“And what if I wanted to get married one day?”
“But you said we’re not married.”
“You didn’t know that.”
“Well, I would have done something about it eventually. I just didn’t think there was any hurry. What difference does it make to you, Lucas? Why can’t you just let me pretend to get a divorce? That would solve everything. I swear you’ll never have to be bothered with me again, never have to see me again.”
His eyes narrowed. Never see her again?
“If you want a divorce, Sharisse, you’re going to have to marry me again.”
“But that’s ridiculous!”
“Take it or leave it,” he replied curtly.
“But, Lucas, it doesn’t make any sense to go through all that trouble if we don’t have to.”
“I’m through with pretense. We either do it my way, or I’ll be honest enough to admit to that crowd in there that I’m not your husband.”
“Don’t!”
“Well?”
“Oh, all right then, Lucas, but I swear you’re crazy.”
“Maybe I am.” He smiled engagingly, infuriating her further. “I’ll pick you up in the morning, around ten. Be ready. And don’t worry, no one will have to know that you’re marrying me again just so you can divorce me. It’s only the divorce that will have to be made public.”
“You’re being very unreasonable,” she said stoutly, “but you never were a reasonable man, Lucas.”
“I’m just tying up loose ends, beautiful. You can’t object to that.”
She didn’t know what he meant by that and she didn’t ask. She was suddenly exhausted.
“I don’t think I’ll return to the party,” he said. “You can make my excuses for me. I don’t care for the idle chitchat of parties. We seafaring men don’t, you know.” She blushed at the reminder, and he asked, “Was that necessary, making me a ship’s captain?”
“It seemed appropriate for a husband who was never around,” she said tartly.
“Well, I suppose we can always say I’ve given up the sea.”
His grin enraged her. “You can say anything you want—as I’m sure you will. You always do.”
She turned in a huff and left, and he stood there grinning as he watched her march away.
Forty-one
Sharisse dressed sedately in a cashmere dress of cobalt blue with a matching cape. Nothing fancy for this ludicrous outing.
Lucas arrived on time, and she didn’t even give him a chance to get out of his carriage, but hurried out to meet him. He was amused by that.
“One might think you were eager to see me,” he commented as he pulled her inside beside him.
“I just didn’t want you meeting my father,” she said crossly.
“But I was so looking forward to that. You’ve said how alike your father and I are. Didn’t you tell him about our getting married again?”
“Certainly not. You did say no one would have to know,” she reminded him.
“So I did,” he sighed.
