“Look, I’m happy, all right. I’m fucking ecstatic. You’re fulfilling your contractual obligations, mostly,” she hissed, trying not to let anyone nearby hear their conversation.
“Mostly? What’s that supposed to mean?” he demanded, stunned.
“Well, to be perfectly honest, the ‘loved to near insanity in the bedroom part’ has been a little lacking in the last few days, if youknow what I mean. Not that I’m complaining, but you did bring it up.”
“And you’re missing that?” he asked grinning like a fool.
“Of course, I’m missing ‘that’, you ass! It’s incredible, even with your kinky little quirks.”
“Good.”
“Good? How the hell is that good?” she demanded, stopping in her tracks and turning to face him.
“It gives me an edge,” he answered, smiling.
“You already have all the edges,” she spat. “You have the money; you get to spank me whenever you want and apparently, now you want to deprive me of the main benefit of this relationship! How is that fair?”
“So the main benefit of the relationship, for you, is the love making and not the money?” he asked, biting his cheek to keep from crowing.
“Did I just say that?” she asked, stunned.
“Yes, I believe you did.”
“Well, that’s not exactly what I meant to say,” she backtracked, wondering how she’d lost control of this conversation. If he was going to dump her, he’d better get to it because as soon as she got her head screwed on straight, she was gonna beat him to it.
They’d stopped in front of a fountain and when she tried to tug him away he refused to budge.
“Susan do you know what we have that all the other ‘happy’ couples don’t?” he asked, forcing her to meet his eyes.
“No, I don’t but I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” she shot back.
“Yes, I am. A contract, that’s what we have.”
“I knew it, I damn well knew it,” she shouted, stomping her foot. “I knew you were trying to dump me sure as shit, and I still couldn’t beat you to it. You have no idea how much thatpisses me off,” she said, shoving at his chest and backing him up. “I have never been dumped in my life, Marcus McCarthy, and you’re not going to be the first,” she yelled, giving him a hard push that sent him right over the edge of the fountain into the water.
Marcus came up sputtering and cursing as Sue stood there with her hands over her mouth, horrified and wide-eyed at what she’d done. She wasn’t sure if she should help him or run like hell.
“Red,” he growled, slogging through the water and pulling himself over the edge. “Do you remember what happened the last time you caused me to get this wet and ruined my Rolex?” he demanded, advancing on her as he wiped the water off his face.
“Yes,” she whispered, backing up and covering her bottom with both hands.
Neither of them had any idea of the crowd of people they had attracted, nor of the officer making his way to them through the crowd.
“Well, that’s nothing compared to what you’re going to get for this little escapade,” he promised.
“I didn’t mean it,” she shouted back at him. “I didn’t know you were so close to the edge, really. And besides you were trying to dump me,” she wailed, hating the sound of the sob in her voice.
Marcus grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up until they were almost nose to nose, the toes of her shoes barely touching the concrete.
“I’m not trying to dump you, you red headed terror. I’m trying to ask you to marry me for God’s sake,” he roared.
“What?” she asked gulping.
“Miss, are you all right?” the officer asked. “Is this man bothering you?”
“Shut up, will you,” she ordered, pushing the cop away without even looking to see who it was.
“Now look here,” the voice began again until Susan turned and screamed at him.
