He whirls around so fast I almost slam right into his chest.
“Keep your voice down.”
“Why? Scared the neighbors will hear how miserable you are with your fake wife?”
His jaw clenches as he glares down at me.
“Oh, now you’re looking at me again?”
He frowns. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that you clearly find me repulsive to look at unless it’s under dim restaurant lighting!” I take a deep breath, shaking my head. “For a moment tonight, I thought that we could almost be friends, but then you go back to acting like I’m some burden that you’ve been forced to babysit?—”
“Because that’s exactly what you are!”
I suck in a breath as Kieran’s words hit me like a slap to the face.
“I suggest you tell Ronan that I’m not worth the effort and send me back to my uncle to be married off to Sean. Because that’s starting to look better than having you pretend you’re doing me a favor by being a complete dick.”
I go to step past him, but he grabs my arm.
“Don’t act so surprised, princess. I’m the one who’s being stuck with some spoiled brat who thinks a silk dress and a smart mouth will send me to my knees and make me forget that she’s the enemy’s daughter.”
I stare at Kieran for a second, the heat of his hand burning my skin.
Our chests heave, as if neither one of us can catch a breath.
I don’t know who moves first.
Maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s him.
But suddenly, his mouth is on mine, and it’s not soft or careful or polite. It’s angry and raw, but my body doesn’t seem to care.
My arms wind around his neck before I can stop them as his hands dig into my waist, pulling me flush against him.
My lips part of their own accord, and then his tongue is in my mouth, moving against mine in a way that has my knees threatening to give out?—
No!
“Don’t.” I shove at his chest to break the contact. “Don’t do that again.”
Both of us are breathing hard as we stare at each other.
Kieran’s eyes are wild, his lips a little swollen from the kiss, and I fight the urge to take his face in my hands and kiss him again.
But I can’t cross that line. Not now. Not ever.
“You kissed me,” he grits out.
“It was amistake.”
“Obviously.”
I flinch at his tone, feeling the last of the control slip away as the tears start to sting my eyes. “This changes nothing. I still want space, and I still want you to stay thehellaway from me.”
He inhales sharply through his nose as he glares at me. “Fine. From now on, we don’t speak unless we’re in public. Behind closed doors, we have nothing to do with each other.”
My throat is so thick with tears that I feel like I can’t breathe. “Fine.”
