“Yes.”
“Noooo…”
“If we’re married then…”
“You decided to tell people we were married,” he countered in a hoarse voice, obviously having something go down the wrong pipe. “That wasn’tmychoice.”
“They were pressuring you for a wife.”
“So?”
“Are you married?”
“No,” he hesitated and drew in a deep breath, clearing his throat once more. “Look, if we do this, then I agree with you that it needs to look real. I’m fine with the public displays of affection. I’m fine with having you on my arm in public… but sleeping together is crossing a line for me.”
She was quiet, her mind racing, because she did not want him to back out.
“What if,” she began nervously. “What if we slept together in one room without having sex – unless we felt like it, but…”
“But what?”
“But you have to say something to me every night… inthevoice.”
“The voice?”
“That husky, sultry, sexy voice that you used to answer the phone.”
He chuckled, obviously taken aback and shy, which only made him more endearing in that moment. Oh man, this might be the best idea she’s ever had… or the worst.
“So you want me to talk to you before bed – and we’re gonna keep things refined, polished, and innocent between two acquaintances.”
“Yes.”
“What's your final condition?” he asked warily.
She crossed her fingers, her toes, and frankly – anything that would cross on her as she closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.
“We actually try to make the best of this between us,” she carefully began. “Three months is a long time to be miserable or a very short time if we’re happy together. At the end, we sit down and talk about how to… divorce.”
“Agreed.”
“Really?”
“Yup. Agreed. What time can you meet me at the courthouse?”
Her eyes shot to the clock on the wall as it suddenly slammed into her that she was marrying the man of her freakin’ dreams today. This was every girl’s fantasy, and she was about to live it to the fullest… for the next three months.
Nothing was official until it was on paper, too. She was already out of bed, dressing, and ripping a hairbrush through her tangled hair as she raced around the room looking for clothing.
My mama didn’t raise no fool…
“I can be there in twenty minutes – with traffic.”
6
MARCUS
Today wasa day for the record books.
