“This was the best honeymoon I’ve ever had,” I told Nash honestly as I lay in the bed, naked and wrapped in his arms. It was nice. Maybe a little too nice.

“Really? How many honeymoons have you been on, exactly?” His laughter came out deep and filled with amusement, vibrating against my ear deliciously.

“Just this one but unless my next husband is a billionaire, I’m pretty sure this is it.” Mostly because I wasn’t sure if I would ever get married again and even this one was nothing more than a fluke. I hadn’t had a serious boyfriend since I was nineteen and after the past few years, I was surprised I could even open up to Nash the way I had.

“A billionaire? A semi-known artist isn’t good enough for you?” His fingertips skated over my midsection and I drew in a breath before laughter exploded out of me. “That’s quite an upgrade.”

“Maybe that’s because my first husband was so great that only a billionaire would do. Don’t sell yourself short, Nash. You’re pretty great and based on the evil looks I was getting at the faux potluck, I’d say a pretty hot commodity around here.”

“Jealous, Vivi?”

“Maybe a little. I mean this is going to get weird, right? Like really weird, when its all over.” And just like that the tension was back, racing through my veins like it was the Indy 500. I didn’t want to think about any of this, and especially not the end of things for me and Nash. Yet I couldn’t seem to think of anything but that.

Nash was silent for so long that I thought maybe I’d already stepped in it and maybe I’d just freaked him out so we’d drive back to Belle Musique and he couldn’t get on with avoiding me for the rest of our lives. “It’s already weird Vivi, don’t you agree?”

“Well yeah, obviously. We were accidentally married and we’ve been having nonstop sex which is only making things more…complicated. But that’s not what I meant.”

His grip tightened around me and I was grateful when Nash changed our positions, spooning his body around mine so I could feel his warmth and safety without looking into those devastating blue eyes. “What do you mean, Vivi?”

“I mean this, clearly, but not just this. We’ve become good friends, Nash. Really good friends and after all this, I guess I’m wondering if we can go back to who we were before.” A long breath escaped as my words, my worries and my fears were finally put out there. Mostly.

“Why would we want to go back when things are so good, so right between us right now?”

Unasked question, answered succinctly. Nash wasn’t interested in anything more than what he had now. An accidental wife with plenty of hot sex on demand. “Okay. Got it.” Now I knew that any silly hopes that might be lingering in the deepest recesses of my mind were just that—silly. It was time to pour those thoughts into my book instead of trying to wedge them into my real life.

“You okay?” My eyes closed at the sound of his voice, deep with a hint of honeyed gravel that never failed to send a zip of electricity through me.

“I’m fine. Give me a free moment and my mind inevitably wanders to my current work in progress.” It wasn’t the whole truth but it was enough to appease Nash in the moment. “Now that you’ve worked up my appetite, I recall Genie said something about weekend brunch.” And what we both needed was a break from the bedroom acrobatics. His nearness and his mastery of my body was too much.

Too fucking much.

I jumped off the bed like the sheets were on fire and rushed into the bathroom, happy the town had splurged on the suite because I could get my head on straight when Nash wasn’t around.

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I knew. I wasn’t just crushing on Nash anymore. No, I loved him. I was in love with my accidental husband who was content with things the way they were. “I’m so screwed.” I could see all the signs staring back at me—wide, wild eyes that couldn’t stay on one thing, flushed skin and the fear burning inside my green eyes. It burned so hot there was no avoiding it. “I can’t be in love with Nash. I won’t be,” I amended and stepped into the shower, letting the shot spray of the shower wash away all the silly thoughts and longings.

If the past few years had taught me anything, it was that my life was best when it was solitary. More people meant more drama and more problems. More pain. And I was still full up from the last betrayal so, I didn’t have room for more.

Feeling resolved as a plan began to slide into place, I dried my hair and took extra time with my makeup before I stepped into the room, naked as my heart raced.

Thankfully, Nash was busy with a phone call and I got dressed and headed downstairs without being noticed.