by JA Low
“I’m sorry. Please excuse me.”
Tears begin to fall down my cheeks, so I rush out of the room.
“You’ve gone too far, Mom,” I hear Anderson tell her, and an argument ensues.
Rushing down the marble hallway, I hit the button repeatedly for the elevator, but of course, it takes its time in arriving.
“Wait for me,” Anderson states as he runs after me.
“Stay,” I tell him.
“No.” The word is adamant. “I’m not letting you go home by yourself after all that.” He walks up to me and pulls me into his arms.
“I’m sorry that I’ve messed up your family.” Nestling my face into his chest, I seek some comfort.
“No, you didn’t.” He kisses the crown of my head. “I still love them, but Mom is crazy right now.”
“Please, don’t leave.” Anderson’s father comes out, his eyes are cast down. “Please,” he reiterates.
“She’s gone too far this time, Dad,” Anderson tells him.
“I know, son. I know.” His father has that far-away look in his eyes. He knows that the conversation went over the edge and into the abyss.
“Go… talk to her,” I tell Anderson.
“No. Not tonight.” He wipes away the tears from my cheeks with his thumb as I attempt to pull myself together.
Reaching out, I take Anderson’s hand in mine and start walking. “She’s your mother, come on.”
“Emma?” He’s looking down at me, a small frown crinkles across his forehead in confusion.
“I will not be responsible for you fighting with your family. Please don’t do that to me.”
The thing is I understand where his mother is coming from. Anderson’s family loves him so much that they want him to stay married to someone like me. It’s crazy, insane, totally stepping over lines, but they love him and want him happy, and that’s the most important thing.
He hesitates. I can see the relief on his father’s face as I walk back in, hand in hand with Anderson. His mother is crying, her eyes are red-rimmed as she looks up and sees the two of us.
“Sweetheart…” She rushes toward Anderson. “I’m sorry, so sorry.” Wrapping her arms around him, he slowly embraces her. “And Emma, I…” Shaking my head, I let her know all is forgiven. “Please, sit. Let me start this again.”
We take a seat, but this time, Anderson wraps his arm around my shoulders in an attempt to protect me.
“I know my offer seems rather… unconventional,” she starts. “I just… I just want you both to try. It’s only one year.”
“Mom,” Anderson warns her.
“Why me?” I ask, wondering what makes me so unique.
“My son likes women, of that I’m sure you’re aware.” I nod my head. “He doesn’t like commitment. He doesn’t have a long attention span,” she adds. “He’s dated a slew of women that have… well, not been so great.” She moves restlessly in her chair. “I worry that he never gives anyone a chance. He never gives them long enough to move to the next level. That he’s happy being a playboy.”
She looks over at her son, and just that simple glance, I can see how much she loves him. “I’m acting irrationally, I know.” Playing with her hands in her lap, she looks down. “But when Elise sent through the photos of the two of you together with the caption ‘Just married,’ I don’t know I kind of got excited.” She shrugs her shoulders. “Especially because it was to you, Emma.”
Looking over at me fondly, she continues, “You had my daughter’s back from the moment you met her. I know the two of you are wild, but you saw through people’s intentions, and you have saved her a couple of times from being taken advantage of. When Elise told me about how you helped her, introduced her to the right people, for nothing more than simply being friends, that’s when I knew you were a good person. The right friend for my daughter to be around.”
“Mrs. West, I—”
She shakes her head, effectively stopping me. “You can’t convince me otherwise.” Anderson’s hand tightens in mine. “I know I’m asking a lot from the two of you.” Jennifer looks at both of us. “I just thought you could try… for me?”
“Mom,” Anderson groans.
“I know, I’m a silly old woman…” She waves her hands around at her son. “It’s only one year. Plus, you would be helping Emma. Each month you’re married, I will pay a million dollars into her bank account.”
“Mrs. West, no, please,” I try to argue, but Anderson just grips my hand harder.
“You seem to think that I’m the one who might not want this,” Anderson argues with his mom. His mother’s head tilts to the side, looking at her son a little more closely. “You’ve also assumed that Emma would want to be stuck with someone like me.”
“You’re saying that you’re okay not getting an annulment?”
My heart is thundering in my chest. What is going on? Turning, I look at Anderson.
“I’m saying that I want Emma to reach her goals. She deserves it, and if that means the only way she can do that is being stuck with me, then I’ll do it. For her, and her only,” he tells his mother, who looks like she’s just won the lottery.
Wait! What just happened?
“I don’t want to be the person who stops your dreams, Emma.”
No. No. No.
What is happening?
This is not supposed to be happening.
I’m confused.
“You want to stay married?” I look at Anderson as if he’s sprouted two heads. I am that confused.
Anderson leans over and whispers in my ear, “Trust me, I have a plan.” Turning his face, he places a kiss on my cheek.
Jennifer claps enthusiastically at the gesture.
“I have only one stipulation,” Jennifer adds. “I know my son.” She points at him. “I do not want a scandal. Meaning, I do not want to see you on Page Six with some mystery woman on your arm, and the same goes for you, too.” She points at me. “No, hot mystery man on your arm either. Got it?”
I raise an eyebrow and shake my head infinitesimally.
“I think Emma and I have a lot to talk about.” Anderson speaks for both of us and stands, taking me along with him. “It’s late, and it’s been quite eventful.” He lets go of my hand, gives him mom a kiss, and then shakes his father’s hand. I do the same.
“You have one week.” His mother calls after us as we walk down the hallway hand in hand.
“Sure, Mom.” Anderson waves at her, walking straight into the elevator, which is now waiting for us. It closes, and the glass box goes deadly silent apart from the whirring sounds of the motor.
We both stay quiet for the whole ride down, then we step out and right into our waiting car, which makes its way to Anderson’s apartment.
We stay silent, and it’s not that comfortable silence everyone talks about either, it’s awkward.
18
Emma
We reach another luxurious apartment complex where another doorman opens the door and welcomes Anderson home. He grabs my hand and escorts me up to his penthouse. We stay in silence the whole entire way to the top.
Walking into his apartment, he lets go of my hand to take off his suit jacket, throwing it to the side, and it lands perfectly on an armchair. He moves toward a glass bar in the corner. Stepping behind the counter, he pours himself a glass of scotch and tequila for me.
Throwing back the liquid, I hope it steadies my nerves. Anderson moves through his minimalist apartment and sinks into his sofa, and I follow suit taking the one across from him. A glass coffee table separates us.
He shakes the crystal tumbler in his hand, the ice clinks against the sides. There’s a frown embedded in his forehead—he looks exhausted by what’s just transpired.
Standing, I unzip my dress slowly—the sound of the zipper’s teeth opening echoes through his apartment. Anderson’s eyes look up at me, but he doesn’t move. Stepping out of my restrictive dress, which has pooled on the floor, I’m dressed in matching navy lace
underwear—simple, but not too sexy. Stepping out of my heels, I move around the coffee table and straddle his lap.
“That dress was so restrictive.” Looking down at him, he’s laying back lazily against the sofa. Taking his tumbler of scotch, I place it on the coffee table and return my attention to him. His eyes roam my body, but he doesn’t make a move to touch me.
“You owe me nothing.” My comment seems to surprise him. His face tilts up, and I reach out, running my hand across his jaw. “Do not sacrifice your happiness for me.”
“What happiness?” His words are just above a whisper.
“Are you not happy?”
“I don’t know.” His vulnerability shimmers to the surface. “I know I won’t be faithful to you, Ems.”
“I know.” Running my hand down his face again, I say, “I don’t want you to be. I don’t know if I would be able to say no to someone I was attracted to, either.”
Anderson nods his head in understanding. “I work a lot.”
“So do I.” I give him a small smile.
“Commitment scares me.”
“Me, too,” I agree with him.
“Why?” he pushes.
“The only person I can trust in this world is me.” His hands move to my hips, holding me in place. “Every person in my life eventually fucks me over. No matter if they’re blood or not.” Anderson frowns at my comments. “My childhood wasn’t rainbows and roses.” And that look I am getting right now from Anderson is the reason why I don’t tell people more about it. “Please don’t pity me.” My words are terse.
“I would never pity you, Emma.”
“Then why are you looking at me like that?”
“Now, I understand your determination to make something for yourself.”
Butterflies tickle my stomach as his words hit me full force. He’s not supposed to be caring, and he’s certainly not supposed to be supportive.
“I’m not a charity case for you and your family.”
“Why would you think that?” Genuine concern laces his face.
“I don’t know, giving me twelve million dollars toward my business just to stay married to you. It is something rich people seem to do when they can’t control things… they control it via money.”
Anderson reaches up and cups my face. “Emma.”
“I’m not going to deny that it’s a lot of money to someone like me. I can’t lie and say your life doesn’t seem wonderful, or that I don’t aspire to be like that one day. It’s the truth. But I am no gold digger, Anderson.”
“I know you’re not.” His thumb rubs my cheek gently.
“That money your mom is offering me… it’s making me second-guess my morality, and I don’t like that.” Tears well in my eyes, and I try to blink them away.
“If you want to take the money, Emma, I will never think any less of you.”
“I can’t do that to you, Anderson. Don’t you get that? I can’t mess up your life, so mine is better.”
Genuine shock falls across his face. “Are you saying you would give up all that money for me?”
Nodding my head, I continue, “I will realize my dreams. I am determined. It’s just going to take a little longer, that’s all.”
Anderson stares at me in silence for a very long time. Something’s going through his mind. I can see it swirling behind his eyes.
“I told you I had a plan.” His eyes are intense, the turquoise of his irises seems brighter. “It will benefit us both.”
“I’m listening.”
“We stay married… for one year.” I nod. “You get paid every month.” Yes, I understand all this. He’s not telling me anything I don’t already know. “You will have everything you need to take your business to the next level.” Not sure where he’s going with this. “You move in here.”
“What, no.” I jerk out of his arms.
“Do you seriously think my mother is going to let you live anywhere else but here?” He’s probably right. “We can have separate bedrooms if you want, or you can share mine. I don’t mind.” He wiggles his brows at me, the idiot, and it makes me smile. “You will accompany me to charity events as my date.”
“If I’m not busy.”
“Fine. If you’re not busy. But honestly, women in New York society are ruthless toward single, rich, good-looking men. Do you have any idea how many women are trying to lock this down?” He rubs his hands down his body, and it makes me smile. “To the outside world, we will look like the perfect, newlywed couple, but behind closed doors, we can bend all the rules.”
“What do you mean?” My eyes narrow in on him.
“Mom said no scandals. That means being caught in public with someone else.” I get that. “If I tell you something, I need you to never repeat it.” He’s looking at me seriously now, and he has my full attention.
“Okay.”
“I’m a member of a secret sex club.” My eyes widen, and I instantly want to know more. “You would become a member automatically as my wife.”
Well, hasn’t this little revelation just upped the stakes?
“Is it like a swinger’s club?”
Anderson shakes his head. “Nothing like a swinger’s club. Imagine being able to make your innermost fantasies come alive.”
“What do you mean?”
“Anything you could desire sexually, within reason, they can provide. They are set in secret locations around the world, catering to the one percent. I could lose my membership just by telling you.”
Okay, I get it—super rich sex club.
“What do you do there?” I am curious to find out what his deepest desires are.
“I like to watch.” He moves a little beneath me like he’s uncomfortable telling me his secrets. “I like being watched.” I can feel him hardening underneath the lace of my underwear. “Sometimes, I like multiple women.” Of course, he does. “Sometimes, I like tying a woman up and treating them like my own personal fuck toy.” Oh, for fuck’s sake, he’s turning me on. “Sometimes, I like being the one being used.”
Just thinking about the ways I could use and abuse him, I bite my lip.
“What do you desire, Emma?”
“I like being in control.” He raises a brow at me. “Most of the time.” Except, it seems when I’m with Anderson. “I like watching and being watched.” He nods, remembering how I made him watch me fuck someone else. “I wouldn’t mind multiple men, but it’s not something I have dabbled in much.”
“Of course,” he agrees.
“I’m not sure what else there is, so I can’t imagine what else I could desire.”
“We can go next week if you want?” Biting my lip, I nod in agreement because that sounds exciting. He reaches behind me and unclasps the hook of my bra, letting it fall between us. My breasts are exposed to him, and he runs his finger run over my nipple. “If we do this, you won’t get jealous?” His fingers twist my nipple, sending shivers running over my body. “Things are different now… we are technically married.”
“The same question could be asked of you?”
He smirks. “As long as you don’t fall for someone, then there will be no jealousy.”
“That won’t happen.”
Anderson raises a brow, seemingly unconvinced. “You could fall for someone, too.”
“I’d say the chances of that happening is the same as hell freezing over.” I look at him with a serious stare. “We can’t tell anyone?”
“What do you mean?” He stills.
“Your friends and mine.” I remind him that we have a pretty close bunch of friends, who will not understand whatever this is going on between us. “Mine frown on my escapades, I’m not sure if yours do, too.”
“They think they’re playboys, but I know they want to settle down and have a family in reality,” he adds.
“I’m taking it, you don’t want to have kids?”
“Maybe by accident via some faulty latex or pill mishap, but definitely not planned. What about you?”
&nb
sp; “No, never.”
“Never?”
Shaking my head, I answer firmly with, “No.”
“Okay, no kids, then.” He gives me a smile. “So, still keen on continuing this?” he asks.
“Do you think we can really do this?” We’re strangers, we don’t know each other except in the bedroom.
“How hard can it be?” He grins.
That’s what I’m afraid of.
19
Anderson
“So, Emma’s moving in today?” Mom asks over the phone.
“Yes, she is. Now that you’ve gotten your way, can you just leave us alone for a bit, so we can get used to being around each other?”
“Fine. I’ll hold off family dinners for one month.” She warns me through the phone. I guess it’s better than nothing.
“Love you,” I reply, then hang up before she can interfere anymore.
There’s a buzz from the front desk.
“Mr. West, Miss Banks is here to see you,” Ray, my doormen, tells me.
I overhear her say, “Actually, it’s Mrs. West now.”
The line goes silent.
“It’s not your mother, sir.” Ray seems utterly confused.
“I know, Ray, she’s my wife.”
The line goes silent again.
“Wife, sir?” He’s extremely confused but catches himself. “Well, congratulations are in order, then.”
“Make sure everyone is aware that this is Emma’s home now.”
“Yes, sir,” he signs off.
Nervously, I rub my sweaty palms down my denim-clad thighs. Never lived with a woman before besides my mom and sister, and I am pretty sure that doesn’t count. The elevator doors open, and Emma strides in with her bags.
“Let me help.” I step over and take Emma's bags from her.
“Thanks.” She grins up at me.