42. Sean
SEAN
W aking up, I sense someone staring at me. I crack open my eyelids a smidge, not wanting to face full-on daylight quite yet. Sure enough, Lowri is propped on an elbow with a mischievous grin on her face.
“What has you wide awake and so cheerful this morning?” I murmur.
“Cassie’s opening night went great. I slept like a dream. Then I woke up next to your hot hardness, hoping we could start the day off with a bang.” She snickers at her intentional word play.
Fuuuck. Playful Lowri is sexy. And my steel-hard cock is in full agreement with her plan. Damn it. We have to talk first. I’m not the jerk who’d take advantage of her offer minutes before telling her I’ve been hiding something.
Shit, she’s going to think I’m exactly that asshole for waiting this long to tell her. I doubt she’ll be speaking to me after this.
“Not to kill the mood, but we need to talk first,” I say, knowing I’m definitely killing the mood.
“That sounds serious. What’s wrong?” she asks, worry spreading over her face.
“Remember I said we needed to discuss the annulment?”
“Yes. I’m still confused as to why it’s taking this long. I can always step in and talk with your lawyer if there’s a problem.”
“The problem is not with the lawyer and not with the annulment itself. The problem is with me. I shouldn’t have waited to tell you. I’ve just dreaded this conversation.”
“Are you saying we don’t need an annulment? Wait a minute. Don’t you dare tell me you’re already married. You know how I feel about cheaters. Or do you want to stay married and were afraid to tell me?” she asks, skeptically.
“I’ve never been married before. Our marriage is valid, and I’m still on board for the annulment. But I need to ask a favor. Can we delay the annulment for a few weeks?”
Her frown deepens as her eyebrows scrunch together.
“Why?”
“I hadn’t realized that my dad set up my trust in a screwball way.
My lawyer explained that there is a clause in the trust agreement related to my marrying.
It says that if I marry before the Athena is transferred to me personally, then I must stay married for a minimum amount of time.
If I don’t, then the Athena will never be mine.
It will remain in the trust, directed by the trustees.
They would have the power to kick me out entirely. ”
Her jaw literally drops open.
“I knew something was amiss. The paperwork should have been ready for our signatures within a few days, and judges usually sign off on annulments within a couple of weeks.”
“The lawyer did say that, but contrary to popular belief, annulments aren’t regularly granted here.”
“That’s because there’s only a short list of allowable reasons for an annulment. But our situation falls squarely within one of those reasons. We were drunk!”
“Yeah, I know.”
“How long do we have to stay married?”
“Only three months.”
“From now or from our wedding date?”
“From the wedding. It’s only a few more weeks.”
“I’m not sure I’d call eight to ten weeks a few. Why didn’t you tell me? Why would I care if we delayed the paperwork a little longer? I’ll go home to San Diego. Your lawyer can let me know when the annulment goes through.”
“Well, that’s the problem. Umm… The terms of the trust agreement require us to live together the whole time.”
“What the hell? Why?”
“As I told you, my dad was head over heels in love with Mom until the day she died. He wanted the same for me and didn’t want me to take marriage lightly.
If I married, he wanted me to give it a real chance.
The younger I married, the longer the requirement to stay married and try to make it work.
We’re lucky that we only have to stay married three months. ”
“When did you find out about this marriage clause?”
“Only recently, I swear.”
“How recently? Don’t lie to me.”
“A couple of days after we got married—when I met with my lawyer to start the annulment process.”
I see it when it dawns on Lowri.
“Now I understand. That’s why you hired me to represent the Athena and insisted I stay here. You didn’t specifically want me for the job. And the only reason you agreed to my request for monogamy was to keep me in your bed to satisfy the requirement to live together.”
“Don’t go there. That’s not what happened. I love having you between the sheets with me. Our chemistry is off the charts. You’re a great lawyer. We’ve made a fantastic team. Why wouldn’t I want us to work and play together?”
“I don’t know that I believe you. Regardless, you should have told me.”
“I know. I was afraid of losing everything. Then, after I’d waited to tell you, I was worried you’d think I was manipulating you.”
“You were.”
“I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention. I’ve recently seen the havoc that keeping secrets can cause. I don’t want that in either of our lives. I promise to be completely open with you going forward. Can you forgive me? Will you stay?”
Silence looms between us for several minutes. I’m staring at her face but can’t read her thoughts.
She finally says, “How can I be angry? It’s a fake marriage. I’m actually somewhat amused at your predicament.”
I close my eyes, slowly letting out the breath I’ve been holding as the tension releases from my neck and shoulders.
“That’s a relief. Thank you.”
“No problem. I’ll stay, but you need to compensate me.”
I bite my lip to remain calm. “Exactly what do you have in mind?”
“My time is valuable, and I’m doing you the favor of a lifetime. Decide what it’s worth to you and make me a proposal. I’m flexible—money, ownership interest, property, or a combination. Feel free to be creative. I’m going to take a shower. You can let me know what you’ve decided when I’m done.”
Damn. Damn. Damn.
I didn’t think Lowri would be after my money. That’s not who I thought she was.
I’m so screwed. She knows what the Athena is worth to me. Everything . Does she expect half?
I’d call Evan for advice, but I’m embarrassed to tell him how royally I’ve fucked up my life.
Now I have about twenty minutes to come up with a proposal to save my future.