18. Mila #2
I walked into the bathroom, started running a bath, and took a deep breath.
I looked into the mirror and studied my face, not altogether displeased at my reflection.
I looked confused and pretty—or, as Parker would put it, pretty confused.
I leaned forward and studied my eyes and lips.
Did I look like someone who had just had a crazy weekend?
Did I look like someone who was contemplating signing a contract to be Ryker’s fake fiancée even though I really had no idea what I was signing?
I wasn’t even sure if I cared. I turned back to the bath and put my hand in to test the water, making sure the temperature was perfect.
I grimaced as the cold water touched my skin and sighed.
I turned the faucets off and walked back to the living room.
The water tank was out of hot water. I’d have to wait twenty minutes and try to run the bath again.
Beep, beep. I looked down at my phone and froze when I saw Ryker’s name on the screen. He’d sent me a text message. I grabbed my phone and tapped the screen so I could read what he’d written.
I miss you already.
Sure you do.
I do. Did you think about the contract?
You have a one-track mind.
Why do I think you’re not talking about sex.
How did Barbie take the talk?
How do you think?
She pushed her boobs in your face.
Are you psychic?
Funny! Not!
Did you make up your mind about the contract?
You said we could go through it first.
Can I call you now?
I was about to have a bath.
Can I come over then?
You wish.
Yes, I do.
Call me.
Ring, ring.
“That was fast,” I said as I answered the phone with a smile on my face.
“You did ask me to call.”
“Well, if we’re going to be technical about it, I only said that after you asked if you could call me,” I said, feeling light-headed.
“What’s bothering you about the contract?” he asked me, changing the subject.
“You’re really interested in me agreeing to this contract, aren’t you?”
“What do you think, Mila?”
“I want to know why you had a contract with my name on it already.”
“What do you think, Mila?”
“I want to know if this is a plan you’ve had for a while?”
“What do you think, Mila?”
“I think if you don’t stop saying that, I’m going to scream.”
“I’d love to hear you scream.” His voice deepened. “I’d love to hear you screaming out my name as I?—”
“Yeah, yeah, Ryker.” I rolled my eyes into the phone, though I couldn’t stop myself from shivering slightly at his words. “You want me in your bed. You want to make me come. You want me to make you come.” I paused and took a breath, but he interrupted before I could continue.
“It seems like you know me inside and out.” His voice was smooth, and I wondered what he was thinking.
“No, I don’t. That’s why I want to discuss the contract with you. Why exactly do you need access to all my personal information?”
“So I can make sure you’re not cheating on me.”
“How can I cheat on you if the relationship is a farce?”
“The engagement is a farce. The relationship won’t be.”
“Oh.” I bit my lower lip and mumbled, “So I’ll be your girlfriend?”
“No.” He sighed. “Not exactly.”
“Okay. So, I’m just supposed to let you have power of attorney over everything in my life. I’d think you were after my money if I had any and you weren’t a millionaire.” I laughed.
“I’m not after your money, Mila.” He sounded amused. “Your body, yes. Your money, no.”
“What does the clause mean that I need to trust you?” I asked. “Even if trusting you means I’m scared for my life.”
“Is that what’s bothering you the most?” he said, the words sounding smooth and light as if what I’d just brought up was of no significance to anything.
“Yeah, that’s bothering me. What exactly would you be doing that would have me scared for my life?”
“It’s a general contract, Mila. I just want to know that you’re giving everything to me and not holding anything back.”
“What would I be holding back?” I frowned into the phone. “And you didn’t really answer my question.”
“For this to work, I need to know that you will give me the benefit of the doubt. I don’t want to control you. I don’t want to dictate your everyday life. I just want to know that you’ll be open to suggestions of different things.”
“What different things?”
“You’ll see.”
“I don’t want to see. I want to know.”
“There are some things you can’t know right now, Mila.”
“What can I know?” I sighed.
“You can know that I want you very much. You can know that this engagement will benefit both of us. You can know that I will not do anything that will hurt you.”
“But you’ll put me in harm’s way? Possibly?”
“I would never put you in harm’s way.” He sighed. “Though you might always think that.”
“You’re scaring me, Ryker. I don’t understand what you’re asking. How can I say yes to something I don’t really understand?”
“You can say yes if you can answer yes to these three things: Do you want to help me? Do you want to make love to me? Do you want to be taken into a world of passion and excitement that you never knew existed before?”
“When would I have to move in with you?”
“If you say yes—now, tonight,” he said, and I wasn’t sure if he was joking.
“Tonight? I haven’t even packed.”
“You won’t be needing clothes, so that doesn’t matter.”
“Ryker! What?”
“I’m joking, Mila.” He laughed. “I’m not having you move in with me so you can be my sex slave, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I’m not worried about that,” I said softly. “If anything, you’ll be my sex slave.”
“If you say yes, we can get you on the pill tomorrow.”
“You’re so eager for me to get on the pill.”
“It’s safer. There may be times and situations where a condom won’t be the easiest thing to remember or put on,” he said softly, and I froze.
“What does that mean?”
“It means exactly what I said it means.” His voice lowered. “Can I come over?”
“Come over for what?”
“To discuss the contract further.”
“You’re not really answering any of my questions, Ryker.” I sighed. “I don’t see the point of you coming over, just to further ignore me.”
“Have dinner with me tomorrow,” he said in a deep, sexy drawl. “Let me take you on a date. I won’t ask you about the contract or your decision unless you ask me to talk about it.”
“I don’t know.” I rubbed my forehead. I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to see him before I’d made up my mind. And I wanted to make up my mind when I was in a rational state instead of in the throes of want for him.
“Just dinner, Mila. That’s it. No hanky-panky.”
“I don’t believe that you can have dinner with no hanky-panky.”
“I mean, I can’t promise I’ll stop you from feeling me up.” He laughed.
“You wish.”
“Yes, I do.” He laughed again. “So what’s your answer?”
“Fine, yes,” I said with a smile. “I’ll have dinner with you.”
“She said yes!” he exclaimed excitedly.
“To dinner, nothing else.”
“I’ve never had a lady take so long to answer my marriage proposal before.”
“How many women have you proposed to?” I asked, slightly jealous.
“For real? None. For fake? One,” he said seriously. “Only you, Mila.”
“Uh-huh,” I said and shook my head at myself as I felt butterflies in my stomach. This isn’t a real engagement, dumbass, so stop thinking that it is, I lectured myself silently as I waited for Ryker to talk again.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven o’clock, okay?” Ryker said and then paused. “Don’t think too many naughty thoughts of me tonight.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow night, Ryker,” I said and hung up.
I walked to my bedroom and flopped down on the bed.
Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be in a situation like this, and with Ryker Walker of all people.
It was like I had entered an alternate reality where all my dreams had come true.
I sat up, reached over to my night table drawer, pulled out my diary, and grabbed a pen.
I paused before writing as I realized that I wasn’t quite right.
This reality I was living was exciting and thrilling, but it wasn’t quite a fulfillment of all my dreams. I wasn’t sure what it was, really, but I knew that only time would tell me exactly what I was getting myself into.
“You’re very punctual.” I answered the front door with a smile.
“Actually, I’m early.” Ryker grinned at me. “It’s six fifty-five p.m.”
“Don’t tell me that.” I grinned back at him. “Or I might think you were eager to go on this date with me.”
“I wouldn’t want you to think I was eager,” Ryker said as he looked me up and down. “You look very beautiful this evening.”
“Stop it.” I blushed. “You’re just saying that.”
“I never just say anything.” He shook his head and touched my blouse. “I like it.”
“Thanks. I got it at a little old store called Old Navy.” I winked at him. “Cheap and cheerful.”
“What, no shopping spree?” He looked shocked. “No fancy dress for our dinner date?”
“I thought jeans and a top would do?” I smiled at him. “You weren’t planning anything fancy, were you?” I looked at Ryker in his dark grey slacks and white button-up shirt and cringed. “Am I underdressed? I can change, you know. I have five minutes left before I’m late.”
“You don’t have to change.” He shook his head. “Frankly, I’m glad you didn’t dress up.”
“You are?” I was surprised. I’d dressed casually both for myself and for him. I knew that if I’d put on something fancy or a sexy outfit, I’d be putting both of us in the mood for something more seductive, and I didn’t want that. I wanted us to just hang out and relax.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Somehow, a picnic in the park would have felt off if you were in your Sunday best.”
“We’re going on a picnic in the park?” I gazed at him and studied his face. “You don’t strike me as a picnic guy.”
“Okay, so maybe we aren’t going on a picnic in the park.” He laughed. “Maybe I’m going to cook you dinner at my place.”
“Really? You can cook?”
“Mila! You’ve known me for how many years now? Of course, I can cook.”
“Ha!” I laughed. “This I have to see. I hope you have a fire extinguisher.”
“Very funny.” He grabbed my hand. “I won’t burn anything if you help me.”