“Of course, honey.” Lottie’s expression turned apologetic. “But I can’t keep a secret like this indefinitely. And neither can you, for that matter. You’re going to have to tell your dad the truth sooner or later.”
“Tell me the truth about what?”
Oh, fuck.
Chapter Fifteen
Killian
Just like the first time he’d seen her, his heart stopped for a second at the sight of his princess as she leapt from her father’s couch, wide-eyed with panic as her gaze darted between him and Braden.
“What the hell is he doing here?”
The snarled question wasn’t unexpected, since he’d long resigned himself to the fact that letting her hate him was the easiest solution for everyone involved. But the slight hitch in her voice, one that told him tears were close to the surface, now that was certainly unexpected.
And everything in him ached to go to her, to wrap his arms around her and reassure her that no matter what put that hitch in her voice, it would all be okay. To tell her Daddy would handle everything.
But not only was she wildly, wildly off-limits, his fiancée was neck deep in wedding plans. Not that Portia would raise a fuss; she was too well bred to do more than look the other way when confronted with an affair.
His princess, on the other hand, would no doubt have some rather strong opinions about him falling in love with another woman in between picking out linen colors and cake flavors.
So he didn’t move forward, instead allowing himself to drink in the sight of her from the safety of the living room doorway while she glared daggers at him.
“Aria.” Braden’s voice, sharp with disapproval, cut through the tension. “You’re being rude.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize being rude to criminals was against the rules now.”
It had been a long time since a woman had made his palm physically itch, but she managed it with two sentences. And since he couldn’t spank the attitude out of her, it was tempting to needle her a bit, see if he could get a rise out of her.
But the memory of that hitch in her voice haunted him, so instead he turned to his friend and offered up an apologetic smile. “It seems you have some… family business to attend to. I’ll come by another time to go over those business plans you mentioned.”
Braden grimaced and gave a single short nod. “Probably for the best. I’ll call you.”
“I’ll be around.” Turning back to the two women standing in the middle of the living room, he inclined his head. “Lottie. Aria. A pleasure, as always.”
Lottie’s lips curved up, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “It was nice to see you, Killian. Thank you again for the wedding gift. It was impossibly generous.”
He deliberately kept his own smile breezy for her sake. “It wasn’t nearly enough to make up for missing your special day. But you’re very welcome.”
Clapping a hand on Braden’s shoulder, he gave it an affectionate squeeze before forcing himself to turn and stride from the room as if he weren’t leaving his heart at the feet of a woman who hated everything about him.
Portia. He needed to think about Portia. Even though their engagement was strictly a business arrangement, she still deserved his undivided attention. Business or not, it wasn’t fair to his fiancée for him to be hung up on a blue-eyed siren he couldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.
Aria
* * *
In the two months since she’d laid eyes on Killian O’Rourke, it seemed like her heart should have built up some kind of defense against him.
But no. Instead, said heart was practically screaming at her to go after him, to tell him everything, to throw herself in Daddy’s arms and let him sort out the mess she’d gotten herself into.
Stupid heart.
It was her father’s sharp voice that finally distracted her from Killian’s retreating form. “Aria, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but?—”
“Braden.” By contrast, Lottie’s voice was soft, but firm, and to Aria’s surprise, her father cut off what was sure to be a scathing lecture. “Sit down. We need to talk.”
In a fingersnap, everything about Braden changed as anger shifted to worry. “What’s wrong? Aria?”
