Chapter 5

• She gave a piercing look with narrowed eyes. “I see you’re the same overbearing bully who teased me about my chest size. There are certain things that remain unchanged.”
• He fixated his attention on the plunging neckline of her dress. “I guess you’re right. Some elements continue to stay the same. Others keep expanding.”
• Her breath was momentarily taken away by the jab, but she flashed him a smile. “And other things remain small.” Her pointed stare settled directly on the bulge in the center of his pants.
• Nick came close to spitting out his coffee, but gracefully composed himself and placed the cup down. A wave of heat hit his stomach as he reminisced about the day in the pool from their childhood. He had been teasing Alexa mercilessly about the changes in her body when Maggie snuck up behind him and yanked down his swim trunks. Exposed in all senses of the word, he’d stalked away and pretended the whole episode didn’t bother him. Yet, the memory continued to be his most humiliating experience.
• He made a hand gesture towards the papers in front of her. “Maggie told me you needed a specific amount of money. I retained the figure's potential for negotiation.”
• A strange look flickered across her face. Her features tightened, then smoothed back out. “Is this the contract?”
• He responded by nodding. “I know you’ll need your lawyer to look it over.”
• “No need. I have a friend who is a legal practitioner. I obtained enough information by assisting him with his bar exam studies. May I see it?”
• He glided the papers over the glossy wood. She rummaged through her purse until she found a pair of small, black reading glasses. With a gentle push, she secured them on the bridge of her nose. Minutes passed as she studied the contract.
• He looked at her. His strong attraction irritated him. Alexa was not his cup of tea. She was far too curvy, far too direct, far too...real. He liked knowing he was safe from any emotional outbursts if something did not go her way. Regardless of whether Gabby always handled herself with restraint, even when she was upset. Alexa frightened him to death. Something in his gut told him she would not be easy to deal with. She expressed her thoughts and emotions without hesitation. Such reactions resulted in danger, havoc, and chaos. He did not need that in his marriage.
• Yet...
• He had faith in her. Those sapphire eyes radiated determination and fairness. Her assurance meant something. After a year, he knew she would walk away without looking back or wanting more money. The balance had tipped in her favor.
• In a steady rhythm, one cherry red fingernail tapped the edge of the page. She raised her head. Nick was perplexed as to why her skin had turned pale after she had appeared flushed and healthy just moments before.
• “Do you have a requirements list?” Instead of making a list of assets and liabilities, she said it as if she were accusing him of a capital crime.
• He swallowed and cleared his throat. “These are just a few characteristics I would like my wife to have.”
• She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a silent breath. She seemed to have a difficult time, her movements strained as she tried to free them.
• “You seek a multipurpose individual who can fulfill the roles of a hostess, an orphan, and a robot with seamless ease. Is that fair?”
• He took a deep breath. “You’re exaggerating. Just because I desire a partner who possesses elegance and financial acumen, it does not make me a heartless being.”
• A snort, completely lacking in grace, escaped her lips. “You want a Stepford wife without the sex. Haven’t you learned anything about women since you were fourteen?”
• “I learned plenty. That’s why Uncle Earl had to force me into an institution that favors women in the first place.”
• She gasped. “Men get plenty out of marriage!”
• “Like what?”
• “Steady sex and companionship.”
• “After six months, the headaches start and you bore each other to tears.”
• “Someone to grow old with.”
• “Men never want to grow old. This is why they consistently seek out younger women.”
• She couldn't help but let her jaw drop in awe. She closed it with one quick snap. “Children...a family...someone who will love you in sickness and health.”
• “Someone who spends all your money and nags you every night and bitches about cleaning up your mess.”
• “You’re sick.”
• “You’re deluded.”
• Her head shook, causing her silky black curls to dance and frame her face before settling down. The flush was back in her skin. “God, your parents really screwed you up,” she muttered.
• “Thank you, Freud.”
• “What if I don’t fit in all these categories?”
• “We’ll work on it.”
• Her eyes narrowed, revealing her deep concentration, and she anxiously bit her lower lip. Nick flashed back to the first time he kissed her when he was sixteen. How his mouth had pressed against hers, feeling her tremble. His fingers lightly caressing the bare skin of her shoulders. The fresh, clean scent of flowers and soap teasing his nostrils. Afterward, her face radiated with an unmistakable innocence, beauty, and purity. Waiting for the happy-ever-after part.
• Then she had smiled and told him she loved him. Wanted to marry him. He should have patted her on the head, said something nice, and gone on his way. Instead, her marriage remark had been sweet and tempting in a way that had scared the crap out of him. Even at sixteen, Nick knew no relationship could ever be beautiful—they all eventually turned ugly. He’d laughed, called her a baby, and left her alone in the woods. The vulnerability and hurt in her face had torn at his heart, but he’d hardened himself to the emotion. The earlier she learned, the better.
• Nick had made sure they both learned tough lessons that day.
• He shook off the memory and concentrated on the present. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re looking for in this marriage?”
• “One hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Cash. Up front and not at the end of the year.”
• He leaned closer to her, intrigued. “Hell of a lot of money. Gambling debts?”
• An invisible wall slammed between them. “No.”
• “Shopping spree?”
• Temper flared in her eyes. “None of your business. Part of the deal is that you ask me no questions about the money or how I intend to use it.”
• “Hmmm, anything else?”
• “Where do we live?”
• “My home.”
• “I’m not giving up my apartment. I’ll pay the rent as usual.”
• Surprise shot through him. “As my wife, you’ll need a proper wardrobe. You’ll get an allowance and have access to my personal shopper.”
• “I’ll wear what I want, when I want, and pay my own damn way.”