He hadn’t meant to tease her, but it was so much fun he couldn’t seem to help himself. He reached for her, gently putting his hands on her waist, and she jumped.

So much bravado, but she was scared, and the knowledge made him soften toward her. This couldn’t be easy. While he’d been hired for a job, this was her real life, and sympathy made him long to help her.

He dipped his head. She was considerably shorter than him, and her body leaned against his as she went up on her tiptoes to reach his mouth. That scent of flowers was back, mixing with something sweet, and his lips touched hers. Her awkwardness felt to Matteo like the nervousness of an inexperienced, tentative lover.

She kisses like a virgin.

Blood surged to his cock at the thought. Of course she was not a virgin. She was a mother, for Christ’s sake. A breastfeeding mother with lush, full tits that had turned him on the moment he walked in the room and realized she was nursing.

Don’t be a pervert.

He lifted his head just slightly, enough to break their kiss, but her eyes blinked open and he saw desire there. She wanted him to kiss her again.

Matteo froze.

If he did, it would affect their relationship for the whole time he was here. This was a job, after all, and it wouldn’t be right for him to go beyond what was required.

But he couldn’t seem to make himself step back. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson and she dropped her head.

His hand was at her neck, tilting her face back up to him before he could stop it. She leaned into him again and his mouth captured hers.

He moved slowly, tasting the sweetness of her full lips as his hand stroked her back.

The air in the room shifted, this moment suddenly changing from an impersonal experiment to a highly personal embrace. They weren’t practicing anymore. He was a man and she was a woman and they were kissing because they wanted to be kissing.

God, she felt so good.

He should pull back. He knew it clearly, like he was standing on the edge of a high cliff, considering the fall that was possible if he persisted. He lifted his mouth and rested his forehead against hers, knowing he shouldn’t continue but not wanting to stop.

A knock sounded at the door and he met her eyes. She ducked under his arm to answer it, and he turned reluctantly around. A butler stood on the other side, holding up a suit and tie on a hanger. “I’ve brought Mr. Matteo’s things for the reception, Miss Grace.”

“Take them to his room, please,” she said.

The butler looked from Grace to Matteo and back. “But this is his room, madam.”

Jesus, I’m sharing a room with her.

He tucked his hands in his pockets. How the fuck was he going to keep his hands off her for three months? He’d only been here a day and they’d already been making out hot and heavy.

The butler cleared his throat.

Matteo walked to him and took the hanger, thanking him before shutting the door and turning to Grace. “I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding.”

Her cheeks were red and she shook her head. “No, it isn’t. That son of a bitch expects us to share a room.” She stormed to the phone, picked it up, and dialed. “How could you?” she snapped. “This was not part of our agreement. The wedding reception is bad enough, but you expect this man to share my room with me? Share my bed?”

The irony struck Matteo. Wasn’t that exactly what he’d just been thinking? His stare fell to the floor, unfocused. He was grateful for the interruption. He had to do better going forward, had to stay out of that situation and control his reaction to this woman.

He was a SEAL, for God’s sake. Willpower shouldn’t be a problem.

She hung up the phone, letting it slam into its cradle and sitting eerily still.

“What did he say?” he asked.

She didn’t answer for a long moment. “That I made my bed, and I must lie in it.”

The insensitivity in that response shocked him. How bad was the relationship between father and daughter if that was how he treated her? “You two don’t get along very well.”

“You’re very observant.”

Prickly. She was prickly. He pretended not to notice. “It must be hard.”

“And the fact that I’m here, under my father’s roof again when I never thought I’d be back—ever—is the worst kind of salt for my wounds. He hates me.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Why else would he do the things he does? I understand the necessity of me being married. I get that. But forcing you to share a room with me? There’s no reason for him to put me in that situation unless he wants to punish me.”

“Grace, I won’t do anything to make you uncomfortable. What just happened between us doesn’t have to happen again.”

Unless you want it to.

He didn’t say the words that his mind was screaming for him to add.

“That was a mistake,” she said, covering her face. “I’m so embarrassed.”

He walked toward her. “Don’t be. It’s my fault. It was my idea and I got carried away.”

“It felt good to forget about my problems for a second. To feel something besides awful.” She shot him a sideways glance. “It’s nothing personal.”

They didn’t even know each other. Of course it wasn’t personal. So why did her comment make him want to show her just how personal it could be?

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I think it would be best if we leave each other alone as much as possible.”

“I disagree. This whole situation would be easier if you and I were friends. If we could trust each other and get along well, it would go a long way toward making the next three months easier on both of us.”

“You don’t get it, do you? You work for him. He will exploit that and he will use it to his advantage in any way possible. You are nothing more to him than a well-paid spy.”

The idea that Vasile might treat his own daughter so horribly was appalling. Either Grace was out of her mind, wrongfully convinced of the lengths her father would go to, or the man had no sense of right and wrong where his daughter was concerned. Both of those possibilities were disturbing.

“I’m also your husband.”

She laughed out loud. “You’re kidding now, right?”

He took in her features, from her angry green eyes to her patrician nose and the posture that spoke of long nights with her infant son. “I know we’re not really in a relationship, but we are legally married. And in the Church. I don’t take that lightly. You and I may not be a traditional husband and wife, but you have my loyalty, no matter what your father may expect.”

Her lips parted and her eyes seemed to be searching his for the truth. She was so beautiful, even more beautiful than he’d noticed before, and he wanted her trust. Was prepared to earn it.

“You mean that?”

“SEAL’s honor.”

“All right then. We’ll be friends.” She held out her hand and he shook it. “I need to lie down for a while,” she said. “See if I can wrap my head around this mess before we get paraded around like prized cattle.”

“Fine. I’ll give you some space.”