Chapter 6
The seat under my ass was comfortable and luxurious, and yet I couldn’t sit still. Couldn’t keep my knee from doing that jumpy thing, nor could I stop the tension from coiling low in my gut.
It was fucking laughable.
“You’re sure about this?”
Unaware of the sudden bout of nerves coursing through my veins, Tristan shuffled the papers in his hands into a neat stack. “Why not wait it out? For all you know, you could meet the woman of your dreams tomorrow.”
I already had.
Literally.
Everlee fucking Sutton—Snow—had made numerous appearances in my thoughts, some awake, some not, since I’d met her eight days prior. Oh yeah, for eight fucking nights straight, I went to bed dreaming of long, inky hair and mesmerizing green eyes.
Until the past sank its icy claws into me, and horrified screams brutally yanked me from my slumber.
Ignoring how my skin tightened at the memories, I cleared my throat. “I’m sure. She needs this as much as me.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Tristan leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. “Her situation is dire. Desperate even. I’d hate to see you taken advantage of because you think there’s no other option.”
There were few things I truly prided myself on. The ability to read people was one of them. It was why Tristan and Rafe never stood a chance on our poker nights. Why I was good at my job.
Snow wasn’t doing this for herself. She was doing it for her family.
She’d said it and even proved it when she’d so vehemently told me her family was none of my business. At her fiery words, I’d felt a whole host of emotions. Sorrow the strongest, with envy not far behind.
How did it feel to have the people who were bound to you by blood actually care enough that they’d upend their entire lives just to help you?
“Anyone with access to the internet can do a quick search and know exactly how much you’re worth,” he went on. “What if she wants more money? What if she sells your furniture to line her pockets? Or worse, to support a boyfriend you don’t know about?”
She won’t.
The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t voice them. Tristan was right about all of it. It was the reason I’d asked him to do a background check after Snow had left my apartment, and why we’d postponed applying for the license until after the contract was signed.
I gave him a pointed stare. “Isn’t that why we’re doing this?” I said, jerking my head toward the contract and prenuptial agreement. “To cover the just-in-cases?”
Before he could respond, his office phone rang. After three sharp rings punctured the air, he pressed the receiver against his ear. Whoever was on the other end had little to say because he was off the call barely a breath later.
“She’s here.”
Two words. Two fucking words and my body went haywire. That jumping thing my knee did earlier intensified. Somewhere behind my rib cage, my heart pounded so fast and so loud, it was painful.
This was new.
It was inconvenient.
And freaked me the hell out.
Behind me, a soft knock sounded then the door slowly creaked open.
Tristan’s eyes flicked to mine. “Ready?”
I most certainly wasn’t. Instead of saying that out loud, I drew in a quick breath and pushed to my feet. Swiping my palms down the front of my jacket, I turned to face the door.
And, holy shit.
One look at her, and the air rushed from my lungs. My mouth went dry, and my fingers itched with new, unfamiliar sensations.
She. Was. Gorgeous.
Dressed in the same type of pantsuit thing as the other day, this one dark green, she’d pulled half of her hair into a knot on top of her head while the rest tumbled over her shoulder in soft curls.
I shifted from one foot to the other and slid my gaze farther down her body. Heels. Shiny, golden heels covered her feet, and dammit, I barely suppressed the shiver running down my spine at the sight of them.
“Miss Sutton. Thank you for coming,” Tristan spoke from behind his desk. “Have a seat.”
Snow’s attention stayed on my friend for one heartbeat longer before she finally turned her attention to me. And just like our first meeting, the brilliant green of her eyes hit me square in the chest. My lungs collapsed. My skin stretched tight, too tight, as she held my stare.
One, two, three seconds passed before she closed her eyes. I felt the loss of her attention deep down to the marrow of my bones. Swallowing hard, I kept my attention on her.
Her chest rose and fell on a deep, slow breath, immediately followed by another one. Maybe I wasn’t the only nervous one. On her third breath, her lids finally parted, and I was once again assaulted by those eyes.
She held my stare for a few more seconds then tucked a few wayward strands behind her ear and walked to where I stood.
Everything about her screamed the same energy I felt coursing through my veins. Until she parted her ruby-red lips.
“You remembered a shirt this time.” Her eyebrow steadily rose. “I’m impressed.”
A grin tugged at my mouth. “I could always take it off if it’ll make you more comfortable.”
My hands went to the tie around my neck. Before I could even pretend to pull at it, an awful choking sound filled the room.
Tearing my gaze from Snow, I looked over at Tristan. His face was red, and he stared at me like he didn’t know who I was.
Maybe he didn’t.
He’d never heard me speak to anyone like I spoke to Snow. Because I never had. It was the strangest thing. With her, words effortlessly rolled off my tongue. And after knowing her for less than a day, getting under her skin became my new favorite hobby.
Could have been because of the way those green eyes widened. Or possibly how she tugged her lip between her teeth or chewed on the inside of her cheek. Maybe it was the way her breath hitched when her gaze met mine.
I didn’t know.
Just that I didn’t hate it.
“All right.” Tristan cleared his throat. Obnoxiously loud. “Let’s get started.”
Disappointed that the moment with Snow was over, I parked my ass—so did she—and listened while Tristan read over the contract.
“Ten million is too much,” Snow said softly.
She didn’t look at me. Her attention was on Tristan, and just as I had with Rafe, I had a very strong desire to shove him out of the way so I could take his place.
“It’s what we agreed on.” I was proud of the steadiness in my tone. Especially since my insides were anything but.
She turned to me then, and man, I swear, I’d never get used to the feeling I felt the instant her eyes landed on me.
“No, we didn’t. You threw the number out, then left.”
“Actually, you were the one who left.” My brow quirked. “If you want to get technical about it.”
Snow’s gaze narrowed dangerously. “I just left the room; you left the conversation. Not that it matters because I never agreed to that amount.”
“I’m sorry,” Tristan interrupted. “Are you saying you want less money, not more?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Snow and I spoke at the same time.
Tristan’s gaze flicked from mine to Snow’s before settling on mine again. He didn’t even have to open his mouth, I saw the “what the fuck” written all over his face.
“Listen,” I started. “We’re not going to get anywhere like this. The contract says ten million. Keep what you want and donate the rest. Or maybe give it to your family. You are doing this for them, after all.”
At the mention of the people she so clearly cared about, a mask of sadness fell over her face. It didn’t stay there, though. She schooled her features almost immediately, but I hadn’t missed it.
My heart did that funny thing again, where it beat too fast and felt too big for my chest.
“Is your father doing better?”
I hadn’t meant to ask; the words just slipped out. But honestly, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t wondered about it since I’d overheard her phone conversation.
“He’s…not.” Her lids fluttered closed, and she inhaled deeply. Once, twice before those eyes were on me again. “If it’s all the same, I’d rather not talk about it here, now. Or ever.” The last part came out soft and a little broken.
What an asshole I was for making her hurt. I opened my mouth with an apology poised on the tip of my tongue. She was faster.
“Can we maybe speed this up?” Her attention was on Tristan again. “I don’t mean to sound rude or anything like that. It’s just… Today is my only chance to get the rest of my things from my old apartment before—”
“You’re moving? I thought I made it clear we’d live at the penthouse.”
“Really?” She rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you give me a chance to actually finish my damn sentence? I know where we’ll live, but we’re not married yet, and until the day we say our I do’s, I can do whatever I want. So if I want to move out of my apartment and stay in a motel, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.”
“You’re not really staying at a motel?”
Snow crossed her arms over her chest. “So what if I am? Are you afraid it might ruin your squeaky-clean reputation to have your future wife stay at some cheap motel?”
This woman clearly didn’t know a thing about me. “It’s dangerous. There’s more than enough room at—”
“I’m not moving in with you.”
“Once we’re married, you’ll have no other choice.” I leaned back and balanced my ankle on my knee. “Why delay the inevitable?”
“Because.” Those devastatingly beautiful eyes lowered into a slow roam over the expanse of my chest. She sucked on her bottom lip and rolled it over her teeth. Again and again.
My skin prickled with awareness; my blood turned hot. Too hot.
If she glanced down at that very moment, she’d see what her little perusal had done to me.
I shifted in my seat, thankful when the slight movement had her eyes locked on mine once more. And judging by the pretty way her cheeks changed color, she knew that I knew she’d just checked me the hell out.
And fuck, if that didn’t have my body humming with satisfaction.
Smoothing my palms along the armrests of my chair, I held her stare. “Well, I guess I’ll just count the days until I have you all to myself.”