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“Because I wondered if you burn for me the way I do for you. You haunt my waking and sleeping hours,” he said, as if reading her mind.

Arabella stared up at him, unable to say anything. What could she say in the face of a confession like that?

“You’ve been stewing under a cloud of mistruth, Ara mine.” He smiled, running a finger down the side of her face. “You’re not the only one who worries about our uncommon relationship.”

“Why have you never said anything?”

He frowned and seemed to consider her words. “I do not know,” he answered, at last. “I will do what you’ve asked of me. For my family and yours.”

She nodded, and then they resumed their walk back to the castle.

“I must ask,” he said suddenly. “Why didn’t you want to get married before?”

Arabella started but then calmed herself, wondering if he’d think her a weakling if she told him the truth.

“You do not have to speak of it if you do not wish to.”

“No, I will.” She smiled softly. “I just… I never expected I’d be talking about this with you.”

He nodded as if he understood, but he didn’t pry, so she took her time constructing the fastest and shortest way she could explain.

“I was to be married once before,” she began.

It was safer if she bore the pain once rather than prolong it. If he started asking questions, she was sure it would dampen the mood, hence ruining the rest of the day.

“To a duke, or at least until he decided he didn’t want me anymore. He wanted someone better. It wrecked me for many days, but even worse, it hurt my family because I dashed Leonard’s belief that he’d soon have someone to help raise our family’s social standing. My sisters took it hard too because even if we tried to hide it, it was clear what had happened when the Duke married someone else not a few days later after breaking our engagement. It was a dark time for us.”

Edward took her hands in his, squeezing gently, and she was grateful for his warmth because it helped her face the demons of her past once and for all.

“The thing that hurt me the most was that I actually loved him but I wasn’t enough for him. Because of that, I started to believe I wouldn’t be enough for anyone.”

“Don’t say that.”

“How could I not?” she spat out bitterly. “I failed to secure a true love match and ended up in a marriage of convenience. It just goes to show how morbid my life is.”

“Stop blaming yourself for other people’s problems,” he growled, angrily pulling her to him. “You are more than enough, and any man who can’t see that isn’t worth your time. You are beautiful, smart, kind, funny, beautiful and the absolute best fake wife a man could have.”

She laughed and then slapped his chest, allowing herself to drink from his spring of positivity.

“If it’s any consolation, you landed a duke, so I would say your life is better than morbid.”

“I didn’t know you had a hilarious side, Duke,” she teased.

“There are a lot of sides to me you do not know, Duchess.”

“I’d like to think I’m starting to get to know you quite well.” She smiled up at him.

“Is that so?”

“Indeed.”

She didn’t know who moved first, but suddenly his lips were on hers, kissing her softly and then possessively, almost painfully as if he were trying to mark her.

Her hands delved into the hair at the nape of his neck, and she tugged on it, earning herself a groan him that excited her. She stepped even closer to him, wondering how kissing could feel so wonderful.

Edward plundered her mouth, nipping her bottom lip gently and then a little harder in a rhythm that rocked her to the core. His hands gripped her waist tightly, pulling her flush against him.

When they pulled apart for air, she couldn’t help but wonder how she’d be able to leave him, knowing he kissed this way.