What the hell?
I shake myself mentally. I must’ve seen it wrong. Or she’s doing an awfully good job of faking it, damn her.
“You also won’t be moving into my place. I don’t let justanybodycome into my home,” I add.
She nods. “Particular—and private—about where you live, are you?”
“Yes. Very.”
“Aren’t you at the Aylster Residence?” Her tone says,It’s just a hotel, not a real home.
The fact that she knows where I live further stokes my annoyance. The Aylster Residence comprises the residential penthouse units at the Aylster Hotel. I like it because it has its own entrance, comes fully furnished, and the hotel provides housekeeping. I can also use their room service twenty-four seven, which is convenient, since I don’t cook. “I am, and I don’t want you invading my space. You’ve done enough already.” I look at her, then flick my gaze around the office.
I wait for her to pout, complain, whine—something to indicate she’s unhappy with my terms.
“We can live at my place, then. It’s plenty big enough,” she says calmly, like a normal, well-adjusted adult.
I don’t trust that façade. Not even a little. “I don’t like orgy pads.”
“Oh, no orgies lately. These days it’s just a drug den.” She shrugs with a small smile.
“Like that’sbetter?”
She laughs. “I’m joking. Loosen up.”
Did that little witch just tell me to “loosen up”? “Iwasloose. And happy, and pleased with my life. Until you showed up with your ridiculous contract.”
“I don’t really—”
“You know why they call it a ‘contract’? Because that’s what it makes your sphincter do.Contract.”
“Look, I’ll let you have all the private space you need, including your own bedroom. But I can’t just disregard the contract, so we’ll have to deal.”
We’ll have to deal, my ass. It’smewho has to deal with this bullshit. “You don’t have objections to anything I said about the wedding or the living arrangements?”
“If us having a quiet civil ceremony is what’s going to make you happy, I don’t want to argue about it. And it isn’t important to me where we live, as long as it’s comfortable and reasonably large.”
Huh.Reluctant respect ripples through me. This woman is willing to forgo some minor things to get what she really wants. It’s too bad she has her sights set on me for some reason. If it weren’t for that, we might’ve been inoffensive acquaintances.
But she’s decided to screw with my life behind my back, so we’ll never be anything but enemies now. She might think I’ll be a husband who won’t backstab her, but I’m not going to let it go.
Let’s see if there are some other buttons to push.“What about sex? You didn’t put specifics into the contract.” But the second the words leave my mouth, I regret them. She’s probably fucked a donkey for the hell of it by now. She won’t bat an eye discussing sex with her would-be husband.
Her mouth parts for a moment. She drops her gaze to my lips, then abruptly lifts it back up, like she’s just realized what she’s done.
Aha. A first crack in her composure.
“We’ll do it if we feel like it. We’re both adults.” Her tone is like over-buffed marble.
A corner of my mouth quirks up. “Babies?”
“No.”
“I’m glad we’re in agreement,” I say, enjoying her reaction and wondering what she’s thinking. Is she flustered? Does she think she’s too young to have a child? Or does she have more traitorous plans for my life, and kids would get in the way? “I’ve always wanted to have a girl, but I don’t know if that’s a good outcome, considering.”
She frowns briefly, then smooths her expression. “Right.”
Next step.“And if I’m already in love with someone else?”
