“Hey, sorry. You’re not going to believe the wild conversation I just had,” I said.
“Baby, where are you?” Mike asked.
My heart dropped. Why hadn’t I looked at it first?
“Jennifer, you know you want me to find you. Stop playing these games.”
“Leave me alone,” I whispered.
He laughed. The hollow sound was dark. “Bitch I own you. I’ll never fucking leave you alone. I’ll never stop looking for you or hunting you. You are mine.”
I swallowed. “I don’t belong to anyone.”
“You little who –
I ended the call before he could finish. My fingers were trembling as I dropped the phone on the seat next to me. I looked at it in disgust, like I might conjure the bastard there merely by thinking of him. He could never find me. He wouldn’t let me slip away again if he did. I was better off dead. At least dead, he couldn’t hurt me anymore. Henry had offered me protection and a way out.
My hands still trembled as I dialed the number on Henry’s check. He answered on the first ring. Despite knowing what I had to do, I hesitated at the sound of his voice. He was eager, almost arrogant as if he’d been waiting on me to call. I felt predictable and ashamed, yet the plethora of insecurities still didn’t outweigh my fear of Mike. Henry was my only way out.
“Six months and not a day longer.” I snapped. “I mean it. Not seven months, not a year, not six months, and a day.”
“We'll have to get married. You do understand that, right?”
“Yes. I don’t have a problem with that, but the day that license is sighed, the clock starts.”
“Deal. Can I ask what changed your mind?”
“It doesn’t matter. All you need to know is that I’ll play my part in public, but that’s it. When we are alone –
“I get it. It’s a business deal. Nothing else.”
“Exactly,” I said. My voice shook. “Nothing else.”
9
Henry
“I thought the bride wasn’t supposed to see the groom before the wedding,” Jennifer said.
I laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t think you were a stickler for tradition. Plus, the wedding isn’t until tomorrow, so I don’t think today counts.”
“Hey, now, just because this isn’t exactly the fairy-tale romance I envisioned for myself doesn’t mean I can't enjoy playing the part.”
“You might still get your happy ending. You can just call this your ‘starter’ marriage. I hear it’s the fashionable thing to do nowadays.”
“Oh, thank God, I do worry about my image a good bit.” She grinned.
I couldn’t help but laugh as she rolled her eyes. It had been a week since she’d moved into my house, and everything had changed. Jennifer seemed to make the whole house feel like home somehow. I found myself longing to get back inside at the end of the day just so I could spend a few minutes with her before she disappeared into her bedroom. There was a desire between us still, a lingering flame of passion that we’d both resisted. So far.
“Are you ready for the big day?” I asked. “I know we made this all happen pretty fast. Not many women could pull off a wedding of this size in two weeks.”
“Well, given the unlimited funds, you’d be surprised what kind of magic can be worked. I had fun doing it. I doubt my second wedding will get to be as lavish, so I might as well enjoy it.”
“Good, I’m glad you are having fun with it. I don’t mind spending the money. When Callus sells me his ranch, it will more than pay for itself.”
“I still don’t feel great about the reason we are doing all this,” she admitted.
“I know. Once you meet Scott tomorrow, though, I think you’ll understand what’s at stake. All that man cares about is money. He’d pay to put Callus six feet under if he thought he’d get the money faster.”
“Wow, he sounds like a real winner. I’m so excited he’s coming to the wedding.”
“We had to invite him. Callus would expect me to invite everyone in his family. Just be ready. Scott is a snake but a smart one. He’s going to question you at some point or another, but I’ll try not to leave you alone.”
“I’d hope not on our wedding day. That would look bad if the groom skipped out after the first dance.”
Again I found myself laughing with Jennifer. It was a routine I’d found myself enjoying quite a bit. Her easy-going personality was comforting. I knew there was a temper just below the surface. I’d only seen it once since we’d started living together. Even then, she’d quickly hidden it when she realized I was standing behind her. Whoever had been on the phone had certainly gotten an earful, though.
Part of me had considered asking about the call, but I knew it wasn’t my place. She was playing the role of doting fiancée perfectly. I couldn’t ask for a better actress, but when there was no one else around, she withdrew from me. Jennifer was a puzzle I couldn’t figure out, and it was driving me insane. All I wanted was to know about the woman sharing my house, yet she remained guarded. As the days passed, she’d learned more about my life and upbringing on the road, but all I knew of her own family was that she had none. Gwen was the closest thing she had.
“it’s getting late,” Jennifer said as she rose. “We should probably get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy one.
My heart sank a little. “I think it will go fine. You should try and relax. Enjoy yourself a little bit. You’ve been the one working your butt off for all of this. Have a drink.”
Jennifer smiled. “I’ve already had one. That’s why I’m sprawled out on the couch like a cat. You enjoy your second drink, though.”
“Alright, but you’re missing out. Once I get two drinks in me, I start to sing karaoke pretty terribly. It’s one hell of a good show.”
“Damn, I don’t want to miss that. I’ll have to get you drunk tomorrow too then.” She said.
I stood and walked with her to the hall between our two bedrooms. It was my least favorite part of the night. Jennifer paused at her door, and my heart started to pound. She always went right into her room, telling me goodnight then closing the door. When she looked at me with her perfect smile, I couldn’t resist taking a step closer. Her mouth parted, but she didn’t move away from me.
With just a few inches between us, I moved closer until I could feel the heat from her body. She shuddered as her nipples pressed into my chest. Tilting her head up so that our eyes met, I gazed down at the beautiful woman I’d soon call my wife. Running the pad of my thumb across her plump lower lip, I watched in excited silence as her eyes fluttered shut, a breath still caught in her chest.
The sweet smell of her lilac perfume filled the air. I lowered my head, our lips meeting silently as a wave of desire coursed through me. Jennifer sucked in another sharp breath, her hands running up my arms until she cupped my jaw, gently tugging me lower and intensifying the kiss. Her lips parted for my tongue as it explored her delicate mouth, the sweet taste of bourbon still lingering there. I didn’t want to break the spell and pull away.