The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,46

A groan released from her as she felt the bulge of his erection against her hand.

She stared up at him, flushing at the desire in his eyes as he admired her body. And she expected him to kiss her again, but he took a step backward instead, conflict in his eyes.

He took a deep breath and heaved it out. “I don’t think we should do this.”

Horror rushed through her. “What?”

He closed his eyes and swallowed. “I can sleep on the sofa . . .”

“No. You can’t.” She shook her head, trying to regain her senses. “My mom . . .”

His mouth opened as though he wanted to say something, then closed abruptly.

She turned her back to him, mortified at his rejection. “It’s a queen-sized bed. We can both sleep here.”

“Megan, it’s not you . . .”

“No,” she said, tears stinging her eyes. “You’re right. This was a bad idea. We’ll break up first thing tomorrow, and then you can get back to saving your business.” She spun around to face him. “That’s ultimately why you’re here, right? I’m just a good karma detour.”

“Uh . . .” He looked toward the wall and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah.” He shifted his gaze toward the bathroom door. “I’m going to take a shower. Do you need to use . . . ?”

She shook her head. “No. Go.”

He grabbed his bag and disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. She picked her dress up off the floor and opened her suitcase, pulling out a nightgown, thanking the stars above that it was utilitarian and not sexy—a complete about-face from a few moments ago.

The shower turned on, and she stripped off her bra and pulled the gown over her head, then dropped her discarded dress into the bag.

How in the world could she sleep with him now?

But a wave of exhaustion overcame her, so she pulled back the covers and climbed under them. The lamp on her bedside table filled the room with a warm glow, transporting her back over ten years, to when she had lived in this room. She’d failed her mother’s expectations as a teen and young girl. Was that why she’d stuck with Jay, even when she knew he was so wrong? Her mother held marriage and motherhood on such a high pedestal; maybe marrying Jay had been one last-ditch effort to mend burned bridges. But it turned out that Megan was a failure at getting married, too.

But the final nail in the femininity coffin was Josh’s rejection. Did he wish he’d gone home with Libby instead? Was he in the bathroom thinking about her now?

Libby was like a siren. She drew men like honey did flies, and half the time she didn’t even realize the power of her allure. How many times had Libby taken the attention of the boys Megan crushed on in high school? But there was never any malice in Libby’s behavior. She was like a candle that burned so brightly men had no choice but to notice her. Megan didn’t doubt that if Libby had gotten ahold of Josh first, he would be in her bed right now. Maybe that’s what he was thinking about in the shower.

But the thought sent another blaze of jealousy through her, and she had to laugh at her idiocy. Josh McMillan had never been hers. This was an arrangement, and the sooner she not only accepted it, but ended it, the better.

Chapter Eleven

Josh stayed in the shower until the water turned cold, and then stayed in even longer. If Megan kept looking at him with that longing in her eyes, he couldn’t guarantee he’d keep his hands to himself. And although every part of him demanded he go into the other room and satisfy them both, the sliver of decency still burning inside him—despite all the duplicity—demanded that he respect her enough to keep his hands to himself. So he took his time drying off and dressing in a pair of athletic shorts and a T-shirt. When he opened the door, he was prepared for an inner battle of epic proportions.

He took a few steps into the room. Megan was huddled under the covers, her eyes closed. Her long dark hair had pooled on the pillow and her worry lines ebbed away, leaving a peacefulness he hadn’t yet seen in her.

She was asleep.

He let out a breath of relief. An asleep Megan made things immeasurably easier. Especially since he was still planning to escape the