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She considered the question a moment before reaching for another box. ‘We’re marrying for real so that isn’t a lie. The end of our marriage won’t be a lie either—I am homesick. And I won’t be telling any lies, will I? Your palace press machine will be doing all that. I’ll only be acting when we’re in public together, and while I don’t think I’ll be able to act as if I’m in love with you, I’ll definitely be able to act like I fancy you, which should look like the same thing because in case you haven’t noticed, I find you remarkably attractive, so that won’t be a lie either.’

Dio, her nonchalance in the way she admitted her attraction! That was a turn-on in itself, and the heat simmering in his veins, which he’d been doing his utmost to ignore, ramped up four notches.

Clenching his jaw, Marcelo dragged his stare away from Clara’s face only to find it locked on the open box in her hands. It contained a set of lacy red underwear.

Following the movement of his stare, she grinned and put the box down without removing the garments. ‘An improvement on the bra I wore yesterday, eh?’

He cleared his constricted throat and did everything in his power to stop himself thinking of Clara wearing those skimpy items but his willpower was no match for his rabid imagination and, to his horror, heat pooled in his groin and tightened his loins.

‘Quite,’ he said, having to speak through a jaw he didn’t dare unclench. ‘Come on, leave that. I’ll get the staff to put it away for you.’

‘Not a chance—I’ve been looking forward to doing it myself, thank you very much.’ Lifting the lid of yet another box, she shot her happy stare back at him. ‘Here it is.’

‘What?’

‘Your surprise.’ She handed the box to him. ‘A present for you.’

Now he really was dumbfounded. ‘You’ve bought me a gift?’

‘It’s not much,’ she said, and to his astonishment she looked shamefaced. ‘I’m afraid I don’t know you well enough to know what gifts you’d like and Alessia was no help whatsoever. She was useless.’

‘You didn’t have to buy me anything.’

‘I wanted to. You’ve done so much for me...’

Marcelo forced his jaw to relax but he could still hear the tension in his voice. ‘How many times do I have to tell you that you’re the one doing me the favour here and that your agreement to marry me far outweighs any debt you feel you owe me?’

‘We’re going to have to agree to disagree there but even if I did agree with you I would still have wanted to get you something. When my mum used to go shopping she always brought me a present back with her and it always made me feel...’

Clara shook her head. How hard it was to vocalise something as simple as a gift received. The warm glow that would spread from her chest knowing she’d been thought of. It was a feeling so long ago and distant that remembering it sent a pang through her. She hadn’t mattered enough to anyone for surprise gifts since her mother died. But that was okay, she told herself. She didn’t need gifts. She had everything she needed. Life was good.

‘What she made me feel was a nice feeling and I wanted you to have that feeling too,’ she continued. ‘Are you going to open it? I have receipts in case you hate them.’

He lifted the lid. In it was two smaller boxes. One contained a belt, the other a pair of cufflinks in the shape of a ball and chain.

‘The belt is to replace the one you trashed last night trying to make it fit me,’ she explained, standing close to him. She caught a whiff of his lovely warm scent. He really did smell wonderful. Too wonderful. So wonderful he was making her salivate.

Confused at the strange feelings rushing through her, she edged away a little and said, ‘The other is a bit of a joke, but a joke meant with kindness.’ She pulled a face, suddenly uncertain that he would get it. As a rule, people didn’t get her or her jokes.

But then Marcelo’s gaze lifted and met hers, and her heart swelled.

‘I get it,’ Marcelo said, unbelievably touched as well as amused.

‘I thought you could wear them on our wedding day. I’ll try not to be your ball and chain,’ she assured him. ‘I won’t get in the way of your life.’

‘Yes, you will,’ he contradicted. ‘Just as I’m going to be your ball and chain and get in the way of your life. It’s going to be you and me for the next year, bella.’

Her eyes softened. ‘I can think of worse men to be chained to.’

And he could think of worse women too...

For a long moment nothing was said between them, not until a burst of anxiety suddenly creased her face. ‘Before I forget, I bought myself a music system for my room. Is that okay?’

‘For the last time, you do not have to ask permission or justify your spending to me in any way, shape or form.’ Straightening, he added, ‘Spend whatever you like whenever you like.’

‘Thank you. I’m glad you said that because I also bought myself a Ferrari.’ She’d barely finished telling him that when she burst into a cackle of laughter. ‘That was a joke. I can’t drive.’ She stood suddenly still and stared at him with widening eyes before her shoulders jiggled. ‘Can you teach me?’

‘To drive?’

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