Page 18 of Forbidden Earl

He lifted her chin, but otherwise stayed close. Her heart began to race, in a new way. “You’ve said that twice and it’s untrue.”

Right. “I-” This was her chance to speak, but her voice was lower and more breathy than normal. She cleared her throat and tried to sound like herself. “Yeah, okay. Even though appearances are all we’ve talked about since I moved in. Anyhow, you and I would be like fire and ice trying to live in the same biosphere without wanting to destroy each other.”

He brushed his fingers against her arm and left a trail of desire that she’d never thought possible, not with him. “Am I the fire or the ice?”

This was getting out of hand. The boy she knew would pull something on her now. She tried to count her heartbeats, but she couldn’t keep track of anything other than how her skin felt like it melted into him with his proximity. “The fire. You’re the one who cut my hair when we were nine and are demanding I cut my hair again now.”

He stared into her eyes as if he saw her soul and all her secrets. “Seeing your face is not a hardship. Are you afraid of me?”

The opposite. She probably should be wary, but as he held her elbow, she felt like she was his and vice versa. She shook her head. “No, you’re the last person I’d ever be afraid of.”

He massaged her arms and her stomach flip-flopped. “Tomorrow, we’re going to Blackwell and Donna’s wedding. I need you to seem happy we’re getting married too.”

Those words were why he couldn’t be her match. She swallowed and hoped whatever interest he’d sparked in her body left. “Exactly why the program is wrong.”

He stood and guided her to follow. “Come here. There is nothing wrong with looking nice and it doesn’t make me vain.”

“If you say so.” His arms wrapped around her waist and hips. Awareness shot through her. He smelled like the fresh clean air of the California beach where it met the forest.

No man made her feel this much, not that she’d tried to find a guy. Nobody bothered her after Alex which had been the purpose of her shaggy hair and glasses. He inched closer and leaned down. “Cassidy, I am going to kiss you unless you tell me no.”

She’d melt away if he brought his mouth to hers. She held his shoulders. “Why?”

He took off her glasses and tossed them on his chair. “Because we should. You’re about to be my wife.”

This had to be some kind of joke, or for him to get his way. He’d always gotten underneath her skin. “What are you trying to prove?”

His fingers traced her arms and back. “That we’re not children anymore.”

Her heart pounded, and her lips tingled with anticipation. She was about to discover what she’d always wondered about—Remy’s kiss. “Fine.”

He tugged her hat off and Cassidy didn’t dare move. “Close your eyes.”

She did and her face turned up, toward his. “Okay, now what?”

“Stop talking.” He pressed his mouth gently against hers. Questioning, sipping, tasting.

Every part of her was lost and she became someone completely new. She kissed him back and couldn’t tell where her lips or his were. He tasted like heaven itself. As she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep him close, she told herself that this was only for one minute. Tomorrow he’d be who he always was. But for now, she was truly his.

Chapter 8

Remy ignored the impulse to go and find Cassidy in her room as he took a seat in his grandmother’s sick room. Cassidy’s kiss had set off a firestorm of desire inside him. For now, he needed distance to recover. She was the last person on earth he thought would kiss like that. She must have felt something because she ran to her room faster than he’d ever seen her run. He took the seat opposite Grannie and patted her hand.

However, Cassidy surprised him and opened the door a minute later to take her seat in Grannie’s room beside him. She’d lost the baseball cap and her sweet face had a brightness he’d never noticed.

Grannie held out her hands. “Cassidy, I like your haircut.”

She blushed and glanced at the floor, but then gave Grannie a hug. “This is only part one,” she admitted. “Tomorrow we do more.”

As long as she didn’t change too much. Cassidy was the only woman he’d ever met that looked better without spending hours in the bathroom, putting on silly makeup. Her skin radiated good health and her smiles were genuine.

Grannie waved her thin arm to get his attention. “Remy, sweetheart, I was telling Cassidy that her hair is nice.”

Now his face felt hot. He hadn’t actually spoken his complimentary thoughts. He turned toward his grandmother. “She’ll be a fine wife, Grannie.”

Her wise gaze narrowed. He turned and saw Cassidy’s blush had deepened.

Grannie sat up straighter in her bed. “What’s going on between you two?”

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