Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“I’m going to have to hold your hand, hold you, kiss you, touch you. We’re going to have to sell this.” He takes small steps until he’s standing before me. His large palm rests against my cheek. “Can you handle that?”
I smile up at him. “I can. Can you?”
“Of course.”
“Our friends know. When we’re with them, here or at Forrest’s, which are our two usual hangout spots, we don’t have to pretend. We can be us. It’s when we’re outside in the world we have to put on a show. It will be minimal at best. We both work full time. We can do this, Legend. You deserve the money. Your mom deserves the chunk that I know you’re going to give her. What bigger fuck you to your controlling grandparents? Scam their fucked-up rules, and let’s do this.”
“If we do this, Monroe, we do it right. I’m going to buy you a ring. I’m going to ask your father's permission, and I’ll treat you like a man should treat his wife.”
I swallow hard. “That’s not necessary. I know you’ll be good to me.”
“Damn right. Anyone who knows me knows that if I’m with someone and asking her to marry me, I’m all in. It will be to sell it to everyone and because you deserve nothing less.”
“Fine.” I roll my eyes dramatically, as if the notion annoys me. When in reality there are a swarm of butterflies taking flight inside me. “There is one small thing.” I hold up my thumb and index finger about a half an inch apart.
“What’s that?”
“Other women.”
He rears back as if I’ve slapped him. “Mo, if I’m with you, if you’re my wife, and you take my last name, there will be no other women. I don’t cheat.”
“But this won’t be real.”
“It will be in all the ways that matter. We might not be sleeping together, but we’re going to stand before our family and friends and take a vow. I take that seriously.” He pauses, those ice-blue irises holding my gaze. “Is that the kind of man you think I am?” There’s hurt in his tone.
“No.” I’m quick to assure him. “I just know that a year, well, more like a year and a half, is a long time to go without sex.”
This time it’s both of his hands that cradle my face as he angles my head to look up at him. “My wife.” The words are a deep, rumbly growl from his lips. “Mine, Mo. There will be no one else. I’m not an animal. I can abstain for however long it takes.”
Desire courses through my veins like hot lava rolling down a mountainside. Heat pools between my thighs. It wasn’t my intention to anger him, but damn, he’s hot when he’s fired up. “I didn’t mean to offend you, Legend. I just thought it was important that we discuss it before we announced to the world that we are an us.”
“What about you?” he asks. “Can you go without?”
“Trust me. You have nothing to worry about.”
He nods and drops his hands but doesn’t step back. “So, we’re doing this? We’re going to tell everyone we’ve been dating for a while? Get engaged, get married, and be married for a year?”
“Give or take.” I shrug. “We’ll stay married as long as we need to.”
“The letter outlined a year.”
“We can’t very well run and get divorced that afternoon or the next day. Once the money is yours and in your account, we’ll end things.”
“Monroe.” He bends his head, resting his forehead against mine. His arms wrap around me. “This is huge. What you’re doing for me, and for my family. I promise you, I’ll be the best fake husband you could ever dream up. I’ll also take care of you when this is over. I know you said you don’t want money, but I’ll find a way to repay you.”
My heart melts at his words. I don’t want any of that. I don’t want a cut of his inheritance.. I just want to help him. I’m happy that I’m able to do this for him. “Just be happy. Don’t let their negativity steal your light. You walked into this house today with the weight of the world on your shoulders. I hate seeing you that way.”
“You’re one of a kind, Monroe Morrison.”
“Right back at ya, boyfriend.”
He pulls back, kisses my forehead, and takes my hand, lacing our fingers. “We might as well get used to this.”
“Yeah,” I agree, feeling the warmth of his hold spread up my arm. He gives me a smile, a genuine Legend smile, and leads me out of the room and back downstairs.
As soon as we enter the living room, conversation stops and all eyes are on us. “Have you met my girlfriend?” Legend asks.
He leads me into the room, and back to the love seat, pulling me onto his lap. We tell them what we’ve decided and swear them all to secrecy. I know in my heart this is the right thing. It’s eighteen months, tops. I’ll focus on my job, save money, and at the end of this, I’ll find my own place and start my life.