The Reluctant Bride (Arranged Marriage #1)(29)

Perry notices my descent, his gaze tracking my every move, his handsome face dreadfully serious. He pushes his way through the crowd, stopping at the foot of the stairs to wait, his gaze never straying from me. His eyes seem to eat me up from head to toe, lingering on particular places, such as my chest. My hips.

My legs.

Of course.

When his appreciative gaze finally meets mine, I feel as if I’ve been set on fire. My entire body flushes with heat, from the root of my hair to my pale pink-painted toenails. My breath stalled in my lungs, I pause on the bottom step, at equal height with him. His full lips curve into the faintest smile, his blue gaze intense.

“You’re late,” he says, his voice stern.

Sexy.

I can’t help but roll my eyes. Something about this man emboldens me. “I had to make my entrance.”

“I was concerned. Thought you might bail out.”

I frown, noting the worry lines around his eyes. Maybe he did think I would actually not show up and humiliate him.

Maybe he’s worried that everyone in his family is depending on him to go through with this. Perhaps we even share the same concerns.

My smile is docile, the obedient-daughter one I pull out for special occasions. Maybe I should rename this smile the obedient wife. “Well, here I am.”

“You look beautiful.” He dips his head, his mouth pressing against my cheek in a chaste kiss. My face warms from where his lips touched, my entire body trembling when he shifts that dangerous mouth to my ear and whispers, “We’re going to have to put on a real show tonight. Are you prepared?”

I’m about to give my answer when he touches me, resting his hand at the center of my back, his warm fingers brushing against my bare skin. I suck in a breath, pressing my lips together to hold it.

“Well?” he asks, his mouth still at my ear. He’s so close, my head swims, his scent wrapping all around us, intoxicating me like a drug.

It should be outlawed to smell as delicious as Perry Constantine does.

“Yes,” I breathe, able to draw air into my lungs once more when he finally pulls away, his gaze finding mine. His lips are curved, but his gaze is still intense.

Dark.

“Good.” He pulls me closer, angling me so we’re facing the room side by side. A united front. “My future wife, everyone.”

There is actual applause and cheering. Someone whistles so loud I wince, yet still keeping that smile on my face. I can feel Perry’s gaze on my lips and I turn to him. I can tell what he wants and my heart thumps wildly in my chest, threatening to break free.

He leans in, whispering, “Get that terrified look off your face.”

Somehow my face cooperates. Or at least, it feels like it does. I will my features to relax, my lips parting when he settles his mouth on mine.

The connection feels far too brief, yet I know his lips linger. Cling. Making it look real between us.

It certainly feels real.

His tongue lightly touches mine, a teasing brush before he pulls away almost as quickly as he dived in, yet I’m paralyzed. All I can do is blink up at him, my lips tingling.

It’s all his fault.

The kiss. The slip of his tongue against mine.

All of it.

“I’m going to have to do that again tonight,” he says, the both of us focused on each other and not the partygoers who are still shouting their congratulations.

I nod. “Yes.”

“You’re going to have to pretend you like it,” he demands, his brows drawing together. “As if you actually like me.”

“I’m supposed to be in love with you.” My voice is light, much like my head.

It’s spinning. Thank God he’s holding on to me.

“Right.” He removes his arm from my waist and grabs my hand, tugging me off that last step. “Let’s do this.”

We make the rounds as a united couple. He never leaves my side as we smile and murmur our thank-yous for the well-wishes from complete strangers. I barely recognize any of the people we’re talking to, figuring most of them to be from the Constantine side, but from the way Perry talks to them, I get the sense he doesn’t know who they are either.

A tall, imposing man with a scowl on his face and features that strongly resemble Perry’s approaches us, a beautiful woman on his arm. She looks to be about my age, or even a few years older, and she gazes up at this angry-looking man as if the sun rises and sets on his golden head.

“This is my oldest brother,” Perry says to me when they stop in front of us. “Winston, this is Charlotte.”

I hate him on sight. This is the man who pushed for this arrangement to happen. “Charmed.”

I somehow make the word sound more like asshole.

Winston bursts out laughing, as does the woman with him. “You’re in for it,” he tells Perry before turning his blue-eyed gaze on me. “Watch it. The ruder you are, the more I might like you.”

“Stop it, Win,” the woman tells him with a laugh before turning her attention on me. Her expression is friendly, which makes me wary. “I’m Ash. It’s so nice to meet you.”

I shake her hand. “Nice to meet you, too.”

“Congratulations.” Ash’s smile is wide as she removes her arm from Winston’s and goes to Perry, giving him a long hug. “I can’t believe you’re getting married.”