Total pages in book: 190
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
His gaze snared mine, a warning and a promise there. “It may be an arrangement, Addison, but we’re not going to have separate bedrooms or any of that shit. You’ll sleep next to me, where you’ll belong.”
As thoughts of what would happen in his bed—well, it would be our bed—slinked through my mind, butterflies took wing in my stomach. “I had no intention of doing anything else.” I paused. “We’re both busy people, but I think it’s important we spend time together at home the way any normal couple would.”
“Agreed. You’ll be my wife, not my housemate. Our behavior should reflect that.”
Relief fluttered in my chest. It was only then I realized I’d worried he had some notion that, to a large degree, we’d live separate lives. I wouldn’t want any children we had to think that was what a relationship should be. “So we can be friends, then?”
“Friends?” he echoed, tasting the word. “Yes, we can be that. It wouldn’t have worked before.”
Back when we weren’t “involved” with each other, he meant. And no, it wouldn’t have worked, because we’d have crossed platonic lines for certain. “Good. If we’re going to parent children together, we should at least be friends. How many kids do you want?” I really hoped they had his mismatched eyes—a silly thought, maybe, but I loved them.
“I don’t have a specific number in mind.” He twisted his mouth, his expression thoughtful. “Two at a minimum.”
“Works for me.”
“I suggest we don’t try to conceive straight away. We should take at least eight months to get settled and find our balance.”
“I agree.” It would be both stupid and selfish to bring a child into the kind of situation we’d be navigating until, as he’d said, we found our balance. “Where is it exactly you want us to live?” I asked, placing some spices on the counter rack.
“My villa here in Oakengrove. Come visit me there tomorrow evening. We’ll have dinner. I’ll show you around. You don’t like it, we’ll move.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that. I wouldn’t live in a place I didn’t like. Do you think I’d ask it of you?”
“No, I guess not.” I shoved tins of cat food into one of the lower cupboards, which reminded me … “I’ll be bringing Gypsy when I move. My cat.”
“Not an issue. Anything else you want to get straight?”
“I think it’s important that we be honest with each other. Good communication will be key for us, considering we don’t have the emotional connection most married couples do.”
“Yes, honesty is important.” An odd glint entered his eyes. “A point which, in fact, brings me to what I meant to ask you after we’d finished our discussion, but now is as good a time as any.”
I threw him a wary glance. “What is it you want to know?”
“Why your parking sign near your office building was graffitied.”
Motherfucker. “How did you hear about that?”
“I have my sources. One notified me of it earlier.”
Knowing it could cause inter-family trouble, I hadn’t intended to tell him about Blaise’s stunt. The last thing I wanted was for Dax to be at odds with his cousins. Not merely for his own sake, but because it wouldn’t exactly endear me to his immediate relatives.
When moments of silence went by, he flicked up a brow. “You want honesty, remember?”
Holding back a petulant sigh, I none too gently perched a box of cereal on the counter, making a mental note to transfer the contents into one of the storage containers later. “It was Blaise.”
“Felicity’s son?”
“Yes. It was easy to ID him. He didn’t bother covering his face. Probably because he knew that being caught on CCTV wouldn’t lead to an arrest. You know how the sheriff is when it comes to friends and family.”
Dax let out a knowing, annoyed grunt. “How did your father deal with Blaise?”
“I didn’t tell him. My dad’s reaction would have been overkill.”
He shot me a So? look.
“Blaise is only nineteen. He did something stupid. Most kids that age do. Don’t get me wrong, if he does anything like that again, I will turn to my dad.” I was no sucker.
Dax’s chin inched up slightly. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll deal with Blaise.”
I was afraid he’d say that. “Let my dad handle it.”
“Why would I do that?”
“It would be better for you to stay out of this. Blaise is your second cousin.”
“And you’re my fiancée.”
My pulse did a little tap dance. Weird as it might sound, I hadn’t really considered that I was now technically his fiancée. This was a business deal, not a romance.
“Did he graffiti the sign in a stupid response to something, or was it a random act?”
Frustrated I’d have to also reveal yet another thing that could result in inter-family issues, I pulled the freezer door open harder than necessary. “I had a little spat with his mom the day before the vandalism.”