Page 67 of Shattered Hearts
“What do you mean, you don’t want to marry her?” Riley’s gobsmacked by this, which means she, like all the men in the Gallagher clan, finds it unbelievable that I’m not drooling over Harper Brennan. “Why not?”
For starters, the idea of taking another wife makes me want to claw my own eyes out.
I shrug one shoulder. “Your sister’s not my type.”
“She’s everyone’s type.” If the circumstances were different, I’d laugh at Riley’s indelicate snort. “She’s bubbly, exciting, fun. Do you have an aversion to blonds or something?”
Despite my foul mood, my lips twitch. “No, I don’t have an aversion to blonds.” Hell, Riley’s blond too. They’re identical. Both beautiful women. But with Riley, I feel like I’m fucking soaring, and Harper…well, I don’t feel anything for her.
“So you don’t…I mean, you’re not…in love with her or anything?” Riley’s face pinkens again.
I can honestly say I never expected we’d be havingthisconversation tonight, though I’m starting to realize the importance of it.
I sit up straighter when I realize how my relationship with Riley pans out from here depends a lot on this conversation. “In love with her? I hardly know her.”
She swallows, and I’m struck by the sudden urge to lick her throat. “You’ve been engaged for months.”
“I can count all the times we’ve been in the same room together on one hand.”
“Okay, well,” Riley pinches that necklace she’s always wearing, “I know it’s an arranged marriage. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t love her or at least aren’t…attracted to her. Crazier things have happened.”
“I swear, Riley, I am not in the slightest bit attracted to your sister. And I’m pretty certain she doesn’t have feelings for me either.”
The waiter walks by, and I stop him to ask for a new spoon. After he comes back with the replacement, I level Riley with my gaze.
Her expression remains skeptical, and I need her to believe the truth in my words.
“One day, my dad comes to me and says he and Thomas have made a mutually beneficial arrangement. That my marriageto Harper will hopefully produce an heir and eliminate any potential problems of marrying an outsider.” I scoop up a bite of my pie, taking a moment to collect my thoughts as I chew. “This…arrangement made both of our fathers happy, so I went along with it.”
Riley hits me with the trickiest question yet. “And when she comes back…you’re still going to marry her?”
Ouch. “I think the better question is whether Harper has any plans to marry me.”
Riley frowns as if that reply doesn’t please her. She presses her lips together, hesitating. “Last one.”
I roll my eyes. “Doubt it.”
She ignores my remark. “Have you…not that it’s any of my business, but…”
“Spit it out. I’m not going to bite.”
Not that I’d be opposed to biting her. Just not here, in the middle of a public café.
She flushes, and I want nothing more than to explore just how far that rosy blush goes. “Have you…you know…been with a lot of women since your last wife?”
My eyebrows fly up my forehead.
Didn’t see that one coming.
“I haven’t slept with any womensince Brianne died. Haven’t wanted to.”
Except for you.
Riley startles. “Oh.”
My answer means something to her. I’m just not sure what. “I think it’s my turn to ask the questions.”
She twists the edge of her napkin. “Okay.”