Chapter 9 #2
“I’ll be right back.” He stalked into the bathroom and she heard the shower go on. She smiled, imagining he was having a cold shower. Then she chastised herself. She wasn’t supposed to get Jagger hot and bothered for her. Still, it did her ego good to know he was.
Chelsea hovered between sleep and wakefulness, trying to orient herself to her surroundings. Where was she? The bed felt more comfortable than hers.
“Wanna play?” Jagger’s seductive masculine voice made her skin heat. He was spooned behind her, but not pressed to her.
She turned her head back to find his blue eyes shining in amusement.
“Tennis. Wanna play tennis this morning?”
He was enjoying teasing her and while her hormones liked it, too, her brain was warning her to keep up her resolve. A game of tennis would be a great way to release all the sexual energy he was charging in her.
“Sure.”
He grinned. “Let’s go then.” He swatted her hip and rolled away from her.
She watched him over her shoulder. He was wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants. At least he hadn’t expected her to give in to him.
“Where’s Kaden?”
“He’s having breakfast.” Jagger disappeared into the bathroom.
Chelsea stretched and then exited the bed. She found her robe and put it on. She made her way to the dresser she was assigned and found a pair of shorts, a sports bra, and an exercise tank top.
“All yours.” Jagger came out of the bathroom.
He was still in his T-shirt and sweatpants.
He headed to his dresser and began pulling out clothes.
With a wink to her, he grabbed his shirt from over his head, to disrobe.
Realizing he wasn’t modest and was going to undress in front of her, she scurried to the bathroom.
She swore she could hear him laugh as she shut the door.
She changed into her tennis clothes, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and pulled her auburn tresses into a ponytail.
She peeked through the doorway, to make sure he was decent, but he was gone.
Trying not to be disappointed, she went back to her dresser for a pair of socks and found her tennis shoes in the massive closet.
The house had been built long before large closets were a thing, so she wondered what room had been given up to create the space. A nursery maybe.
Once dressed, she left the bedroom to go downstairs. As she made her way down the hall to the stairs, she grew uncomfortable. As if she was walking through a stranger’s house. She inhaled a calming breath, reminding herself this was her home, at least for as long as she and Jagger were married.
Once down the stairs, she retraced the steps from her previous visits toward the kitchen. She heard Jagger and Kaden talking as she approached.
“Miss Beem...Chelsea.” Kaden’s eyes lit up, and it lifted her spirits. “I’m having chocolate pancakes. You want some?”
“Sounds delicious.”
Jagger stood and met her as she entered the kitchen. With a hand on her arm, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
“You can have pancakes or Miss Z makes a wicked omelet.”
“Actually, I only need coffee.”
“No breakfast?” Miss Z frowned at her.
“Not until after I beat Jagger at tennis. Then a wicked omelet and chocolate pancakes sounds perfect.”
“A challenge. I like it.” He winked at her. “Miss Z, can you hold my breakfast too?”
She made a disapproving noise that apparently Jagger took as a yes.
“Let’s go play.”
Jagger beat Chelsea in tennis, but it was close.
He knew without a doubt that had she been playing recently, she’d have beat him.
She was fast, strong, and sexy as hell running across the court.
She released a small grunt each time she hit the ball, and it made him wonder what noises she’d make from his touch.
He was dying to find out. As they walked back into the house, he hoped he could convince her to let him discover her secrets right now.
“Mrs. Stanton, can you entertain Kaden a little longer?”
Mrs. Stanton gave him a knowing smile and nodded. He and Chelsea were newlyweds, after all. “Kaden, let’s go outside for a bit. Stretch those legs before our flight to New York later today.”
“’Kay.”
Jagger followed Chelsea up the stairs, admiring her strong legs and perfectly round backside. His hands itched to touch her, to finish what they’d started the night before.
Once in the room, she headed for her dresser.
“What am I supposed to wear?” Chelsea rummaged through one of the drawers.
“Nothing at the moment.”
Her head jerked up, her eyes wide at first, and then narrow. “That’s not happening.” She turned back to her search.
Undaunted, Jagger made his way to her. He stood behind her, but didn’t touch her. “Why not? You were interested last night.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
The flash of heat in those dark brown eyes betrayed her words. He arched one dark brow. “Liar. In fact, each time we get hot and heavy, it’s because you started it.”
She huffed. “I was interested, but we’ve been through this.
It’s not a good idea. My mind gets a little foggy when you’re so close.
” She pushed him away and he acquiesced, but only a step back.
Enough that he couldn’t touch her, but not so far that he couldn’t smell her: honeysuckle mixed with sun and exertion.
“Why are you denying yourself? You’ve been doing that for years. Now you don’t have to.”
“It’s just not a good idea to muddy the waters.”
“Are you a virgin?”
She gaped. “No. But I’ve always been in a relationship with the men I’ve slept with.”
A flash of jealousy balled in his gut at the idea of other men. He pushed it aside. “We’re in a relationship. We’re married.”
She rolled her eyes. “Only on paper. Being together like that involves more than just bodies, and that’s not what we agreed too.”
“It doesn’t have to involve more than bodies. It is possible to have sex simply for the enjoyment of it. You played tennis with me. Sex can be just another game.”
She studied him and her scrutiny had him shifting between his feet. “You’re comparing sex to tennis.”
“Sure. Both are done with friends. They involve exercise and fun.”
“Sex is more intimate, don’t you think?”
“Physically, yes. But it doesn’t have to be emotionally.”
She looked down, and he didn’t like feeling that maybe he’d hurt her. He used the crook of his finger to lift her chin. “I’m attracted to you, Chelsea. Clearly, you are to me as well. Yes, we’ve agreed to a marriage of convenience. We can do the same with sex.”
“Sex as a business deal? I think that’s illegal.”
Her words made him angry, though he wasn’t sure why. “It’s more than that. We’re friends. We’re together for the time being, and I want to make the best of it. I enjoy your company in daily life, on the tennis court, and I’m sure I will in bed.”
Once again, she simply stared at him with those gorgeous brown eyes. For a minute, he thought she was going to give in. He was about to suggest they start in the shower, but she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Jagger. I just can’t.”
He bit back a curse, knowing it would make him seem like a world-class jerk. Instead, he lifted his hands in surrender and stepped back from her. “I won’t bring it up again.”
She smirked as if she didn’t believe him. That annoyed him as well. He’d done a good job sticking to their deal so far. She could trust him to continue to do so.
“Do you mind if I take the first shower?” He supposed she’d think he needed a cold one to tamp down his libido, as he had the night before. But she’d effectively extinguished his desire.
She nodded. “Yes. Of course.”