Slowly, she unclenched her beautiful body from around me, and I was able to roll off of her and lay beside her instead. Both of us were flushed, practically glowing from the intensity of the pleasure that had rocked through us. I pulled her into my arms without even the slightest thought of protest.
She felt good there. She felt like she belonged there, and when she nuzzled her head into my chest, my heart did a strange little lurch. I suddenly found it much more difficult to breathe—and it had nothing to do with exertion.
“David,” she whispered, grinning at me, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling as she gazed at me. “Thank you.”
She was thanking me?
She had literally just thanked me for taking her virginity.
If she only knew just what I had in store for her …
“I wanted to talk to you,” Kaye suddenly said, as though she had just made up her mind about something. I arched an eyebrow and glanced down at her, draping my arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to me.
Those words had been known to worry even the bravest of men, but after what we had just shared, I didn’t feel like I had much to worry about. So I just smiled at her and nodded.
“The money. From your grandfather,” Kaye said abruptly, all of the words rushing out one after the other. “What happened to you wasn’t right.”
I frowned, looking at her thoughtfully. Was she actually going to do the right thing, and without me even needing to marry her and frame her for cheating? I was suddenly much more attentive, though I made sure to keep my body relaxed. I closed my eyes, pretending to be drowsy.
In truth, there wasn’t even a hint of sleep in my body. My adrenaline was pumping and my heart pounding, but I didn’t want her to know about those things. Maybe I was about to win this battle without firing a shot, but I didn’t want to assume anything.
So I stayed silent, and after a moment, Kaye continued on.
“I want to give you half of it.”
Half?
The one word echoed through my mind, teasing at it. The great and powerful Kaye, from her position of wealth and influence, wanted to take pity on me and give me half of what I actually deserved.
No way in hell. Why settle for a few billion when I could have twice that? Besides, I refused to see this settled because of some charity act on Saint Kaye’s part.
The money, this house, and all of the cars and the other properties that my grandfather had worked so hard for—I wasn’t going to give up half of what I was owed just because Kaye said so.
“No way.” I let the firmness of my conviction come out in every word I spoke. “I don’t want half of your money, Kaye.”
No. I wanted all of it, but I didn’t have to tell her that. I had learned a thing or two about Kaye. I knew she would take most things she was told in the best possible way. She was a bit of an optimist and seemed to trust me, at least.
She would think I meant I didn’t want any of the money, I was fairly sure. If I played this off right, it would only draw her closer to me and make her even more clueless to my bad intentions.
“Are you sure?” She rolled away from me and tilted her head as she gazed at me. “I won’t be offended if you do want it, you know. It’s a lot of money, but I also think it’s a link to your grandfather. I would hate to keep that from you.”
Well then don’t!
I didn’t say such a thing, of course, but I did think it. I deserved all of the money and all of the property. Everything. She was just some newcomer who had taken everything I deserved, and if she really was the sort of person she seemed to be, she would see that. My claim was better than hers—far better.
I wasn’t going to be bought off by half measures, damn it. Even if part of me did think I should just take the money, which would mean …what, exactly?
I would have no reason to woo her any longer. No reason to marry her. For some reason, those thoughts bothered me. The only reason I was allowing myself to marry her at all was because of this money.
No. It was just a bad idea all around. She was my enemy, as unfortunate as it was. I didn’t love her. I hated her for being given what I should have gotten all along.
Logically, of course, I knew it wasn’t her fault. My grandfather had made the choice, and it was really too bad Kaye had to suffer for it. But there was just no way I was going to accept the hand I’d been dealt.
“I’m sure. It’s not about the money,” I commented, and it really wasn’t. It was about what was right, and maybe sex had muddled my mind a bit, but now it was over. I still knew what the fair thing was, even if she didn’t.
The money was useful and it would help, but really, this was about righting a grievous wrong.
“Okay,” she said, and she smiled at me in a way that made my battered heart give a lurch in my chest. How did she keep doing these sorts of things to me? “I thought …I thought it was right to offer.”
“Thank you,” I replied, then folded her up in my arms again. I meant it, at least a little bit. She had no reason to think she needed to offer me anything, much less such a huge sum of money.
She really did think it was the right thing to do, and it was really just too bad. Fate, or whatever, had put us on opposite sides. Maybe she didn’t know it, but I did.
In another world, would we have had a chance?
Stupid thoughts. Pointless. I pushed them aside and focused on what mattered.
Kaye was mine. I should wait a few months, maybe, so I didn’t scare her off, but I knew her fate was inevitable. She had given herself to me, body, heart, and soul, and all I needed to do now was be just a little bit more patient.
“I love you,” Kaye whispered, just on the brink of sleep. This time, at least, I didn’t have to say it back.
Chapter 10
Kaye
I smiled to myself as I checked my makeup once more, running my fingers over the smooth satin of my brand-new dress. The jade green matched my eyes exactly and I had to admit, even just to myself, that I looked good.
It had been three months, to the day, since David and I had shared our very first night together. Three months since I had given myself to him completely, and I hadn’t regretted it for a single moment.
I had never dreamed that a man could be so attentive, so sexy, and so amazing in bed. David was the full package, and sometimes I found myself with the distinct urge to pinch my arm, just to make sure this whole thing wasn’t some sort of romantic dream.
If it was, though, I wasn’t sure I wanted to wake up from it.
David was taking me out and he’d told me I should dress up nicely for it. I actually appreciated how he warned me ahead of time, since I hadn’t always gone to very nice restaurants and was still somewhat out of my league.
I heard his car driving up and I gave myself one more look over from head to toe. No one looking at me would think I didn’t belong there, no matter where there was. I giggled at myself, utterly blissful.
When this crazy ride was going to end—or how—I had no idea, but I did know I was going to enjoy it while it lasted.
The restaurant was still gorgeous. David had taken me back to the trendy, adorable little place where we’d had our first date, and I loved it just as much as I had back then.
Once more, he pulled me into his arms, just like that first night, and we swayed to slow jazz together, so close I could feel his heart. It was beating fast for some reason, and though he seemed as calm as ever—just as pulled together and controlled—I could almost swear he was nervous.
When the song was over he pulled me back to the table, but instead of holding out my chair for me like the perfect gentleman he always was, he dropped to his knees in front of me and took one of my hands in his.
Maybe it sounds stupid, but at first, I didn’t know what he was doing. I figured he had just fallen or dropped something, and I started looking around to see if I could spot anything.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, and only looked back at him when he tugged my ha
nd to get my attention. For some reason, he wore a rather pained, if amused, expression on his face.
“You have no idea what’s going on, do you?” he asked, and I shook my head. I still didn’t get it, as ridiculous as it sounds. It never even occurred to me what could be happening.
“Kaye James,” David said, his tone oddly formal, even though he still had the familiar glint of mischief in his eye. Of course he did—he nearly always did.
“What?” I asked somewhat stupidly, while a slight smirk tugged at the corners of his luscious lips.
“Will you marry me?” As he spoke, he slid a small black box out of his pocket, opening it up to reveal a ring with a single diamond on it that was almost as big as a golf ball. Okay, so I’m exaggerating a little, but it almost felt like it.
“Oh my God,” I whispered. It had been, what, four months since I’d even first laid eyes on this guy? Something close to that, anyway. I stared down at the ring, which sparkled, sending refracted candlelight around in a shower of rainbow sparks.
He rose to his feet, still holding the box, then guided me into my seat. I sat and was glad for it, since my legs seemed more wobbly than usual. I dropped down gratefully and then turned to him, looking at him almost imploringly.
He couldn’t be serious.
“Before you answer, I need to talk to you about something.” He shot me a charming wink as he settled down in his seat as well. He placed the ring on the table between us, and I felt my eyes drawn back to it, over and over again.
It was beautiful, no doubt about it.
“If you say yes, I want to talk about prenups. I know you’re a wealthy woman now,” he pointed out, and I winced. It still felt strange to me, but it was true. “And I’m not exactly headed to the poorhouse myself. I think we both need to protect ourselves.”
I took a deep breath and found it faintly fantastic that I was even considering his proposal enough to be having this discussion. Why hadn’t I just told him no? It was far too soon, and yet …
I loved him.
“What did you have in mind?” I asked, and he smiled at me approvingly.
“It’s pretty simple. What I think we should do is have everything we own belong to us jointly. If we, God forbid, get a divorce, everything would go to the injured party.”
I frowned a little. We weren’t even married yet, and he was already talking divorce? And, yet, in some way, I found it comforting. He was being practical, and as much as he had made me feel like I was lost in some romantic dream, I was—at my very core—a practical person.
“So the other person would get nothing,” I mused.
“Yes, that’s right. I think of it as a bit of a safety net,” he admitted. “For the marriage—to make sure it lasts. I don’t think I could handle losing you. This will encourage us to do the right thing—both of us—no matter what temptations come our way. Those temptations will definitely happen, but I want us to last through all of them.”
I frowned, looking down, but not at the ring. Honestly, I wasn’t seeing much of anything, lost as I was in my own thoughts. At first, it was difficult to get past the panic, but he gave me time to think and it definitely helped.
“I’d need that security if we marry,” David said, and I nodded. It made sense to me, actually, and I was sort of glad he felt the same way. It was better to be careful—to have everything set up so we would have the greatest chance of success.
As I looked at him, I realized he was exactly the sort of man I would marry. The only man I would consider.
What he was asking for really wasn’t much of a big deal, anyway. I knew myself well enough to be very sure of one thing: I would not be the one to end our marriage. This commitment would be for life, at least for me.
There was absolutely no risk at all—not to me. I would never want out of this marriage. I’d always been the type who was slow to make commitments, but once I’d made them, they were ironclad.
“I’ll sign it,” I murmured, gazing at him. No wonder he’d looked so nervous. I’d been silent, thinking about it, and I could feel him getting more and more anxious as I did. To his credit, though, he didn’t try to push me. He let me think it out.
There were so many reasons I loved him and this was one more. He was perfect for me. I’d never believed in soul mates, but with him I almost could.
“Really?” he asked, a smile spreading over his handsome face and making him look younger than he was. He acted so maturely and worldly most of the time, but I could tell I had sincerely made him happy by accepting his proposal.
“Yes,” I agreed. “I’ll marry you, and I have no problem signing a prenuptial agreement.”
“Yes,” he echoed me. “She said yes!” The people around us clapped, as they’d been listening in. A blush covered my cheeks.
I would marry David and I would bring the prenup to a lawyer—just to be safe—I decided. But the simple fact was, I was in love. It was completely crazy, but I did want to marry this man. I wanted to belong to him.
“Mrs. Kaye Black,” I murmured, then grinned at him. Elation bubbled inside of me and I held out my left hand, offering it to him. “I like the sound of it.”
“So do I.” David picked up the ring and slid it onto my ring finger. The band fit like it had been designed for me. I admired my hand, then turned a quizzical look on my new fiancé.
Fiancé!
It seemed incredible, but it was true. What I’d done to deserve this amazing man, I had no idea, but it must have been something amazing. Maybe I’d been a saint or something in a previous life.
He gave me a rakish grin and slid another ring out of his pocket, slipping it over the table toward me. I recognized it as one of mine, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You stole one of my rings,” I scolded, but I found it funny and quite touching, actually. He’d wanted to make sure the ring he bought me was the right size and he’d pulled off the plan without a hitch.
“I hope you don’t mind.” He grinned at me.
I couldn’t say I minded. It was pretty sweet. He’d gone to a lot of trouble. I hadn’t even noticed him taking the ring.
“I think I’m going to have to keep my eye on you,” I commented, but the stern tone of my voice was undermined by the grin on my face. I couldn’t wipe it off, no matter how hard I tried.
Though it had to be said, I wasn’t trying particularly hard.
“Yep,” he grinned, unrepentant.
I laughed softly and my whole body throbbed with emotion, soft and wonderful, like floating on a sea of perfect contentment. The ring on my finger sparkled, the gold quickly warming until it felt like I had always worn it.
“It suits you,” he commented and I smiled a little. I didn’t think of myself as the sort of woman who could wear enormous diamond rings, but when I was with him, I felt like a different person.
A stronger, braver, bolder person. The sort of person who would fall in love and get engaged in the course of only a quarter of a year.
Somehow, I didn’t regret my decision. Not when I looked across the table and saw David looking at me with complete devotion.
Somehow, against all reason, it was the right choice. After all, I’d fallen in love, and it seemed I was the sort of person who gave my whole heart when I gave it at all.
This was the start of our life together. I’d already been committed to him and this just made it official.
“I love you, David Black,” I whispered.
He beamed back at me. “I love you too, baby.”
I was going to marry this man. If I had ever been so happy in my whole life, I couldn’t remember it.
David
Kaye wanted to wait a little bit before getting married, but obviously, I wasn’t going to be able to give her the long engagement she wanted. I needed to get her tied to me before she thought better of it, so I pushed for a quicker wedding.
A couple of months. I was willing to wait only so long—long enough for the arrangements to be made. Long enough fo
r her dress to be ordered.
She gave in pretty easily, and I couldn’t help but find it flattering. She really did want to be married to me. Of course, the whole point of me courting her and wooing her had been to make her want it so badly she ignored good sense, but it was actually really happening.
I loved watching a plan come together. Really, I did. Otherwise, there was no way in hell I would be getting married. It wasn’t something I had ever wanted to do, and if not for this act, I never would have considered it.
As it was, it suited me to play the devoted fiancé, at least for now. She had invited me to move in with her, which had just annoyed me even more. It wasn’t fair or right. She was inviting me to move into the house that should have been mine—which would have been mine if not for her.
It sat wrong with me. I’d had to accept her offer graciously, and then I prepared myself for a couple of months of torment.
To my surprise, she was a good roommate—a fun person to live with. She wasn’t clingy. She willingly gave me my own space and didn’t try to take up all of my time, but was always glad to see me when we did interact.
Not to mention the sex. God, the sex. It had started off incredible and had only gotten better as she got practice.
I wasn’t getting cold feet about the plan or anything. It was just because I enjoyed living with her more than I would have thought. No real big deal. I wasn’t going to change my mind.
Even if I did enjoy her company.
There was no rule against liking her. I just had to watch it and not let myself go too far with it. If I were careful, it would be fine. It would just make the whole thing more realistic.
“We need to send out invitations,” I pointed out. It wasn’t the first time I’d said something about it, but for some reason she didn’t seem very excited about the idea. I’d gone into this whole wedding deal expecting her to go over the top. You had to spend money to make money, after all.
She wanted a small wedding. Thirty people max, she had told me emphatically. I was more than happy to go along with it. I couldn’t think of many people I would want at my wedding, especially since it was the next thing to fake. It was nothing but a means to an end.
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