Chapter 13
Chapter thirteen
Tristan
Ihad a damn brainworm that wouldn’t go away.
It’d started niggling when I’d told Kate’s social worker we were engaged, and now, a week later, all that niggling had snowballed into something else entirely.
Being engaged looked better than dating, but the problem was it wasn’t permanent. Being married, making a life-long commitment… Now, that would send the right message.
All it would take was one trip to the courthouse for both Kate and I to be a step closer to reaching our goals.
There was no way the board could throw my lifestyle in my face when I had a family waiting at home. And no way a judge would give custody to some wannabe mom when Millie had a stable homelife.
It could work. It would work.
I just had to convince Kate of it.
Reaching her desk, I tapped my knuckles against the wood. “My office.”
She paused mid-bite, her fury-filled gaze snapping to mine. I’d been on the receiving end of those death glares for the last couple of days and, holy shit, they shouldn’t have made my blood hum the way it did.
“I’m eating.” She made a show of biting into her bagel.
Which sent my brain into overdrive. Images of my fingers threaded through her hair while she wrapped those perfectly plump lips around me.
Shit.
Clearing my throat, I leaned over her desk—more to hide my growing erection than to intimidate. “It wasn’t a request.”
Her brow slowly quirked, sending a silent “really” my way
I raised one in return. “Yes, fucking really.”
With a huff, she dropped her bagel into the take-out container and shoved to her feet. “You know it wouldn’t hurt to ask nicely.”
I didn’t know what came over me. In a blink, I rounded her desk and dropped to my knees in front of her. Pressing my palms together, I rested my chin on the tips of my fingers.
“Your majesty, would you please do your humble servant the great honor of joining me in—”
“Are you freaking nuts?” she hissed. “Get up.”
I held her stare. “Please. Please. I beg of you. Ple—”
“There’s something very, very wrong with you.” With a sharp shake of her head, she sidestepped me and headed for my office.
Grin stretching wide, I pushed to my feet and followed.
“Marry me.” The words were out before my door clicked shut.
She whirled from where she stood in front of my desk. “What?”
“Marry me,” I repeated.
Even from across the room, it was impossible not to spot the fury burning in her eyes. I had this urge to close the distance, shove my fingers in her hair, and find out if her kiss would taste as angry.
Shit. There I went again. These thoughts and damn urges had to stop.
“Listen.” Sliding my hands into my pockets, I took a few tentative steps toward her. “This is the easiest way to ensure we both get what we want.”
She made a noise that sounded a lot like a growl. “Easy? I don’t think being married to you would be easy.”
Ouch. I rubbed a hand over my sternum. “Ah, come on, Kitty Kat. Say you’ll be my pretend wife.”
Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes. “No.”
I crossed the room in a few strides. My fingers curled around her wrists before my brain could even issue the command. Much like the night of the dinner, I was struck with how damn soft her skin was.
“It’s not forever,” I told her. “Only until I make partner, and a judge tells whatsherface to go to hell.”
“Well,” she drawled. “When you put it like that…” One hard tug was all it took for her to shrug out of my hold. “No.”
My hands shot to my hips. “Why are you being so fucking stubborn? All that’s standing between you and me reaching our goals is one little trip to the courthouse.”
Her rage returned full force, reminding me once more how sick in the head I was when all I could think about was bending her over the desk and screwing her until she saw reason…or stars.
I’d settle for either.
“It’s not just one trip to the courthouse,” she spat, thankfully oblivious to my thoughts. “It’s divorce papers later. It’s upending a little girl’s life not once but twice. Have you even stopped to think about what this would do to her?”
Shit. I hadn’t. Shame coated my skin.
An apology sat on the tip of my tongue, but Kate wasn’t done.
“I don’t want to marry you, Tristan. Not even a pretend marriage.”
Those hazel eyes stayed trained on me for a few heart-stopping moments before she shook her head and turned toward the door.
“Kate, wait.” Catching her by the wrist again, I drew her to a stop. I didn’t miss the wild way in which her pulse thrummed against my fingers. I had a similar beat rattling inside my chest. “I thought you’d do anything to keep Millie.”
“That’s low,” she whispered, her tone full of disappointment.
She was right. That was low, even for me.
“I’m…” I started to apologize then stopped. Why did I want this so bad? It was just supposed to be an idea to strengthen our chances, when had it become this urgent matter?
“I’m sorry.” Uncurling my fingers, I stepped back, allowing her to leave.
She was barely out the door when the damn gnawing need to chase after her burned my feet.
“Not a fucking chance,” I grumbled under my breath.
What I needed to do was go to my desk and focus on my work. Which was exactly what I tried to do. Tried because I couldn’t go two damn minutes without thinking about Kate.
Her rejections shouldn’t have bothered me the way they did. It didn’t matter that she didn’t want me touching her, or that she didn’t want to be in a fake marriage with me.
None of that mattered.
Keep telling yourself that. It bothers you because you want her.
And there it was. The truth I was too chickenshit to admit. I wanted Kate. Wanted to taste her lips, feel her skin beneath my touch. Hear her moan my name. Fuck, how I wanted that.
But she didn’t want me.
The woman acted like I had the damn plague or something. Maybe that’s what was messing with my head? Whatever it was, it had to stop.
It was hard enough to get her to agree to help me make partner. If she backed out now because of my pushiness, I’d hand that position to Lewis on a silver platter.
“Shit.”
A heavy sigh blew over my lips as I leaned back and swiped a palm over my face. I’d fucked up and had to apologize.
Checking the time, I noticed the workday had been over for almost an hour already. Kate wouldn’t be here anymore. Especially not with how things were between us.
I had to make it right.