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“No.”
“Liar. I think you did.”
I give him a hard stare, hating that my life seems to be a game to him. “You do realize that calling someone a liar, especially when they're not lying, is rude, right?”
His grin morphs into a ruthless smile. “Sure, I’m aware of that, but I call it like I see it.”
“Whatever. Did you want to discuss wedding plans or not? I have to leave soon.”
My answer seems to amuse him. I stare back at him expecting him to make some snide remark, like he’ll make me wait for as long as he needs me to, but what he does is worse.
He does that irritating thing where he leans in close to me, but because of how we’re sitting he’s so close that he's too close. It’s different from when we’re standing but the same as when he was lying next to me the other night.
Instinct tells me to move back so I’m not a mere breath away from his lips, but I’m paralyzed by his proximity and the sinful look in his eyes.
“Watch it, Bellissima.” He drops his voice so low I feel it in my gut, then it curls around my insides like a vine. “I'm starting to like that smart mouth of yours way too much. I might put it to better use than defying me.”
I want to tell him he can’t talk to me like that—because I know exactly what he means—but I hold my tongue mainly because, once again, he’s shocked me.
Finally he leans back but still keeps his gaze pinned to me.
“Wedding plans, then.” Briefly he laces his fingers together then sets his hands on the table. “Corrine tells me you had a good meeting yesterday.”
“I did,” I reply, regaining control over my mind.
“Good. Corrine will create the finest wedding for us but I've told her to clear all her ideas with you first.”
That surprises me and I sit a little straighter. “You're giving me that kind of power?”
“Looks that way.”
I don't know if he's doing that so this marriage feels less forced or to make me more compliant. I guess it doesn’t matter either way.
He clears his throat. “In the run-up to the wedding I’ll be incredibly busy. That starts today. There may be a day or two when I’ll be home, but I can’t say for sure. I’ll mostly be in the States but I have two international business trips where I’ll be away. One to England, the other to Japan. After the wedding I’ll be gone again for another week then we’ll go off on our honeymoon.”
“Sounds like you’ll hardly be here.” Which is good for me.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll live without seeing me.” He winks at me.
“I know I will.”
He chuckles with a crude edge. “Just don’t live too much without me, Bellissima.” He brushes his finger across my jaw. “Wouldn’t want you to exhaust yourself before our wedding night.”
I flinch when he catches my face. His fingers splay over my neck for a few moments, making me uncomfortable all over again at the thought of what we’ll be doing on our wedding night.
God. That will be the night he takes my virginity, the last thing I have left in this world. And it won’t matter to him.
At least he’s giving me a heads-up.
Hunter releases me and clenches his jaw, then I’m left to regain control over my mind again. I have more questions, and he has the answers.
“What about after the wedding? What will our lives be like then? I want to keep working at my mother’s charity. It’s mine but I have to work there for three years and get the necessary work experience under management before I can take it over.” That was what Mom stated in her will. She left the charity to me because she knew how passionate I was about it.
“That is fine. You can do whatever you want with your life, whether I’m in it or not.”
His interesting choice of words piques my interest. “You make that sound like there will be a time when you’re not going to be around at all. I didn’t think you’d be the type of person to leave your wife and children to themselves.”
Surprise fills every inch of his face, as if I said something utterly shocking. “Children, Bellissima? No, no. We’re not having kids.”
