He noticed that she kept stirring the lemonade rather than drinking it.“Any particular reason?”he asked.
“The soaker tub.”
He looked at her.“And if you were more serious?”
She sighed.“My place is better for families, for entertaining.Your loft suits our lifestyle better.”
Connor nodded.
“And if the rumors about your prowess are true…”
He raised his eyebrows.
“Which I’m inclined to believe they are…” She gave a small smile that erased the uneasiness that had been bubbling.
“Go on.”
“Then two years is plenty of time for you to set plans in motion for BHI’s future, help my father see we need some restructuring.I’m not suggesting it won’t be a lot of work.But I’ve already seen what you can do when you focus your energy.”
“Well played,” he approved.
“As for addendum A—”
“The one outlining your role as my submissive.”
A pretty shade of pink stained her cheeks, and she swirled her straw before looking up at him.“I’m willing to agree to all of that in exchange for the two-year concession.”
“You drive a hard bargain.”
“Which means we have an agreement,” she said.
“I’ll send you a revised copy today.We can be married Friday afternoon.”
Slowly, she nodded.“I wondered about that time you had blocked off on your calendar.”
“For you.”Then he amended, “Us.”
“You’ll handle the arrangements?”
“If that’s what you want.If it’s important to you that you make the plans—”
“It’s not.”
He wondered how true that was.But her eyes gave nothing away.“I have a friend who’s a judge.We can go to his office.Or I’m sure he’ll be willing to meet at mine.”
“Let’s go to his.Fewer people that we may have to explain to.”
“As for witnesses?”
For long minutes, she toyed with her straw.He wondered belatedly if she’d even taken a sip.“I don’t want to invite anyone.”
Julien’s words about every woman wanting a wedding haunted him again.But then, he reminded himself, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t have a real one.Just not to him.
That thought brought him up short.The idea of her with someone else, looking forward to the future with another man, pissed him off, though rationally he knew it shouldn’t.“I’d like you to move in sooner, rather than later.”
“How soon?”
“Tonight.”
