Page 17 of About That Rule

CHAPTER7

“I THOUGHT WE were kissing,” Samantha answered defiantly, her arms crossed. It was pitiful, but her only defense mechanism at the moment was to act as though what just happened meant nothing.

Which was a complete lie.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Nate barked as he scrambled to get away from her. He moved so quick, he was already standing by the window on the other side of the room by the time her butt hit the ground.

It was a good assumption they were done playing spin the bottle.

“How am I looking at you?” she snapped back.

He ran his hands through his hair, refusing to make eye contact or respond to her question. Staring out the window was apparently far more intriguing than the fact that they were just mauling each other with sex on the horizon.

Samantha moved over to him and poked his shoulder in anger. “Now isn’t the time to admire the city. You ended a party where people, including me, were having fun. Then you decide to kiss the hell out of me like I was all you wanted. And now you pull back and tell me not to look at you like that. Do tell, how am I looking at you?”

Nate, being four inches taller, stared down at her. “Like you want something that’ll ruin everything.”

“Didn’t you kiss me?”

“We were playing the game.”

This made her laugh—and not the good kind. It was almost manic, like she couldn’t believe this was actually happening. What a lame excuse, blaming their chemistry on a game. “Are you serious?”

“As serious as our signed contract,” he said, a touch of bitterness in his tone.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder before putting her hands on her hips. “Don’t you dare act like this is my fault. Our sham of a marriage wasn’t something I forced on you. It wasn’t like I woke up in a committed relationship and celebrated the news. We’re in the same boat here.”

He huffed. “I know it’s not your fault we’re married.”

“Wow, you sound so sincere.” Her voice oozed sarcasm.

“It isn’t either of our faults,” he conceded. “But it was stupid for us to kiss for no reason. We need to follow the rules. I’m going to hold up my end of the bullshit bargain.”

If kissing her senseless was part of holding up his end of the bargain, she wasn’t sure she’d survive anymore of their marriage. Her lips were bruised at the way he’d devoured her. Her pulse was still racing over the excitement of feeling his hands on her.

Now, with his mightier than thou attitude, she wanted to take a shower. Wash away his touch.

“Our marriage is a bargain,” she repeated his words. “I’ve never felt so cheap.”

He groaned, looking up at the ceiling for a second. “You know that’s not what a meant. You aren’t a bargain, but our marriage is a fucking joke. Like you pointed out, neither of us want this. We promised this wouldn’t change anything, and we need to remember that.”

Oh, she was going to remember this exact moment forever.

When they’d kissed, all she could think, outside of get this man naked, was how good it was between them. It was a shame it had taken them so long to cross the hooking up line. Not anymore. She wished she could take it all back.

“Let’s just stick to the rules and we only kiss when we’re doing it for a picture.” He sounded like a teacher reprimanding a student.

“Got it,” she clipped back. Her hands hadn’t moved from her hips because she was afraid they would be shaking with anger.

“No sex is one of those rules.” His eyes narrowed at her.

She glared at him. “I’m sorry. Did I sleep with someone since Vegas and somehow forgot about it?”

“Don’t be coy.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“We can’t fuck this up. We’re married and have rules.”