Page 5 of Suit

Fiddling with the long sleeves of my lace gown, my mind flashes back to how my father reacted when I told him I didn’t want to marry Suit.

I don’t want to live a life like that anymore.

Suit parks the car, gets out, walks around to my door, opens it, and helps me out. When his hand touches mine, warmth spreads down my arm. “I’ve sent two prospects to your house to get your belongings.”

“Thank you,” I reply.

He puts his hand on the small of my back, leading me inside the huge two-story building. We walk down a long hallway and then head up a staircase. When I take too long because I’m trying to lift my mermaid dress, Suit turns back and helps me, lifting the back of the dress so I can walk more easily.

We turn left and stop at the fourth door on the right. “This is your room. You can lock it from the inside and outside, and you have your own bathroom.” We step inside, and he turns on the light. The bedroom has a king-size bed, television, and closet. “I know it’s probably not what you’re used to, but when we move, your room will be nicer.”

“It’s fine,” I say. I don’t need a fancy room or expensive things. The things I really want are the kind money can’t buy, but I don’t think I’ll find them here either.

He rubs the back of his neck, clearly unsure what to do with me.

I don’t know what to do either. Are we meant to sleep together now or wait until tonight?

I decide to be blunt and ask. “When do you want to…” Okay, maybe I’m not as brave as I thought.

“Want to what?” he asks, leaning against the doorframe.

“Consummate the marriage.”

His slate-gray eyes widen, and then his brow slowly furrows.

When he says nothing, I continue. “My father said that we had to…”

He closes the door behind him and walks me backward until my legs hit the bed. “Sit, Elena.”

I do as I’m told, and he sits next to me. “I know in your world you have certain… rules. But things are different here. No one will check if we’ve consummated this marriage. It’s no one’s fucking business, and…” He trails off, then stares at me for a moment. “This marriage is going to be in name only. We aren’t going to sleep together. I know you don’t want this either.”

Wow.

I knew he wasn’t attracted to me, being so nerdy and all, but I didn’t think he would turn down sleeping with me.

I didn’t even know men turned down sex. Men in my world would love to brag about sleeping with a virgin, especially one who is a cousin to the Pakhan.

But Suit doesn’t want me. He made it clear the first time I met him, and he’s making it even clearer right now.

“In name only,” I repeat, swallowing hard. “So, what am I to do while I’m here?”

“Whatever you like. Read books, go shopping. Find a hobby.” He shrugs, standing up and loosening his tie. “I’ll let you get changed.”

He leaves for a few minutes, then returns with a T-shirt and some sweatpants. “I’m going to head down to the bar and get a drink. Feel free to join us.”

Before he can leave, I stand up and ask, “Wait, can you please unbutton my dress for me?”

He stills and then turns back toward me. I quickly give him my back so I don’t have to look at his face.

He takes a deep breath and then starts to undo the tiny buttons that go all the way from my neck to my lower back. His fingers are quick, sure, and experienced. A shiver goes down my spine, my nipples hardening at his touch. Apparently, my body doesn’t understand his rejection like my mind does.

“Would you have wanted to make love with my sister?” I can’t help but ask.

His fingers still. “No.”

Relief fills me. Maybe it’s not just me he dislikes so much.

“But I would have fucked her.”