He scoffed again. “You expect menotto have sex for three months?”
His virility spoke before a woman even noticed his handsome face, and I relented. “Fine. Just be discreet.”
Canaan propped his free hand on the wall next to my head, partially caging me in, drawing us close again. He lowered his voice. “You want me to fuck another woman when you’re in my bedeverynight?”
Determined not to melt at his every sensual move, I lifted my chin stubbornly. “You can do whatever you want because I’mnotsleeping in your bed every night.”
He countered, “Well, youcan’tdo whatever you want. I’ll ruin you if I catch one whiff that you’ve been with another man. And youwillsleep in my bed, but I’ll never force myself or expect sex. We’re about to be scrutinized left and right. People will study how we interact in public, and we have no idea who’s watching us when we think we’re alone. I usually travel with a crew and staff. Information is leaked all the time, despite the nondisclosures everyone has to sign. I wouldn’t even talk here if I hadn’t checked this room for cameras or bugs before we entered.”
I crossed my arms tightly. “No other people then. And when it’s time, we walk away from each other.”
He finally placed the empty bottle on a nearby table before both arms trapped me. “This is going to be fun. You think you can deny me when I really want it?”
“I can, and I will. Celibacy might do both of us good.” I met his flirty gaze defiantly.
Canaan’s head roared back with laughter. “Kens, you were about to let me do whatever I wanted to your hot body a few minutes ago, and now you’re telling me that in one of the sexiest cities in the world, you can resist me forthreemonths?”
“Bet.” I ignored how my heart warmed at the shortening of my name by pressing my lips against his teasingly. When he tried to deepen the kiss, I ducked under his arms. “Wanted one last kiss.” I winked, took his hand, and pulled him back toward the door.
He snuck a slow kiss on my bare shoulder, and pleasure shot straight to my core. “All’s fair, right? I wanted one last kiss too.”
I shut my eyes and prayed silently for strength and that the next three months in close confines with Canaan wouldn’t drive me mad.
Chapter 7
Kensie
“Oh my freaking jeez,” Saraj howled when I finally returned to my suite after more pics of the “happy couple” and celebrations and told him what happened. “Not only does he have no problem pretending, but he also announced to the world that you were engaged? And you’ll live together in Miami forthreemonths while he trains for his first F1 race. I couldn’t imagine this scenario in my wildest dreams. I only have one question.”
“What? I told you everything.” Too tired to undress, I kicked off my sandals and collapsed on the bed.
“Why are you calling me? Your future billionairehusbandjust accomplished a huge feat today. It’s rare for a NASCAR driver to be eligible for a Formula One race, and even rarer when it’s aBlackman, because we usually don’t have the money to compete. You should be congratulating him the way only you can.”
“That’s the thing. We agreed to refrain from sex to keep it simple.”
“Why in the hell would you do that?” He paused. “It must be your idea. So afraid of a little heartbreak, you won’t allow yourself a chance to be happy.”
“I am happy. Ugh . . . Tired of hearing that a woman can’t be happy without a man.” I covered my head with my forearm.
“No one can be truly happy without love. Can you learn to live without it and be content? Of course. But why, when it feels so good? I saw how you looked at each other at the restaurant. I’ve lost count of how many times I watched the video . . . and watched it for him.” He snickered. “Not you. You can feel the chemistry between you even through the screen. You have that fire, and pretending otherwise will only make you want each other more.”
My stomach clenched at the hunger I’d seen in Canaan’s eyes, even when he seemed angry with me. I groaned, “Or remind me that Canaan is a handsome, rich, charming, and talented man used to having his way with women. The type who will disregard me once he finds a new toy to manipulate in ways he can’t do with me.”
“Even if he isthatguy, what’s so wrong with enjoying the moment? All you do is talk about wanting to be with men who don’t want commitment, andding dingding. . . Canaan isthatman with more frills than any man you know. Just admit you’re afraid to love him. That you’re probably halfway there if not all the way there.”
I pushed to sit up and shouted, “I rebuke that. No way am I in love with him.”
Saraj scoffed. “Shouting it doesn’t make your words true.”
Falling back on the bed, I chuckled and admitted softly, “He’s like no man I’ve ever known. He’s so damn seductive, like a vampire slowly reeling me in for the kill. Just one day in his world, and I’m emotionally drained. Between the party, pics, questions about our relationship, and the soulful looks he gives me, like we are real, messes with my head. I needed this quiet.” I rolled onto my stomach and put the phone on speaker. “Saraj, I could’ve sworn he had no clue about the video when I first saw him. He only seemed surprised to see me. Then later, he made it clear he’d seen it. I think his joy at winning pushed his temper aside. He says he trusts I didn’t leak the video. However, I suspect it will come up again sooner or later, once everything settles down and he has had time to process. He knew you were my friend, so I don’t know if he guessed or did some digging. I don’t know what he will think if he knows you have anything to do with my career.” I took a deep breath to release the nagging thought. “Did you leak the video?”
“Um . . . You told me you did nothing but talk to Canaan, remember? Why would I think there was something to leak? It was probably some worker who saw you and him and made some nice coins,” Saraj replied. “I should be mad that you would think I would ever do that to you, but I get why you ask.”
Relief sank me deeper into the mattress. “Good. It’s bad enough I’m not that close to Emme anymore. I don’t want to lose you too.”
“You’re stuck with me,” Saraj reassured me. “And you have three months to ask him if he has some investigator and if he really trusts you.” Saraj paused again before asking, “So, you really left him alone on his victory night? Maybe your no-sex rule begins once you make it to Miami?”
“He still had more interviews, so he told me to get rest and that he would call me in the morning. He’s probably going to celebrate more with his crew. Crap.” I popped up again in bed.
