Mr and Mrs Sullivan: Standalone Arranged Marriage Romance

by Simone Nicholls

  Megan was on her phone, she waved when I got here but looked to be in a serious conversation.

  My eyes were on Emerald, anyway. The cameras were flashing as they were on the bed. He looked like he was a minute away from taking her. She was laughing, touching him and looked relaxed.

  It pissed me off, that she was letting another man touch her. More importantly, she had told me, that she didn't like men touching her but with this guy, she didn't seem to care. Which meant she trusted him.

  Maybe that pissed me off more.

  He gripped her by the ass and flipped her on to her back. I hated the way his hands ran up her stomach, opening the shirt up more. I hated it even more when Emerald squealed with delight and pursed her lips at him.

  It was when he was so dangerously close to kissing her lips I wanted to go over there and rip him off her. But it was when Emerald leaned up to him, about to kiss him that I didn't. If she wanted to kiss him, who was I to stop her?

  I shouldn't have come.

  Fuck. They looked like they were about to have sex. I saw the pictures of them pop up one after one on the computer screens. But it wasn't like the man behind the camera was giving them direction. Nope, they were doing it all on their own.

  Emerald arched her back, and threw her head back into the pillow, as he kissed down her neck slowly and his hand moved up stopping just below her breast.

  Was she enjoying herself? Did this guy get to kiss her a lot? Fuck they looked like a couple on screen and the chemistry they had told me this wasn't their first shoot together.

  Surely, she wouldn't just let a stranger touch her like that?

  But she had let me touch her, hadn't she? I had been a stranger to her. Something inside me wanted me to think I was different, that she felt what I felt.

  I was that pissed off by what I was seeing, that I nearly didn't notice her eyes flash to mine. But when I did lock my eyes were hers, she smiled and called cut. Pushing the guy off her and getting off the bed.

  Had she just noticed I was here?

  Was she actually stopping work to talk to me? They looked like they were in the middle of it. She was walking towards me when I told myself to pull myself together and not act like a jealous prick.

  "Hey." She grinned. "Did you just get here?"

  "Been here awhile." I stuttered the words out. "You look busy."

  She opened her mouth to answer, but Megan started calling her name. "I'll be one sec." She said and walked off in the direction of Megan.

  I was watching her walk away that I hadn't noticed her male friend come towards me.

  "So you must be Dane?" He extended a hand. He said it friendly but the look on his face told me he was anything but pleased to see me here.

  "Yep." I shook his hand quickly.

  "So you're the one that married my Em." He looked at me with a pissed off face. I noticed the way he said my Em. "Did you know about us?"

  There was something to know? "Sorry who are you?"

  "Jordan. Em was mine, till you proposed. Funny how she never mentioned she was dating anyone when I was making a move."

  I’d been right. This wasn't their first shoot together and it seemed like I had stepped on his toes. But I really didn't give a fuck.

  "Emerald and I kept things quiet. it's not like anything happened between you two." I hoped I was right. Had Emerald already signed the contracts before, this guy had a chance to make a move on her.

  "Yeah real quiet. Almost like you were ashamed of her."

  “We had our reasons.”

  "Yeah, fucked if I know what they were though. If I’d been you, I would have been telling everyone Emerald Asher was my girlfriend. But hey," He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not ashamed of her."

  Don't punch him. I looked over at Emerald. Right now would be a good moment for her to come back. But it looked like that serious conversation Megan had been having on the phone, she was now having with Emerald.

  I kept my mouth shut. If you have nothing nice to say, you say nothing.

  "Anyway, it's not like this marriage thing is going to last long. If there’s one thing I know about you Dane Sullivan, it’s that you aren't faithful to a woman." Jordan flashed a grin Emerald's way. "And just so you know, this time around, I'm not stopping when she says no."

  "I'm faithful to Emerald." I wanted to hit him with that fact. But I knew, as soon as the news broke about mine and Emerald's break up, he would make a move on her. And this time, nothing would be stopping her. So I just had to make sure, that I made this year count. So when the time came for us to spilt, she wouldn't want to.

  "Right. Because it looked like you were being real faithful to her Wednesday night." Jordan took a step closer to me. "If I saw the pictures of you with that chick. Means she had too. Em doesn't let people treat her like shit. I always assumed this marriage of hers wouldn't last. And I was right. Second week in and you are photographed with another woman."

  What the hell was he talking about? What other woman? My eyes widening slowly. Leah. I had been with her and the boys Wednesday night. I remembered hugging her and I remembered her keeping her hand on me all night.

  But it wasn't like I was fucking kissing her or had her against a wall. But if I knew the press well enough, they would spin anything to look bad. Suddenly, I needed to talk to Emerald. Had she seen pictures? Did that add to the reason why she had been so busy this week? I was too busy panicking to notice Emerald was back, till Jordan threw an arm around her and pulled her to his side.

  "You’re right to keep going Em?" Jorden had the guts to kiss the side of her head.

  It was bad enough he had been bold enough to tell me he was making a move on her. Now he had her under his arm and into his side, like she belonged there. I wanted nothing more than to rip Emerald from him.

  "I'm actually going to go over what has already been taken." Emerald was saying when Megan appeared at her side handing her glasses. "Can I talk to Dane for a minute?" Emerald said, taking her glasses.

  Megan shot me a smile almost to say she was sorry before walking off and Jordan let go of Emerald.

  "Sure, I'll start talking to the photographer and see if he wants more." Jordan said his eyes on Emerald.

  "Like I said he should have enough, but I'll review it in a minute." Emerald smiled at Jordan but it didn't reach her eyes. It was tight. Professional. And as if she was so angry she couldn't even force a real smile.

  Why did I have a feeling that angry was about to be directed at me?

  Emerald grabbed my hand and started to drag me through the set. I had a really bad feeling about this. My stomach was clenching, and suddenly my dinner from earlier wanted to come back up.

  I wanted to try and convince her to date me. But I knew that wasn't about to happen.

  Emerald opened a door to the dressing room and let go of my hand, it was when I heard the small thud behind of the door that I wanted to be anywhere but here.

  I turned to look at her. The room felt even smaller, when I looked at her. She’d put her glasses on top of her head, and her sexy kitten hair was still falling around her face.

  "I'm guessing you're mad?" I asked, taking a stab at her feelings.

  She shook her head. "Not mad, but we need to talk."

  "Is that why you wanted me to come tonight?" Because she wanted to question me? Because she thought we had to talk?

  "Nope. I wanted to see you." She bit her bottom lip. "Sorry, I didn't notice you were here earlier."

  "Nothing to be sorry about." I uncrossed my arms and stepped towards her. If she wasn't mad, then what was wrong? "So what's up?" What had her pulling away from work? It wasn't because she simply missed me. Or felt like she was slowly going insane, like I was from not seeing her.

  "Megan just told me about Wednesday night." She ran a hand through her hand, sighing. "They want a statement from me for an article running this weekend."

  "Emerald you have to believe me when I say nothing happened." I reached out for her, needing to touch
her. Running my hands down her arms, till I linked our hands together. "Leah is just affectionate."

  "She likes you."

  "Yeah well. It's not happening."

  "I saw the pictures Dane." She looked me in the eye. And why did she have to look so hurt? Like I had confirmed every thought she had about a man. That when it came down to it, men couldn't be trusted. More importantly, I couldn't be trusted. "Look, I just need to know, if we are still doing this or not. If you've changed your mind. Just tell me."

  "Nothing’s changed." I pulled on our linked hands. "I'll tell Leah to back off."

  "No that's the last thing I want." She shook her head. "I'm not expecting you to be faithful to this fake marriage. I just want you to at least keep it out of the public eye. If we are to keep this marriage lie alive. You need to keep your other women out of the public eye."

  "I'm not dating other women." I gritted out. She was the only woman I was thinking about! "I just hugged her. That was it. I'm not the only who will be questioned about being faithful. You're basically having sex with Jordan. On camera!" Maybe it wasn't the best time to tell her I was unhappy about her co-worker and their chemistry on camera.

  She scoffed. "As if Jordan would even be interested!"

  "You're kidding right? Because he basically laid it out really clear to me that you two were nearly dating before you decided to suddenly take me up on my engagement."

  "That was a long time ago." She looked annoyed. "We’re friends. We work well together."

  "Yeah, because he wants to fuck you!"

  "I don't have time for this." She spun around and was about to leave me, when I moved forward and blocked her way to the door.

  "I thought we were talking?"

  "No. You're yelling and accusing me of sleeping with my co-worker! I have a whole production waiting on me. So I better get back to them."

  "I'm not letting you think I'm dating other women." Not when all I could think about was her.

  "It really doesn't matter. I'll give Megan a statement or something. I don't know why I was expecting you to be any different." She was saying it like she thought she wasn't enough for me.

  She was more than enough for me. All I wanted was her. So I just let my self-control go. I cupped her face, bringing my lips crashing to hers. If she wouldn't listen to me, then I'd just have to prove it to her.

  At first her lips were hard against mine. And I knew she was holding back. Maybe because of what happened on the beach and she didn't want a repeat or maybe because she was so sure I was dating other women.

  Then just like my self-control had disappeared, I knew hers had too, when her lips melted against mine.

  Knowing I had her exactly where I wanted her, I gripped her hips, throwing her legs around me. When she locked her legs around me, I smirked against her lips. Looks like she wasn't holding back.

  I moved her across the room, swiping the makeup dresser of its contents and sitting her down. I was hungry for her, so I wasn't gentle as I kissed her. And she wasn't gentle as she kissed me back. I forced my tongue in her mouth. She gasped and it wasn't enough for me.

  I ran my hand up and under that shirt she was wearing. When my hand touched her skin, I remembered she wasn't wearing a bra. I got an instant burst of excitement and need, so I kept my hand moving up.

  She would stop me, wouldn't she? If she didn't want me? She would push me away? Right?

  She moaned in my mouth as soon as my hand cupped her naked breast. And it sent me stiff. Being suffocated by her scent, her perfect breast under my hand and the sweet noises she was making.

  Her grip on me tightened and she pulled my head even closer to hers.

  She was acting how I was feeling and the walls she was so determined on keeping up against me were gone. And I couldn't be more thankful.

  I pulled away from her lips and the small groan that left her made me smirk. My lips were back on hers within a second, kissing down her jaw, slowly down her neck. She arched back, pressing her breast into my hand. Taking her nipple between my thumb and finger, she gasped.

  I took her lips just as she moaned. She had no idea what she was doing to me with those sexy little noises and her breasts were a perfect fit for my hand. Now, I had her sensitive breast in my hand, and I realised I was going to have to get some will power from somewhere, to stop myself from ripping of that black lace and finishing what I've started.

  It dawned on me that there was people waiting for her and she was currently in the middle of a shoot. I wanted to take my time with her, I wanted to explore every inch of her naked skin. Learn what makes her gasp and moan. And fuck her. Hard. In my house. Where no one would hear her scream, hopefully my name.

  I wanted more than a quickie in the dressing room with her. So I pulled my lips away from hers. She leaned her forehead against mine. Breathing heavily.

  Good.

  "So do you believe me when I say I'm not dating any other women?" My voice was steady even though I had completely lost myself touching her.

  She looked like she was drunk and I smirked when I realised I had done that to her.

  "What are you talking about?" She frowned. And it was so cute I pressed a kiss between her eyebrows.

  "You and me. We're dating."

  "Wait a sec," She pulled back to look at me. "You’re asking me to date you?"

  "Not asking. We are."

  "Nope. This is a business relationship." She felt the need to push further away from me. "Business Dane. If we let it get complicated it's going to be harder for us."

  "We passed complicated on the beach. And I'm not planning ongoing back." I ran my hands up her thighs. She knew that day on the beach that we started something. That's why she freaked out. "Come on, Emerald. Give me a chance." I was pleading with her. Please tell me she wouldn't go back in her shell and push me away. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to be able to message her. I wanted her to want me to touch her. Not just let me because she thought someone was watching.

  She was biting that bottom lip of hers and her expression told me she was torn between what she should and what she wanted to do. Which meant I still had work to do.

  "Just give me a shot?" I kissed her cheek. "I promise I won't let you down."

  "I don't date."

  "Well, we’re already married."

  "If we date and you change your mind and you want to break up. We’ll still be married for a year. We have to think about this reasonably. You and I... we can't... we just shouldn't..." She was speaking as I was kissing down her neck and she groaned. Grabbing my head and forcing me to look her in the eye. "It will hurt me if it ends badly. I don't let anyone get close to me for a reason."

  "You trusted me enough to marry me. Now trust me enough to be your boyfriend. Normally, that one becomes before the other." I grinned. "But I wouldn't have it any other way." If I hadn't married her, I would’ve never met her and then I would still be in the same state. Going from woman to woman. Changing one every weekend. "I won't hurt you."

  "You will and that's the sad part." She muttered "And I know better. Every single thing I know tells me to stay away from you. To not let you any closer. But...."

  There was, but I knew was coming. Something was stopping her from saying no altogether. "But?"

  She pursed her lips. "But I'm still going to say yes."

  The biggest grin spread across my face. This is what victory felt like. I thought I had felt it when we won those grand finals. But this. This topped it. Winning Emerald was better than anything I had ever felt before. Finally, I could treat her how I would treat a girlfriend. Not that I've never had a girlfriend, or a woman I really care about before.

  "You have to get back to work don't you?" I ran my hand up her back and she pressed into my chest.

  She nodded her head.

  "Which means I can't keep you here." I nipped her ear with my teeth. "And make you say it over and over again that you're my girlfriend."

  Her hands gripped my shoulders. "The sooner I go. The
sooner we can go home."

  Home.

  She’d always referred to home, as my place. Not once had she admitted it was her home too.

  She gently pushed me back. I groaned. "Please tell you won't go back to that bed with him." While helping her down.

  She laughed. "You have a thing against Jordan don't you?"

  "He wants what’s mine."

  Her eyes widened. Had I just said that out loud?

  "I mean well you know what I mean. You're my wife and he basically wants to take you off me. In fact he is counting on us breaking up. Did you know that?" I quickly recovered from my slip up.

  She put her hands on her hips. The shirt parting, showing off her perfect flat stomach. "You're not threatened, are you? You're my husband. You kind of win."

  I moved towards her and when she was within arm’s reach I grabbed her shirt. "You said you were done with the shoot tonight yeah?"

  "Yeah I think we have enough to work with why?"

  Just what I wanted to hear. I starting buttoning up the shirt up. Would it be going too far to do it right up to the top?

  Her sweet giggle, made me look her in the eye.

  "What?" I asked.

  "You're acting like I'm naked."

  "Do I have to remind you, you aren't wearing a bra under this shirt?" I arched my eyebrows at her.

  She blushed. "No."

  "Good." I pulled her in and kissed her forehead. "Now hurry up and finish so I can take you home."

  "I swear I'll only be an hour." She spun around and opened the door.

  If she wasn't going back to that bed with Jordan then I'd be happy to watch her work. I walked beside her as we walked back on set.

  Emerald pulled her glasses down and went to the computer screens. I noticed how Jordan had gotten out of the chair for her. I went and stood on the side lines and listened to her give directions through the pictures. Saying which ones she thought would work and which ones wouldn't. I liked it when she dismissed the one of Jordan kissing her neck. The time went by quick. And Emerald looked so cute with her glasses on and such a serious look on her face. She took her work seriously.

  "So you must have convinced Em to finish early by the way she is wrapping things up." Megan was at my side.