Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“I have a better question. What are you doing here?”
Guilt tried to burrow into my chest, but I shoved it aside. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I’d never promised some loving marriage with me being home for dinner every night. I’d only ever promised sex and ensuring she got the last five percent of her company when the time came.
I met her placid expression with one of my own and gestured to Rose and Corbin, who were talking to others. “I’m visiting friends.”
“And watching other women,” she uttered under her breath, surveying the room.
“I didn’t know watching was against the rules of our arrangement.” I dropped my attention to my glass as I swirled the contents, trying to work through the mix of emotions. Part of me liked her apparent jealousy, but I also needed to remind both of us about the expectations I’d clearly stated when we first started.
Her lengthy pause had me wondering if maybe I wasn’t the only one struggling to remain on stable ground.
“It’s not, but maybe you could afford me the common courtesy of letting me know. Maybe—” A challenging tone chilled her words, and I braced myself. “I want to watch, too.”
I whipped wide eyes to her, my jaw clenched tight, unable to stop the gut reaction. The thought of her watching another man without me—of finding pleasure from someone else—sent a flood of testosterone through my veins, urging me to throw her over my shoulder and carry her away like some caveman.
The slow smirk curving her lips urged me to rein in my baser instincts.
Unwilling to give her room to question my reaction and what it revealed, I shifted the spotlight to her actions. “So, what? Is hunting me down something I should expect in our marriage?”
“No,” she scoffed, fumbling under the unexpected shift. Again, I wondered if I wasn’t the only one struggling to act without revealing too much. “I wanted to ask why you rescheduled tomorrow’s interview. Again.”
I cocked a brow, staring blankly. “You could ask me that any time.”
“Really? Because I’ve barely seen you. Which is impressive since we live together.”
“You can always reach me through email,” I offered, my tone bored.
Her eyes flared wide and angry. “We freaking live together, Lucian. I am not emailing to talk to my fiancé.”
“I’ve been busy with work, and my work comes first.”
“I know that,” she practically growled.
Once upon a time, I craved breaking past her cool façade. Now, it only increased the knots tightening my stomach.
She wasn’t just angry—she was hurt, and that was dangerous.
Because hurt implied expectation.
Expectation implied she wanted more.
And more was the one thing I could not give.
The air shifted between us—thick with everything we said we didn’t want. Everything we agreed this would never be.
If she thought that conversation about who I used to want to be meant something had changed—
It had, and that was the problem.
Both of us were responsible for blurring the lines until they were barely visible.
But I would have to be the one to redraw them.
I straightened, letting the old version of myself slide back into place. Controlled. Detached. Untouchable.
“Really?” I asked cooly. “Because I’m thinking, after I discussed who I used to want to be, you have some notion about that being who I am now.” My tone hardened. “It’s not. I’ve been up-front and honest about that from the beginning, and you agreed.”
“I know that,” she repeated behind clenched teeth. She looked away, but not before I caught the flare of hurt in her golden eyes.
“Good.” I forced myself to ignore it, taking another drink. “So, how did you get in, anyway?”
“Me.” Rose walked up to the table, eyeing me like she knew I was being an asshole to Aspen and didn’t like it. But that was too bad because I didn’t like her letting in non-members as guests whom I was trying to avoid, making nowhere safe to hide.
I’d visited Grace and Felix, but they kept asking about Aspen and why she wasn’t with me. I went to my home office, but the scent of her spicy vanilla musk permeated under the door, taunting me.
Now she was here.
“I know Corbin loves it when I surprise him at the club,” Rose stated, her eyes unapologetic.
“I sure do,” Corbin agreed from her side, meeting her heated smile with one of his own.
Everyone ignored my irritated scowl and sat, talking as if we’d planned a couple’s date. At least Aspen mostly talked to Rose while Corbin and I discussed our businesses. Not that it mattered, because I was hyperaware of her every move, her scent, her…everything.
She laughed, and goosebumps rose on my skin as if trying to reach across the space. She crossed her legs, and my hand twitched with the need to rest against her thigh—anything to touch her. She brushed her hair aside, and my mouth watered with the desire to run my tongue along her neck.