Not even a little bit.
“I know a lot of businesses. I’ve been to the store before.”
“You need to tell me about all the women you were engaged to over the years. At some point, I might run into one of them and that will be terribly awkward.”
“I’ve never been engaged.”
The news did shock me. “You’re serious.”
“You don’t lie about something like that. I never found the right woman.”
“Hmmm… Okay, what about long-term girlfriends. Not just fuck buddies.”
“Fuck buddies?” he asked just before turning into a parking lot.
“You know exactly what that is. You hook up for a few nights and go your separate ways.”
As he pulled into a parking spot, his eyebrows furrowed. “Okay. I see your point. I’ve never had a long-term girlfriend. Unless you consider the girl I dated on and off in college long term, but we weren’t exclusive.”
“Wait. You’re what, fifty?” Then who was Caroline? The need to ask him was strong, the words right on my tongue. If I did, I knew it would kill the moment and I had to admit I was enjoying the time.
He threw me a look before sliding the gear into park.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I know. You’re thirty-nine. I still find it crazy that you’ve never had a real girlfriend.”
“For the same reason I needed to find a service to secure a wife.”
“Oh. You didn’t want them robbing you blind.”
His chuckle was way too dark and delicious. “Something like that. Just enjoy this. It’s not meant to be painful.”
“You mean like going to the dentist for a root canal.”
As soon as he unfastened his seatbelt, he leaned over. “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a complete buzzkill?”
“Me? A buzzkill? I’m the life of a party.”
“Uh-huh.”
I threw off the seatbelt, my stomach queasy. This wasn’t going to be easy and there truly was no real reason why. He was rich. We were together. Kind of. I deserved to wear a beautiful bauble on my hand. Right? “One question.”
“I expect there will be more than one. What is it?”
I licked my lips since I knew he watched every time I did. “Do I get to keep the ring in the divorce?”
His eyebrow arched and with the way the light breeze was tousling his hair, the backdrop of the setting sun behind us, he was exactly as Amelia had described him.
Swoonable.
Lucky girl me.
“Maybe if you’re a good girl,” he growled, pressing his hand against the small of my back. So possessive. So authoritative.
I allowed him to guide me to the entrance, even though I hesitated at the door.
“You’re not going to pass out on me. Are you?” he asked, whispering the words in my ear. His retaliation for me licking my lips.
“I can handle it. I mean since I can handle you, I think I can deal with anything.”
