“Yes,” she pulls out a notebook from a bag I didn’t even see sitting there. I have to admit, I am impressed. She’s really thought this through, and her professionalism is cute, even ifshe did make up a stipulation clause in a college ruled notebook instead of on a computer.
I place my forearms on my desk and steeple my hands in front of me. “Let’s hear it.”
Amanda clears her throat, something I have learned she does when she is nervous. I bite back a smile.
“First of all, we are not in a relationship. This is strictly for the public only, and by public I mean anyone within Hardin Records walls.”
“I assumed as much. We are married.”
Amanda gives me a look, a pinch of her brattiness rising to the surface of her expression.
God how I’d love to punish that brattiness right out of her…
“Our marriage stays within the workplace as well. Which brings me to rule two. My sister, Kate, cannot know.”
“Kate was the blonde from Vegas, right?”
“Right.”
“And what is it we don’t want her knowing exactly?”
Amanda snorts out a laugh. “All of it. Any of it. The only thing I’ve told her is that I am still texting the guy from Vegas and I only told her that because she was on a mission to find me a boyfriend. And if you met the husband-to-be you’d quickly learn that the men Kate finds suitable are not my type.”
I lean in a little, my forearms flexing against my weight. Amanda must notice because her cheeks flush one shade of pink and she clears her throat again.
“And what is your type?”
“That’s not important,” she nearly whispers before gathering herself and moving on. “Number three. No sex.”
I literally have to make a physical effort not to react to that one. “What about kissing?”
Her eyes flicker up to mine. “What about it?”
“If we are going to pull this off, we have to be convincing, or Dad and Avery are going to think it’s all a ruse.”
“It is.”
“But they can’t know that. Which means we are going to have to kiss. A lot. And touch. A lot. And more, too…”
Amanda and I have locked eyes and her cheeks flush as her lips part.
Fuck me. I am toying with her on purpose but at the same time, it’s wrecking me too.
“More?” she asks breathily.
“People need to believe it’s real.”
“Right,” she nods, sitting up straight again. Her attempts to pretend the air in the room isn’t five times hotter than it was two minutes ago are precious. “So, kissing for the sake of face is permitted along with other over the clothes touching. But we will not be having sex.”
She looks at me.
I look at her.
She doesn’t waver.
And I smile, sitting back. “Whatever you want.” I can work on her later. “Anything else?”
“Yes. Once the contract is fulfilled and you have what you want, we get divorced, quietly and privately. I will still work for you, and you will be my boss, and the relationship will be strictly professional.”
