“Hmmm…”
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
I let out an exasperate breath. “Just say it.”
“Is he going to hire escorts to take care of his needs while you’re married?”
“No. He promised he wouldn’t. And as strange as it sounds, I believe he’ll keep his word.”
Keira bursts out laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“You two are going to kill each other,” she says. “All that pent-up sexual energy.”
I roll my eyes. “You must be drinking the same Kool-Aid as Phoenix. Like I told him, I’m good. Thank you very much.”
“So, you’re not going to visit Dark Compulsion?”
“What’s the point? It’s not like anything is going to happen between Phoenix and me, and it’s not like I’m going to get down and kinky with other men.”
“Point taken.” She pretends to drop the subject, but I know her better than that. “You’re not even curious a little bit?”
I am, but I’m unwilling to admit it.“This is a business deal.”
“Why can’t it come with benefits?”
“Keira, I’m carrying a lot on my shoulders as it is,” I say. “My father bestowed on me the responsibility of saving a legacy that was started four generations ago. He made a string of bad decisions, and I’m the only one capable of digging us out of this colossal mess. Addingbenefitsto the mix is going to fuck with my head. I can’t afford that. I refuse to give Phoenix more than I have to.”
Banging a sexy as fuck man with a kinky streak sounds like fun and games until someone gets hurt. I’ll pass.
“You’re right,” Keira says and moves her attention to her wine glass. She circles a manicured finger over the rim in a deliberate slow motion, eyeing me from under her long eyelashes.
“What now?”
“You have a lot more willpower than I do,” she says. “I was throwing myself at Rhys when I moved in with him.”
“You two go way back. I’m marrying a stranger.”
“Youaremarrying him?” Her grin is epic.
My jaw ticks. “As infuriating as he is, King Kong Tycoon is my only lifeline. I disagree with the way Daddy went about doing things. This reads like the plot of a bad mail-order-bride-slash-pioneer-frontier romance from two centuries ago.”
“At least you lassoed a good one.”
I giggle. “Yeah. My father spared me on that front. I could’ve ended up with a hideous man with a severe case of halitosis, body odor issues, an ugly wart on his forehead, hairy knuckles—and back—and scary looking unkempt feet.”
I don’t have to see Phoenix’s feet to know they must be as good looking as the rest of him.
“Okay, that’s hilarious,” Keira says.
“Beggars can’t be choosers.”
“That is true. I guess your dad did right by you. Phoenix König is Prince Charming compared to your unappealing description.”
“Even though there won’t be anything hot and heavy going on between us, Phoenix is easy on the eye.” And from the flutter of excitement between my legs, I have no doubt he would be easy on the pussy. I’ll never know.
