Confessions of a Pregnant Cinderella by Abby Green

Author:Abby Green
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-08-07T14:23:49+00:00

* * *

Skye took the box. She still couldn’t believe that she’d said yes to Lazaro’s non-proposal and he’d barely changed expression. She cursed herself. What had she been hoping for? Tears of gratitude? He was only marrying her because he wanted to protect his reputation.

And give you and the baby a secure start, reminded her conscience.

She opened the royal blue velvet box and sucked in a breath when she saw the ring. It was a round pink diamond in a gold setting, with smaller white diamonds either side. Unusual. Not what she would have expected from someone like Lazaro.

She loved it.

She touched it and it sparkled. ‘It’s beautiful.’ She looked at Lazaro. ‘You knew I’d say yes?’

‘I was prepared.’

Skye wanted to ask him if he’d picked it out himself but was too superstitious. If he had it would mean something, and if he hadn’t it would mean something.

‘Here—give it to me.’

She handed the box back to Lazaro and he took the ring out. He caught her left hand and lifted it up.

As he placed the ring on her finger Skye was saying, ‘It probably won’t fit—’

But it did. Perfectly. And it looked right on her finger, suited her skin tone.

She pulled her hand back, suddenly very aware of Lazaro holding it and their close proximity. But Lazaro didn’t let go.

She looked at him, thinking, If he kisses me now I’m not going to be able to hide—

Hide what? asked that voice.

But he didn’t pull her closer. He said, ‘This ring...it’s just a symbol. You know it doesn’t mean anything, right? What there is between us...it’s just physical. I don’t want you to confuse passion with emotion.’

Skye pulled her hand back again and this time tucked it behind her back. She forced herself to hold Lazaro’s gaze. ‘I learnt not to get attached to people when I was growing up, as we were always moving. And as for love...? I saw how crazy it made my mother—constantly searching for something she couldn’t find—so you really don’t have to patronise me. I’m under no illusions.’

Lazaro looked at her, as if searching for something, but then he seemed to relax visibly and he said, ‘Good. We’re on the same page. I wouldn’t want you to get...hurt, Skye.’

Irritation sparked inside Skye at his arrogant pronouncement, and she welcomed it as an antidote to feeling so powerless and vulnerable in this situation. ‘I’ve had long years of practice in not letting people hurt me, Lazaro, but don’t be so sure that you’re immune. You might just find that you’re the one liable to be hurt here.’

The tension dissipated as Lazaro smiled—one of the first really genuine smiles she’d seen. He looked younger. More carefree. More beautiful. Lord. If he smiled like that on a regular basis she wasn’t sure her walls of defence wouldn’t start to crumble. So much for her lofty words...

He caught her arm and started to walk her out of the study. ‘I think I’ll survive,’ he said.

Suddenly Skye longed to see Lazaro brought to his knees—all that pride and arrogance in tatters around him.

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