Aurelie could barelyconcentrate on the tablet in front of her.In theory, there were images and information that should rule out the patient’s worst fears: that her baby’s heart rate was slowing to an unsafe level.But all Aurelie saw was the image of Cammie’s stricken face, as if she’d been slapped.What had Jace done, giving up his career like that?
And he’d done it for her.Every new moment with this man was proving to be too much to take.
The way he’d proposed they solveherproblems—literally?Too much.
The sex?Wayyyyy too much.
Giving up his agent and, therefore, possibly his career for her?More than she could possibly wrap her head around.
Because the simple fact remained: If this didn’t work, she would be heading home to a father hell-bent on her destruction.Still, at every turn, Jace kept showing up for her, offering her heart’s desires on a silver platter.And she had yet to give him so much as a glass of rum.Well, come to think of it, she’d given him that, and that alone.
The inequities in her fake marriage were part of the reason she couldn’t concentrate.The other parts were tied to his hands, or rather moments like last night, where he’d tied her hands over her head and used his own—along with his tongue—to bring her to the most intense orgasm of her life.After the past five nights of sneaking back to her house after eating with Paige and Owen, each complete with similarly spectacular orgasms from her fake husband, it was safe to say she’d have to tell Paige what she’d done sooner or later.She was hoping she could just get the paperwork from the embassy, cut ties with Jace, and pretend she’d never married a man within two days of meeting him, leaving her best friend out of the equation.
But…
There was a bigger problem than her visa occupying her heart and head.It was getting harder and harder to keep her emotional distance from a man who was caring for every one of her needs and even some she hadn’t known she had.
For example, when she got off work later, they were going to watch Maddie again so that Paige and Owen could go to dinner and drinks.It had been Jace’s idea, which was fine, but after a week of working his dad’s land—his land now—he should have been exhausted.Instead, he’d volunteered them to watch Maddie because heloved spending time with the squishy little thing.
How was she supposed to believe that the man didn’t want kids or that he didn’t want a relationship?Maybe he just didn’t wanther.That thought scared the hell out of her, but then the rest of the world would come careening into her periphery, and she’d be forced to forget about her unhealthy desire for her fake husband.
Like the immigration agent calling her to schedule an interview that week.Or a letter from her brother saying their dad found out she was living in the States.Or that Puckman had seized yet another failing property and was on his way to making it impossible for them to build the clinic where they’d been permitted for it, bringing it to the city and citingunsafe work conditions to have dangerous criminals next to his future hotel property.
Ugh.That last one was such a crock of hypocritical bullsh—
“Excuse me, Aurelie?Do you have those results?”
Aurelie shook herself free from the barrage of distractions, good and bad.
“Sorry, Dr.Connors.”She’d never called Paige by her first name at work, even though it was a casual enough hospital, she probably could have gotten away with it.“From what I can see, the patient’s baby is in the clear, but we may want to keep her for monitoring.”
Paige nodded as she went over the tablet herself.“Good.Get her set with magnesium sulfate and, yes, we’ll keep her overnight for monitoring.”
Aurelie nodded and sent in the prescription.Out in the hall, Paige stopped her.
“You okay, Aury?You seem off somehow.”
Aurelie smiled as broadly as she could, but it felt fake, forced.
“I’m great, thanks.Just tired.”That was an understatement.She’d been exhausted the past few days, between working more clinical shifts to capitalize on the end of her current visa, building the clinic while they waited on the judge’s ruling for their location, and spending nights with Jace.
“Okay, well, you don’t have to come over tonight.It was nice of Jace to offer, but it’s not like you’re beholden to his choices.Unless there’s something you’re not telling me.”
Aurelie’s cheeks felt like they’d erupted in flames.
“About what?”Could Paige see right through her?It’s not like she was wearing the ring in public, but shefeltmarried to Jace.Was that weird when it was fake to begin with?
“Are you and Jace dating?”
Aurelie smiled, glad she could answer that one honestly.“Nope.We’re not.”
Paige’s eyes focused.Aurelie’s internal warning bells went off.“Are you sleeping together?”
Damn, getting caught on a technicality.She gave a curt little nod.It was better Paige knew about her in bed with Jace as opposed towedto the man.
“I knew it!”Paige squealed, pulling Aurelie into an on-call room.“Tell me everything.He was a good kisser, as far as five-year-old me recalls.Is that still true?”
The heat on Aurelie’s cheeks became full-on flames now.She nodded again.“I’m not going to kiss and tell, but yes, he, um, gets the job done very nicely indeed.”
