Excerpt of His Fantasy Bride by Nina Croft

“I think the sex has muddled your mind.”

Vito caught her gaze and held it. “Then no more sex until this is resolved.”

Her brows drew together. “It’s not resolved?”

“Not by a long way.” He reached across and took her hand. The move caught her by surprise, and she didn’t pull back. The stroke of his long fingers over her palm sent shivers up her arm. “I believe my Gabrielle is under there somewhere.”

Oh, no, she’s not.

“I believe you’ve built me up into some sort of paragon that you can’t live up to, but that’s not who I am.”

Want to bet?

“I think you should give me a chance to prove to you that I’m just an ordinary man.”

Hah! Of course you are. Not.

“Just give me some time. It’s all I’m asking. Let me show you the real me. Sicily was time out for both of us. Let’s see how we get along in real life. Just a few weeks.”

When she remained silent, he raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm, and she tingled everywhere.

“Please.”

Oh God, how the hell am I supposed to say no when he asks so nicely? Not fair. She was weak willed as well as pathetic. Somehow she couldn’t bring herself to deny him. She’d actually hurt him when she’d run. When he hadn’t come after her she’d presumed his feeling were shallow, but maybe he’d felt too much.

“Gabby, say something.”

What?

She was so tempted to give him his few weeks. But it would be wrong. If she was a decent person, she would make a clean break now. Just get it over with and tell him the truth. He’d hate her. But he’d hate her even more if she strung him along, pretended there was a chance for them, until the truth came out—as was inevitable. There were no words bad enough for what she’d done. On the other hand, there was a chance—probably quite a big chance, huge in fact, considering her personality—that he’d spend time with her and come to the conclusion, all on his own, that they were totally unsuited for each other.

And he’d walk away. She wouldn’t need to tell him anything.

God, she was a coward.

But it would be better for him as well as her. She was doing him a favor.

Self-delusion at its best.

She took a huge, deep breath. “Okay.”

After all, how long would it take him to realize that Gabrielle just didn’t exist? Then he could move on. Yeah, she was doing this for him, to atone a little for her sins. Totally for him.

And now who’s the liar?

But he was right about one thing—sex did cloud the issue.

“But no sex.”