed down the stairs in front of them, and Christo took her arm again. She relaxed into his touch, which had become surprisingly familiar in the last few hours. “This’ll take forever,” he said. “There’s an elevator over this way we can use.”

While they walked, she remembered what he’d said about everyone being winners when they were married. He obviously saw himself as one. He’d have the house he wanted for his mother, a baby he would raise as his own, and even a useful wife for his children’s charity. She’d also have much to gain in this marriage, but after everything she’d agreed to, how much did he trust her now? And how far would he go in keeping his promise to support her?

As they rounded a corner and left the noise of the ballroom behind, she stopped and turned to him, her hand still on his arm. “I’d like us to be married as soon as possible. In three days if it can be arranged.”

Looking around to see if anyone was listening, he backed her into an alcove. “Three days? We can’t arrange an appropriate wedding in three days.”

She let her palms rest on the sensual silk of her dress and looked him in the eye. “You said yourself that it’s the minimum time it takes to get a license. I’ve decided to return to New York by the end of the week. I need to be sure the house will still be available to me and my baby when I get back. Are you prepared to support me?”

His jaw stiffened. “We can’t arrange a proper wedding so quickly. It’ll look insincere, rushed. You haven’t even told your family yet.” His face darkened. “We had this conversation yesterday, Ruby. You can’t leave until the contract is secured. Until we’re married.”

She nodded as her heart rate increased. “We did have the conversation yesterday, but I didn’t agree to stay until the wedding. I need to go back now, so I’m offering you an option. Either we get married in three days and then I go, or you agree that while I’m away you won’t declare that I’ve abandoned the house, and we get married when I come back. It’s a simple choice.”

He fixed her with an impenetrable stare, and she wondered how many others he’d evaluated like this, and how many had succumbed to his will? Stood up to him and won?

She’d been surprised when he’d mentioned a big wedding yesterday, but now it made sense. He wanted this to look real to everyone.

“I’ll come with you,” he said.

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