LAINA SLIPPED INTO her shoes and looked into the mirror, holding her hair off her neck as she turned from side to side. No bite marks. She’d found one on her breast when she’d been changing, and the sight of it had triggered an inhalation of breath so sharp she’d hardly been able to contain it.
It was perfection. She wished for more of them, along with the red marks James’s stubble had left on her belly and chin. Scratched, marked, bitten—she loved it. It meant she carried him with her everywhere, on every part of her...especially her heart.
She sank onto her bed, her knees almost too weak to hold her upright. She was so exhausted she wasn’t sure how she was going to get through this night, and it was an important one—the rehearsal dinner. She knew she hadn’t been eating enough on the lovesick diet. And even though James had slept briefly today, Laina hadn’t been able to. She’d lain awake watching him, just feeling the pulse that beat at her core over and over again. All for him. Every part of her so exposed to him that it took her breath away. And when he’d opened his eyes, Laina had known: she loved him. With all of her heart and soul, with every part of her being, she was madly and deeply in love with him.
And yet she still hadn’t told him the truth about herself.
She stood up again, planting her feet steadily to keep her undernourished, oversexed body from collapsing. With her hair and makeup carefully done, she didn’t think anyone would notice her state. Her dress was turquoise silk with small fluttery sleeves and an asymmetrical hem that ran from midthigh to past her knee. She’d accessorized it with high black slides, long crystal drop earrings and a matching bracelet. She’d had visions of an old Hollywood hairstyle, but it had been all she could to aim a blow-dryer at her hair.
She glanced at her watch. Six o’clock, almost time to meet James. After he’d offered to pick her up for tonight’s party, she’d sidestepped it by suggesting they meet for a drink at The Palms before dinner instead. She’d regretted it as soon as it was out of her mouth, because there was no good reason she shouldn’t tell him the truth: that a decade ago she’d become Laina Rose, dropping the wealthy Reinhard surname to use her middle name as her last, and that the estate the wedding was taking place on belonged to her family. But old habits died hard, she supposed. Since she’d changed her name, she hadn’t told any man her secret other than Ward, and the way that had ended had been enough to put her off men for good. Laina knew that his wandering ways had been more a result of her admission to him than her skill in bed. She was pretty sure it wasn’t a coincidence that just a month after she’d told him she’d renounced her family’s fortune, she’d found him in bed with someone else.
But to compare Ward to James wasn’t even in the realm of sanity. She’d fallen for him completely, and even if they hadn’t said the words yet, she knew it was in both of their hearts. James deserved her trust and she would give it to him, no matter how much the Reinhard name on her lips made her cringe.
Grabbing her sequined evening bag, Laina left her cottage and walked toward her golf cart. The air was warm on her skin—the perfect evening for the event, which was to be held in the estate’s tents. In the distance, she could see an army of staff taking care of last-minute preparations.
Her phone dinged. James: Come up to my room when you get here.
She almost groaned aloud. Even if his intentions were pure, she knew it was impossible for them to be in a room together without getting naked, and she actually wasn’t sure if she could handle another session today. More than anything, she wished she could just fall asleep in his arms right now, and sleep until the morning light. But that would happen later—she was sure of it.
When the knock sounded at his door, James took one final glance around his room. Everything was in place, and he couldn’t wait to see Laina’s face when she laid eyes on it.
On his way to the door, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and stopped. He barely recognized the man that looked back at him. Sure, he’d dressed up for the occasion a bit, but it was his expression that had stopped him in his tracks. Just like the town fool, he couldn’t wipe the goddamned smile off his face. He’d had no idea anything could feel this good. And even if he and Laina were too exhausted and sore to do anything tonight, he didn’t care. He just wanted to hold her close to him, feeling her heart beat with his. For the first time in his entire life, James was inviting—no, insisting—a woman stay in his bed all night.
It was going to be magical.
He pulled the door open just enough to see her, blocking the room from her view. She smiled at him, so beautiful even when she was dead exhausted. “You look amazing,” he said into her mouth as he kissed her.
“And you...holy shit.” She hooked a hand into his waistband and gave it a little tug.
“You’re killing me,” James groaned.
“I’m already dead. Were you planning to invite me in?”
“Sure.” James threw the door wide open.
Laina inhaled sharply as her eyes flew open. “Oh. My. God!”
He smiled as he watched her face. The entire room was filled with lavender roses. They spilled out of vases on the desk, the bedside tables, even on the floor.
She shook her head. “Where did you—”
“I had them brought in from Barbados. I called the flower store at three and they were here by five. Now that’s service.”
“No, it’s insane. Do you know how rare these are?” She plucked a single rose from a fishbowl-shaped vase and sniffed it.
“Do you know what they symbolize?” James asked.
She shook her head. “I’ve always just loved them for the color.”
He watched as she took in the rest of the room—the tray holding a bottle of Veuve and a silky lingerie set on the bed, the soft music in the background. “What—what is all this?” she asked, turning to him.
James circled his arms around her. He’d never felt more sure about anything...and this was only the beginning. “I want you to spend the night here with me. After the dinner. And the night after that, and the night after that and after that.”
Laina’s eyes reached into his. “That’s four nights. We’ll be back home by then.”
He bumped his forehead to hers. “I know.”
He heard her breath hitch. “James. Oh, my God.”
“I don’t ever want to be away from you,” he whispered fiercely. That amazing feeling was welling up in him again, saturating his cells. He blinked as his eyes went shiny. “Whatever that means, however that looks. I know we live in different cities right now, but that doesn’t matter. We’ll work it out. I just want you—in my bed, by my side, in my life. Starting right now.”
“I—this is the best day ever,” Laina said. She looked as though she was going to burst, but instead she just kissed him breathlessly. And then her mouth opened slowly, almost like it was happening against her will. Her tongue reached for his, and then she sighed against his lips. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but...how long do we have until we have to leave?”