Page 31 of Damaged Beast
“Prime.” She puts the pen down with a snap and crosses her arms. “Who said anything about being sexual partners?”
I drop to a knee beside her. She shies away, clearly excited. I want to bury my mouth between her legs and breathe in her smell. The rise and fall of her chest, the swell of her lips, she fucking makes me want to break here and now. I started this as a joke, but there’s a glimmer of truth in everyjust kidding.
“I’m a loyal man. I don’t cheat on my wife.”
“But we’re fake married. You practically forced me into it.”
“That changes nothing. I said the words. And you—“ I catch her hand in mine and run my finger over her skin. “You’re wearing my ring. That means you’re mine.”
She makes a soft, strangled whimper as she wraps her head around what I’m saying. “That’s not… we never discussed…”
“How did you think this would work?”
“I don’t know!”
“You imagined I’d cheat on you?”
Her cheeks flush pink. “That never bothered you before.”
“I’ve never, not a single time, cheated on a partner.” I tighten my grip on her hand. “Do you hear me, Deanna? I’ve fucked around plenty, but every woman I’ve ever been with knew exactly what I wanted.”
“Oh.” She bites her lower lip. “What do you want now?”
I lean in closer, tugging her to meet me half way. Her chin lifts as I run my hands through her lovely, silky hair. “I want my wife… and I want contractual language obligating her body to my bed…”
She remains there wrapped in my embrace for several seconds and I’m not sure where this is going. What started out as teasing her is turning into a lot more. My dick’s raging and my blood’s burning, but she yanks back, grunting as I release her hair. She stands, gathering the pages hurriedly.
“You’re not funny,” she says, sounding breathless, and I doubt she thinks I’m messing around anymore.
“Are you giving me permission to sleep around behind your back?” I get to my feet, a flicker of anger beginning in my heart.
“I never expected more.”
“But you didn’t think about it, did you?”
“It doesn’t matter, Prime. This is fake, remember? You need me for social standing and I need your money. What you do with your dick is your business.”
“Youare my business.”
“Technically?” She waves the contract at me. “Not entirely.”
“Think about it, Deanna. Picture me taking another woman home?—“
“You think I don’t know what you do? I’ve walked in on you more than once.” Her pretty cheeks are burning red. God, she’s fucking imagining me sleeping with someone else right now.
“Now you’re that woman.”
“No, I’m not. Your life is your life and my life is my own.”
“So now you’re saying you’re going to have other men?” A flash of Deanna in some faceless stranger’s arms sends my guts churning in a mess of jealousy. “Fuck that. Absolutely not. Put it in the contract.”
“Prime—“
“The Parties will refrain from seeking outside relationships, either physical or emotional, for as long as they are married. Something like that. Put it down right fucking now.”
“Prime!”
“I’m not joking.” I grip the edge of the table, fingers digging into the wood. Why do I care so much about this? A few weeks ago, it wouldn’t have crossed my mind to even picture Deanna tangled in a stranger’s sheets, let alone have strong feelings about it.
