Beloved by the Irish: An Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance (The Claimed and Beloved Duet Book 2) by Britt McKenna

Author:Britt McKenna [McKenna, Britt]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Britt McKenna Books
Published: 2023-12-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Declan

I’m in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the pasta primavera I know Catarina enjoys, when I sense her arrival behind me. The wedding dress fitting ended shortly after my departure, and my fiancée has spent the last couple of hours resting in her room.

Jane told me Catarina had a good time trying on dresses which pleased me far more than I expected. I tried to tell myself it’s because her happiness means she’ll be more likely to comply with the stringent safety measures I’ve put in place to negate Luis Diaz’s threat, but the truth is I want her to be happy to marry me. I’ve felt this way for months, but it came to a head following our weekend together in Newport.

Her delicate floral scent mixes with the aroma of the sauteed vegetables on the stove in front of me, filling my nostrils with its enticing scent and triggering the memory of the first time I smelled the aroma at Mystique. I never thought that night would lead here, but it’s been a long time since I’ve regretted the events that led Catarina into my life. And I’m determined to ensure she feels the same way. No matter how long it takes.

“Good evening,” I greet when she doesn’t say a word. I glance over my shoulder to where she stands near the double-wide, stainless steel fridge. I do a double-take when I see the low-cut cocktail dress falling over her frame. The baby blue fabric is cinched at the waist to accentuate her slender waist.

“I’m overdressed.” Her cheeks are pink as she sheepishly gestures to her dress. “I assumed we were going out to eat, but I realize now how silly that sounds with everything that’s going on.”

“You look gorgeous,” I reply automatically. “And I promise, the moment it is safe to do so, I plan to take you out in the city every night. If only to show the rest of society what a lucky bastard I am to be engaged to such a stunning woman.”

The color in her cheeks deepens, but so does her shy smile. “You’re exaggerating.”

“I don’t exaggerate.”

She shakes her head ruefully, then approaches the stove. “What are you making?”

I return my attention to the vegetables in the pan, pushing them over the warm surface with the spatula. “Pasta primavera.”

“That’s one of my favorites.”

“I’m aware.” I feel her eyes on the side of my face, but I keep my attention on the pan in front of me.

Catarina is warming up to my flirtations, but I know her well enough to know that if I’m too forward, she will clam up. And I’m tired of the distance between me and my future wife. We’ve made progress, but there’s still so much we need to learn about each other before we reach the level of comfort I expect to have with my future wife—the level of comfort I hope she wants to reach as well.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“If you’re in the mood for wine, you can pour us each a glass.

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