The Convenient Wedding: a contemporary romance (The Rosa Legacy Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking that I’m pleased about any of this. I know you have an agenda. But for the moment, our goals happen to be the same.”
    Lucia raised her palms toward him and said, “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.” 
    He surprised her by asking “Can I trust you to not run from this?” Lucia wasn’t sure if he was talking about the impending scandal. 
    Fighting the attraction between them, she took a step back and said “I’ll pretend to be in love with you to minimize the scandal if that’s what you mean.”
    Anderson stepped closer, lightly touching the tops of her bare shoulders and he pulled her into an embrace. Lucia gazed up at him and watched him lower his mouth towards hers. “I expect you to see this through to the end.”
    His whispered words broke the spell that held her immobile. “I don’t know if I will be able to convince the media.”
    He said, “In a few hours, we are going to present ourselves to the world as a couple. There will be no going back.”
    “What if I make a mistake?” she asked him.
    “We are in this together and will need to make a pact. Loyalty is everything. If you can stick with the plan then it will work.”
    “I’m not an actress. Those closest to me can always tell if I’m not telling the truth.”
    “Relax for a start. There is an attraction between us so we are simply expanding on that. I felt it the moment I saw you.” His hands gently stroked her bare arms and he pulled her closer until she could feel the warmness of his body and he lowered his lips to touch hers.
    Instead of chastely placing a kiss on her lips as she expected, he repositioned her head with both of his hands, and invaded her mouth with a hot and forceful exchange. She held her breath and he continued to explore her mouth. Lucia clenched her hands to stop herself from touching him.
    She heard him groan and her body responded by drawing in a deep breath. He continued to seek a heightened response from her by exploring her mouth.
    Lucia relished the physical response he was creating deep in her core and she matched each stroke of his tongue with her own. His hands moved from holding her head to fully embrace her body, holding her tightly. Lucia clutched his arms to steady herself.
    He moved his hands back to her head and gently pulled back from her. He looked deeply into her eyes and she could see gold flecks in his brown eyes. The thought passed through her mind that he was looking into her depth, trying to figure her out.
    Anderson stepped back, “Maybe I am wrong about you.” With that he moved away abruptly and said “We should go”.
     
    Stepping onto the elevator, Lucia could feel Anderson watching her. Her body was flushed and she craved a physical connection to him. How could she want him so desperately after one kiss?
    Anderson adjusted his tie. He looked confident and ready to go to battle. He asked her, “How old are you? Your resume has a decade worth of corporate communications positions but you barely look twenty years old.”
    What else did he know about her background? He must know that she was stood up on her wedding day. Attempting to relax her body, she said “I’m twenty-seven, lived mostly in California, parents are happily married, no siblings, graduated from Sarah Lawrence, birthday is January 26th, have a cat named Cleo and like to swim and go riding.”
    The elevator opened and she could see the opulent hotel foyer was deserted and she relaxed slightly. Did she expect swarms of reporters taking more photographs?
    Lucia asked him, “and you?”
    Anderson placed his hand on her lower back and guided her forward out of the elevator. The small intimacy made her skin tingle. She thought to herself that the chemistry between them was a problem. It made her want to forget about her plans for the future and instead give into the feel of his masculine body. But she had allowed herself to be driven by impulsive decisions in the past and