To have and to loathe

• 𝐂hapter 20

    As we walked through the marbled hallway and entered our room, my jaw dropped. Holy, It was spacious and beautiful and moderately designed.

  The downside, however, was that I was going to be sharing it with Killian.

    I stared at the bed. The knowledge we'd be squished together rattled my nerves. It took only his lips on mine to shake me. What if I rolled over in my sleep and my fingers accidentally touched something? What if he decided to rile me up by flirting in bed? What if he was a naked sleeper?

    Irritation bit me from the ridiculous situation and the realization that it couldn't be helped. We needed to keep the guise going and I couldn't afford any room for slip-ups.

    Once the helpers were done and they'd left, I turned to him. "We might be sharing this room but I'm not sharing a bed with you."

    He turned, peeling off the first piece of his suit. "I don't bite, Hope. Well, not unless you want me to."

    I rolled my eyes. "I'll sleep on the couch."

       "You're pregnant. I will not let you sleep on the couch."

       "Then will you?"

       "I'm not that much of a gentleman either, and it'll look suspicious when the helpers come in tomorrow and find me on the couch. We'll both share the bed."

    I bit my lip, unconvinced.

       "I have no intentions of touching you Hope, not when you're very much fragile." He looked sincere. Was he though?

       "Fine." I conceded.

    A tiny frown marred his brow. "Fine."

    For dinner, when we filed down the stairs and emerged in the dining hall, Killian placed his arm in the small of my back and pulled me close—too close. I drew in a deep breath. My heart pounded in my chest when he didn't move away for several seconds. He smelled sinfully good. Body wash maybe? I remembered him emerging from the bathroom wet and glistening, still unshaven, with just a towel around his waist, and there I was, staring like a kid seeing a unicorn for the first time.

       "You're fidgeting." He whispered into my ear. "You have nothing to worry about, just act natural, okay?"

    His voice was calm and soothing. I swallowed a heavy lump in my throat and nodded, just about when he broke away to hug the woman who then approached us. 

       "You're looking so good, Killian." She mused, holding him in the tightest embrace and when she pulled away, she turned to me,  those huge sets of indigo eyes auditing me. "And you must be the lucky bride."

    I smiled tentatively, unsure of what to expect. "Yes, I am. It's a pleasure to meet you."

    A genuine smile stretched over her mouth as she looked at her Killian and then back to me. "Welcome to the family. I'm Gwendolyn, Gwen for short. You did my brother good. He isn't an easy man to love." She wrapped me tightly in a hug and I returned the embrace.