Miles sets down his coffee cup and grins at me. “Just kidding. No, I haven’t.”
“You’re lucky I don’t have a violent nature,” I mutter as I pick up the papers again. “Here I was, feeling sorry for you and your tragic past…”
He grins at me. “Nothing like that. I have never found someone worth giving up my freedom for.”
“Will you feel locked in with this?”
He shrugs. “It’s not as if it’ll be arealmarriage, will it?”
“True. But we’ll at least beat Preston out of something.”
“Someday, I’ll find out what kind of mess he got my sister into that made her hate him so much.”
“When you find out, tell me because I’m curious too. Ainsley’s so nice. I can’t imagine being mean to her. I want to stick it to him as well.”
“Spoken like an older sibling.”
Something else we have in common. A protective feeling for our sisters.
I have to be sneaky—er, strategic—about my protectiveness, or Willa will balk against it.
I carefully write my Social Security number on the paper. “Are you and Ainsley planning an elaborate identity theft con with this?”
Miles lifts an eyebrow at that. “Oh, that reminds me.”
He walks around the island, and I feel the air shift behind me as he walks past. He turns the TV on in the living room and clicks on a new episode ofLove & Lies. “The new episode is already available.”
“Can you turn it up a little? I need to learn how to hide my millions in an offshore account,” I joke as the intro to the show starts, highlighting key embezzlement and tax evasion schemes. It’s fun to learn about crimes I’d never commit—not because of morals, but because of a lack of money.
“What do you want for dinner?” I ask as I stare at the fridge.
“I ordered us a pizza.”
“Oh good. I’ll send you some money.”
I pull my phone out of my pocket to open my cash app, but it’s snatched out of my hands. I thought Miles was still in theliving room, but here he is, standing next to me and slipping my phone into my back pocket. My breath catches as his fingers brush against me.
He steps back. “I’m paying for pizza. It’s the least I can do. We also need to talk about your rent.”
“All right…” I’m not sure what he wants to say about my rent. I’ve paid it on time. Maybe he wants to change the due date?
He turns to face me, leaning back against the counter and folding his arms across his chest. “You’re not paying rent.”
I stare at him in confusion. “Did the transaction not go through? I could have sworn there was enough money in my account.”
I reach for my phone, but Miles catches my wrist before I can grab it out of my pocket again.
“No, what I mean is, you’re not paying for rent anymore. We’re getting married. I’m not charging you rent.”
I laugh. “Miles, it’s not like we’re getting married for real. I’ll still pay you rent.”
“It’s legally binding. You’re not paying rent.” He gives me a stern look when I start to argue with him.
I stare at the hand encircling my wrist. “I’m definitely paying rent.”
“Don’t fight me on this—you won’t win.” His voice is low and threatening.
I reach backward and slam the fridge door shut, silencing the annoying beeping sound it was making.
