Chapter 6 #2
I slowly opened my eyes and stared at him, wondering what game he was playing.
“I believe you didn’t set me up. Your face is far too expressive to lie to me.” The corner of his lips curled.
Relief washed over me before anger jumped ahead, and I pushed him away. “Stop playing with me, Canaan.”
“I’m not.” He quirked a brow before taking another gulp of champagne.
“I’ll buy you a ring once we get to Miami, and we’ll pretend we’re engaged long enough for me to win a couple of F1 races and for this video to blow over.
Get the media off my back and make sure I don’t lose any more sponsors.
I can fund this whole operation myself, but it’s all about which big company will back you.
As dangerous as this sport is, it’s a family sport, and my image must reflect good old family values, which means marriage. ” He took another long gulp.
“Once we get to Miami?”
“We leave with my team for Miami the day after tomorrow. My manager already booked a villa for our stay.”
I noted he used “we” and “our” as if it were a foregone conclusion that I would go wherever he was. “When’s the race?”
“May.”
“That’s three months, Canaan. I’m supposed to drop everything and be with you in another city for three months?” I asked incredulously.
“I’ll buy whatever you need. You can work from Miami. Talk it over with your professors. Take a leave if you need to.”
“No. I work too hard to give it up for any man, especially my fake man.” I crossed my arms. “I’m almost finished. A few more months before I put ‘doctor’ before my name.”
“Like you have a choice.” He scoffed and swallowed the rest of his champagne. “Figure it out. I’m not fucking up my dream because of a woman. I have too much at stake. You don’t.”
“You went down on me,” I shouted and waved my arms wildly. “I didn’t cause any of this.” His dismissal of my equally important dream hurt.
Canaan caught my arms. “Maybe not, but we can make the best of it. Fly back and forth once a month if you have to. Just think of how much your fanbase will grow once everyone finds out we’re engaged and living in Miami for three months.
You’re living the dream you wrote about in your book.
You can even chronicle our journey from college students to my road as the first African-Caribbean-American to win a NASCAR race and a Formula One race.
Sounds like another bestseller to me.” He squeezed me.
“Stop thinking. You don’t have a choice.
I need my future wife to be by my side as I prepare to drive the race of my life.
If you return home, the world will know I just lied to cover my ass. ”
I stared back, digesting his plan. “If I go along with this, we pretend in every way . . . including the bedroom.” I jabbed my finger at him. “You don’t get to sex me whenever you want and dump me when you’re done. When this is over, I want a clean break from you. Sex will only complicate things.”
He scoffed again. “You expect me not to have sex for three months?”
His virility spoke before a woman even noticed his handsome face, and I relented. “Fine. Just be discreet.”
Canaan propped his free hand on the wall next to my head, partially caging me in, drawing us close again. He lowered his voice. “You want me to fuck another woman when you’re in my bed every night?”
Determined not to melt at his every sensual move, I lifted my chin stubbornly. “You can do whatever you want because I’m not sleeping in your bed every night.”
He countered, “Well, you can’t do whatever you want.
I’ll ruin you if I catch one whiff that you’ve been with another man.
And you will sleep in my bed, but I’ll never force myself or expect sex.
We’re about to be scrutinized left and right.
People will study how we interact in public, and we have no idea who’s watching us when we think we’re alone.
I usually travel with a crew and staff. Information is leaked all the time, despite the nondisclosures everyone has to sign.
I wouldn’t even talk here if I hadn’t checked this room for cameras or bugs before we entered. ”
I crossed my arms tightly. “No other people then. And when it’s time, we walk away from each other.”
He finally placed the empty bottle on a nearby table before both arms trapped me. “This is going to be fun. You think you can deny me when I really want it?”
“I can, and I will. Celibacy might do both of us good.” I met his flirty gaze defiantly.
Canaan’s head roared back with laughter. “Kens, you were about to let me do whatever I wanted to your hot body a few minutes ago, and now you’re telling me that in one of the sexiest cities in the world, you can resist me for three months?”
“Bet.” I ignored how my heart warmed at the shortening of my name by pressing my lips against his teasingly. When he tried to deepen the kiss, I ducked under his arms. “Wanted one last kiss.” I winked, took his hand, and pulled him back toward the door.
He snuck a slow kiss on my bare shoulder, and pleasure shot straight to my core. “All’s fair, right? I wanted one last kiss too.”
I shut my eyes and prayed silently for strength and that the next three months in close confines with Canaan wouldn’t drive me mad.