joke.
"I don't think I'll tell them like that." He wasn't sure how he would break the news and honestly hadn't given it a second thought.
"You do realize you stand the risk of losing them both, right?"
"How did you know there were two?" He shook his head and put a hand in the air. "Never mind. I forgot about your intensive background check. You don't have to worry about either of them. You'll never meet."
Samantha placed a hand over her chest and smiled. "Shallow and a tiny bit naive."
Lord, there she was calling him names again. "Excuse me?"
"If you and I were dating, and you suddenly up and married another woman, as much as I'd hate myself for doing it, I'd figure out a way to meet the woman I didn't measure up to. Women are emotional creatures, Mr. Har... Blake. I might fight that gender trait with a nine iron, but still can't beat down certain impulses. I highly doubt Vanessa and Jackie - "
"Jacqueline," he corrected.
"Excuse me, Jacqueline, are any different. Which one is most likely to be heartbroken?"
The honesty thing was going too far. Even if the casual trek through his personal life was lifting the edge of unease from his fiance's frame, he wasn't comfortable. Samantha had tucked her feet under her bottom and was relaxed for the first time since he'd met her. The smile on her face didn't look forced and her green eyes glistened with a spark of mischief. He would have liked to put her in this mood by something other than a discussion about his previous lovers, and previous is what they'd have to be. He thought for a moment what Vanessa and Jacqueline would say once told of his marriage. Vanessa would be prone to slapping him and walking away. Jacqueline wouldn't be as dramatic, but continuing his relationship with her would be risky. "Both women knew about the other."
"But which one wanted more?"
"I can't believe my fiance is asking me these questions."
"Which one, Blake?"
Samantha was relentless.
"Vanessa. Though I doubt she'd seek you out. Besides, she lives in London and only visits New York for short periods of time."
"Right, and Jacqueline lives between New York and Spain."
The pilot's voice sounded over the loudspeaker announcing their approach to the Nevada airport. "You've done your homework." Blake moved to the seat beside to her.
"Always." She looked proud of herself.
"You'll inform me if either of them end up on your doorstep?"
Samantha straightened her legs and clicked her seatbelt. "You'll be the first to know."
The jet started to descend and Samantha glanced out the window. Between the wine and the conversation, she no longer looked like she'd run from the altar. Blake took her hand in his and felt her jump. "You might try to control that," he suggested.
She glanced at their hands and took a deep breath. "I'm trying."
Blake left his hand on hers and made a mental note to hold it often. Did she jump because his touch bothered her, or because she liked it? Maybe she liked it and that bothered her. Oh well, he mused, she'd have to grow used to it.
As the plane descended from the sky, and the wheels skidded on the runway, Blake watched a play of emotions cross over Samantha's face. Her pouty pink lips that had been smiling moments ago grew into a straight line. With any other woman, he'd lean over and kiss the worry away. The unexpected desire to do just that welled inside him. How would she taste? Sweet from the wine he decided. The thought of her sexy voice whispering into his ear, encouraging him to do more than kiss her, surged to his groin. He forced his gaze away from her face and squeezed her hand.
When the pilot told them they were clear to unbuckle, Blake turned to Samantha. "Ready to get married?"
She turned her hand over and laced her fingers with his. "What the hell, I didn't have anything better planned for today."
Blake tossed his head back and laughed.
****
After a short limo ride to the newest resort hotel on the strip, Samantha stood at the altar holding Blake's hand. He'd given her a ring to give to him and gasped when he'd slid a four-caret diamond encrusted sapphire on her finger. "For his Duchess," he'd said. Even the minister gaped at the ring. Somewhere between the limo and the ring, Samantha realized that Blake would likely kiss her at the completion of the ceremony. Why wouldn't he? If the lawyers