Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
He’s Lost His Damn Mind
Chiara
“And you claim I’m not cut out to be a comedian,” I say. “If this is your idea of a joke, your timing is terrible.”
“Think about it,” he argues. “If you’re legally married to me, you aren’t legally allowed to marry anyone else, meaning the arranged marriage can’t go ahead.”
I put my hand to his forehead. “Are you running a fever?”
“No. But I really need to get out of these wet clothes,” he says, removing his shirt and trousers but leaving his boxer briefs on and grabbing another towel to wrap around his waist.
“So modest. You know I’ve seen everything you’ve got going on down there,” I say, waving a hand around his lower half.
“I’m well aware.”
He fishes his phone out of his discarded jacket.
“What’s your full name as it appears on your birth certificate?”
“Why?”
“I need it.”
“For what?”
“For the marriage license,” he says casually. “I’m applying for a virtual one, which will come through immediately. Then I’ll text a clerk at the courthouse to make sure we get priority tomorrow. We’ll get this done quickly.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold your horses, Raffy baby. I didn’t say yes. Also, can I just point out that if there were an Olympic event for the most anti-climactic marriage proposal, you’d win gold.”
“We both know if I wanted you to climax, you’d be a whimpering mess. But we’re getting off task. Full name please.”
“Tell me yours first?”
“Rafael Patrick Princi.”
“Strong. I like it.”
“Full name.”
“Chiara Marie Gigioliotti.”
“Very Italian.” He smirks at me. “I like it.”
“Don’t start with me,” I warn, eyes narrowed at him. “I mean, how would this even work? Do we throw a ‘Surprise! We used to hate each other but now we’re married party?’”
“No. It would work as a confidential arrangement.”
“Ah. I see. So, another overbearing man with a hold over me. Just fucking great. You know what my headstone will read? Here lies Chiara Gigioliotti, unfortunate orphan, well-dressed charity case, under-fucked fake wife. I told you I wanted the gold standard and you offer me a, a—”
“An out from a shitty situation.”
“Why would you do this for me?” I cry, roughly running a comb through my wet hair before pointing it at him angrily. “I want love, someone to choose me, and you’ve made your position on both very clear. So help me understand the fucking meaning of this.”
“I’ve been honest from the start. I’m not the gold standard when it comes to romantic relationships, but I’m not okay with the idea of you being married off to that fucking monster.”
“Why?”
“I have a sister, and I think that if she were in the same position, I’d want someone to do the same for her.”
“That’s such weird reasoning because we both know Marco is the only one marrying her, so you have no worries there.”
“We’re getting off track. Is it a yes?”
“You’re seriously the most maddening man I’ve ever met.”
“Well, I’d like to think I’m a better brand of madness than the one on the table currently.”
I look up to find him staring at me, like he’s waiting for a response.
“Oh, sorry. I thought that was a rhetorical question, seeing as no one really cares about what I want or need.” I push past him and go into my room.
He follows, standing at the foot of my bed, watching as I open and close drawers loudly until I find what I’m looking for.
Then I turn to face him, holding a handful of lace. He wants to play these games, I’m down.
“So if you’re asking me if you’re better than the other neanderthal men in my life currently hellbent on making decisions on my behalf, the answer is—marginally.
You’re a good kisser, have a big dick, and you know how to use it.
So that earns some bonus points.” Holding his gaze, I drop my towel and slowly put on the pretty, sheer white lingerie.
He doesn’t look away but remains stony-faced.
Unfortunately, his towel does nothing to conceal his body’s reaction.
“Enjoying the impromptu show from your almost-fake wife?” I tease, hands on my hips, fully on display for him. His eyes roam over my breasts then lower before he snaps them back to my face.
He clenches his jaw, and for a millisecond I think he’s going to close the distance between us. Instead, he remains steadfast. It’s clear he’s not going to allow me to tempt him into sinning with me again.
I grab sweatpants and chuck them on. “Well at least I like your sister and your brothers.”
“No one can know unless we need to use it as our ammunition.”
“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” I say with an eye roll as I hunt for Raf’s tee that I kept from the night of the Photography Exhibition. “I might be young, but contrary to your misinformed belief, I’m not dumb.”
That makes him snap. He strides over to me and grips me by the chin, my pebbled nipples brushing against his torso.
“I never said you were dumb. Don’t put words in my mouth,” he commands sternly staring into my eyes. “Stubborn. Wild. Beautiful. Talented. Deserving of happiness. Sometimes infuriating, yes,” he says punctuating each word. “Even if this marriage is a means to an end, my words are real.”
His honesty has thrown me for a loop. To be fair, I was thrown for a loop at how nonchalantly he proposed the idea, almost as though he’d been thinking about it for a while.
“Important question,” I whisper. “Is consummating the marriage part of your marriage-of-convenience service?”
“Against the house rules. Besides, I think we already took care of that part. Twice.”
“You and your fucking rules,” I say with a huff.
The air around us is charged—strike a match and we’d go up in flames.
“So is that a yes?” he asks.
“I don’t think you’re what I’m looking for in the one,” I say extracting myself from his grip and finally locating the shirt I was looking for and pulling it on.
His eyes flare as he takes me in, drowning in his T-shirt. “I don’t have to be the one. But I can be the one who saves you from a much worse fate.”
In my mama’s final words to me, she said she wanted me to get married. To find someone who would love me unconditionally. After fucking up so much, I had hoped to at least grant her this wish.
“I need time to think about it,” I say quietly. “Real or fake, it’s a big decision.”
He nods. “I’ll finalize all the paperwork now. You have until 4 p.m. tomorrow. I’ll be waiting at City Hall. If it’s a yes, I’ll see you there.”