Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“What? What do you mean?”
“The fear is practically radiating off of you at the thought of having sex with me. Don’t worry, that’s not why I brought you here.” He hands me a manila envelope, and I take it in shock.
That’s not why he brought me here? He’s not planning to have sex with me? I don’t understand.
“What’s this?” I ask in confusion, my head spinning.
“I guess it’s kind of a wedding present.” He scrubs the side of his face, looking nervous. Why is he nervous?
I open the envelope and pull the papers out, skimming the text. Initially, I assume it’s a prenup, which would make sense since Micah is wealthy. I, on the other hand, bring nothing to this marriage but issues. He has every right to protect himself.
But then I see the words: Decree of Divorce
“Are these divorce papers?” I choke out. I flip to the end and see Micah’s signature. “Did you marry me and file for divorce on the same day?”
“I’m not divorcing you,” he says softly. “These papers were drawn up for you. My hope is that you’ll fall in love with me and never use them. But you said you feel forced, that the choice to marry has been taken from you. Yes, we married out of necessity in order to save your life, but I don’t ever want you to feel trapped in our marriage. I told you before that I want you to choose me the way I’m choosing you.”
“You chose to save me,” I mutter.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll continue to say it,” he replies, setting the papers down and pulling us onto the couch and me into his lap. “I chose to marry you because I’m in love with you, and I see an entire future with you. Sure, the circumstances sped up the timeline.” He smirks. “But I told you at Wanderlust, I want it all with you. The love, the marriage… Hell, if you’re willing, someday I’d like nothing more than to have you pregnant with my babies.” He sucks his bottom lip into his mouth and glances down at my belly, heat filling his gaze.
And suddenly, I can picture it: going to bed and waking up together, creating a family together. The dinners, birthdays, holidays. Everything I’ve ever wanted but refused to believe I could have is now at my fingertips.
“But I’m getting a little ahead of myself,” he adds, looking back up at me. “I want this marriage to work, and if you give us a real chance, I’ll show you just how good it can be. I can only hope that one day you’ll be telling me that you love me, too. But I want you to know that with me, you always have a choice. So…” He nods toward the papers sitting on the table. “I had divorce papers drawn up. Once you’re safe, you can file them at any time. My signature is already on them.”
Most women would be deeply offended if their husbands gave them divorce papers on their wedding night, but I understand exactly why Micah did it, and the gesture has me falling harder for him.
“Thank you,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“You’re thanking me for divorce papers?” he half-jokes.
“I’m thanking you for making me feel a little less trapped.”
I lean in and kiss the corner of his mouth first, then the other corner. When I glide my lips to meet his, my insides tighten with need, and I tell myself I can do this. I can have sex with my husband. I might not love him yet, but I hope with time, I will. And if anyone has a chance of winning my heart, it’s definitely Micah.
But sex is suddenly off the table when he breaks the kiss and lifts me off his lap, setting me onto my feet.
“What are you doing?” I ask, confused as to why he would stop our kiss.
“As much as I love kissing you, having you in my lap wearing that sexy wedding dress is absolute torture.” He chuckles lightly. “Especially since we won’t be having sex tonight.”
“Wait, what? We’re not having sex?”
“Oh, we’re going to have sex,” he says with a smirk. “But no, it won’t be tonight. When we finally do, it’s going to be because you choose to, not because you were forced into a marriage meant to save your life.
“I don’t understand,” I say in shock. “If you didn’t plan to have sex with me, why did you get us this room?”
“You said you wouldn’t be having sex until you were in love and married. I can’t help the marriage part, but I can help the love part. Starting tonight, I’m going to do everything in my power to get you to fall in love with me, but the sex won’t happen until you say so. As for the room…” He shrugs. “Just because we aren’t having sex doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy our wedding night together.” He pulls me toward him, and I go willingly. “I packed us bathing suits. What do you say we take that champagne outside and enjoy the hot tub?” He waggles his brows, and I swear I fall again.