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He looks over, his door already open. “Yeah?”
“I do want this to work out. I want you to have everything you want. You deserve that.”
“Ditto,” he says, looking at my room door.
“Thanks.”
We both step into our rooms.
Linnea is there immediately. She’s in a tiny silk night gown under a silk robe that hits her mid-thigh. “What’s wrong?”
God, she’s so fucking beautiful. I toss my key card onto the table and gather her into my arms, breathing her in. “I just needed to be sure he’s okay.”
She pulls back. “And is he?” She looks concerned.
“Says he is.”
“You don’t believe him?”
“I believe he thinks he is.”
She frowns. “What’s going on?”
I blow out a breath. I have to be honest with her. “I just need him to be happy, Duchess. I need Abi to love him.”
Linnea presses her lips together. But she nods. “I know.”
“I don’t like this one-year stipulation. I don’t like that she’s making it a deal, or a job, instead of a real marriage.”
Linnea takes my hand and leads me to the couch. She pushes me down and climbs into my lap. My hands settle on her hips, and she links her fingers behind my neck. Just being close to her like this calms me.Thisis also the reason this needs to work out.
“But her job is part of this. For Cara and for her,” Linnea says.
“I know. But…he’s in love with her, Duchess.”
She doesn’t seem surprised. “Oh.” She wets her lips. “And you’re afraid he’s going to get hurt.”
“Yeah.”
She nods. “Okay. Well…is he afraid of that? Did you talk him out of getting married right away?”
I hesitate but then tell her honestly. “I tried.”
“Oh.”
I study her face. “Are you upset?”
“No. Just…” She frowns as she trails off.
“I know that feels like I’m putting him before us. Before you. But that’s not true. I just…” I break off. “Fuck. I don’t know. If he gets married, even temporarily, that leaves us free and clear to be together. The arranged marriage is voided. We can tell the king about us right after they get married. If we’re together, even if they break up, the king can’t expect you to marry Torin.”
“But you don’t want him to get his heart broken,” she says. She runs her fingers through my hair. “I understand that. He’s your best friend. And it makes me love you more. You are the least selfish, most amazing man I know.”
I squeeze her hips. “But I wantyou. I want to be with you, Duchess. I do.”
“I know. And all Torin needs to do is make Abigail fall in love with him, and theneverythingworks out.” She gives me a little smile.
I try to return it. “Yeah, just that.”