Her new friend was thrilled to have Beth help with her catering business. She’d used the word “brilliant” to qualify Beth’s Gourmet for Kids idea; fancy recipes for kids like stacked chicken fingers over a bed of fries. Just knowing Kate thought the idea could work, and that if it did, Beth would be able to do it from home, thrilled her.
She’d asked Kate if they could offer recipes on the site for free and make money offering advertising, and Kate had given her carte blanche on it.
The website was still under construction, but Beth was pouring all of her creativity into the design down to every last detail, even making sure that while a customer navigated the site, a cute little carrot appeared rather than a mouse arrow.
And Landon. Well, that man was enough to keep a woman on her toes. He drilled Beth about Hector, more determined than ever to find out the skeletons in that beast’s closet. Beth had, by some miracle of nature, been able to resist handing over the black book yet. Just to make sure that he had enough incentive to marry her.
It was hard not to yearn for his company when he went to work, though. He was a greedy Monopoly player, a ruthless chess player, and he loved to steal her out at night for a ride in one of the cars from his collection. He drove well beyond the speed limit at midnight when there was little traffic.
Her traitorous heart leapt every time he walked into a room and flashed her that smile of his and called her Bethany. Oh, he was suave, that one was.
Did Hector think he won after bribing the press after their engagement party? Ha! That would not be the case with the judge. Not this time, pig.
She grinned at her reflection and tried that out loud. “Not this time, pig!”
Yes, it felt awesome.
It was past evening now. The eve of their wedding.
Landon was still at the Daily as usual, and Beth stood before a vanity and oval mirror in her simple silken wedding dress. Why she’d thought it important to try it on again, she didn’t dare dwell on.
The dress was sexier than she remembered, she thought as she critically studied herself. It hugged her body in an enticing way. The cut, though demure, somehow still managed to be modern and attractive, and the flattering cream color made her sort of…
“Stunning.”
She stiffened at the male voice, then caught sight of Landon’s piercing regard in the mirror’s reflection. The color crawled up her cheeks. “It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress,” she said.
Nothing moved. Time, the world, had paused when Landon arrived.
Swallowing awkwardly, Beth turned and shrugged. “But I guess we’re getting divorced, so…”
He remained motionless, a sentinel blocking the door.
His eyes glowed. So, so slowly, they wandered over her body, head to toe, and they glimmered with such heat they scorched every inch of her they covered.
The form-fitting dress with the high neckline suddenly felt as transparent as a spider’s web.
She bit her lip, unable to stifle the shudder that coursed through her. “It feels glued—” she pulled at the satin on her hips “—to my skin.” All of a sudden.
“The only thing glued to your skin are my eyes.” His voice was husky, and Beth’s thighs liquefied. Ducking her head, she unclipped her hair and used it to create a waterfall so he couldn’t see her blush.
His words…hurt. The way he looked at her. Hurt.
Maybe because she was starting to admire and respect him. And because he was amazing and sexy and kissable and staring at her with those bedroom eyes all the time, and she couldn’t stand it.
Her insides knotted, and she closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands, smothering a groan. “Can you please get out of here, Landon? You’re making me nervous.”
She kept her eyes shut and strained her ears to hear him leave. Hopefully, he’d close the door behind him, too. But for a charged moment nothing in the room seemed to move.
Her heart stopped when she heard a footstep, and a second, and a third. To her alarm, they were coming in her direction. Suddenly, Landon stood too close. His familiar scent penetrated her lungs, making them want to explode.
His arms, strong and hard, slowly slid around her waist. A fluttery, hopeful sensation danced inside her and she couldn’t quite quell it. He murmured her name over the top of her head as he drew her to his strong body.
Feeling naked and vulnerable in his arms, she dropped her hands to his shoulders—in a poor, poor effort to push him away—but didn’t dare open her eyes.
What was he doing?
Why had he stared at her as if she were naked?
God, what was he doing?
“Look at me,” he said.
She bit her trembling lower lip and quietly refused to.