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I forcefully try to shake the anxiousness and seem more professional.I’m a damn CEO, for God’s sake.
She quickly grabs them from me, never losing eye contact. Her fingers graze mine as she snags the folder, sending a shockwave to my brain.
“That should cover everything. Read them over and let me know what you think,” I say, casually but professionally. Immediately, she opens the folder and starts going through the documents right in front of me.
Jesus, I don’t mean you need to stay here to read them! Now I have to keep my composure the entire time she reads them. How the hell am I going to do that?
But I know I need to stay calm and professional, so I lean back on my desk, watching her eyes scan each and every line. Amber appears to be reading it thoroughly, taking her time as she studies the document. She’s biting her lip as she reads, which makes me more anxious.
Is there something wrong with them? She looks so focused, but I admire her attention to detail.
Suddenly, a grimace appears on Amber’s face, almost making it look like she bit into a lemon.Fuck, she doesn’t like something about the contract. Please don’t walk out. Let’s talk about this. That’s it! Remind her she can make adjustments if she wants to!
Panic’s setting in as I stuff my arms into my pants pockets. The unknown is killing me. Before I can stop myself, I find myself yelling out and interrupting her reading.
“Do you want to add something or clarify the terms?” I ask, stumbling over my words slightly. She looks up at me for the first time since opening the manilla envelope. The butterflies rise to my throat, awaiting her response.
5
AMBER
My heart pounds, and I can’t speak, leaving a deafening silence that fills the air around us in Kaden’s office. My eyes won’t leave the stack of papers in front of me, and I keep rereading the lines on every page. I’m combing through the document, line after line. I know I want to add my own terms, some adjustments to keep us as separate as possible. But I know the second I look into his eyes, I’ll lose my words.
His eyes have always been womanizing, but there’s something about his newfound confidence that makes their powers even stronger. Then, if you can look past his eyes, his smile is the next thing to grab your attention. His deviously handsome smile shows off his pearly white teeth and perfectly defined lips.
I’ve never seen such a prominent cupid’s bow on a man, but it makes me want to let his mouth meet mine. With a sexy, sculpted jaw bone that makes a woman go mad just at the sight of it, he’s every lonely woman’s nightmare!
Don’t think about his eyes staring at you… Don’t look up. Think about the contract and its severity. He wants to pull one over on you by flashing his smile like he always does, and you’re not going to let him.
Even though his offer is extremely generous, I must think carefully about this because committing to its rules will take a lot of patience and persistence. It’s a massive step for him and me, and I don’t want to agree to anything I’m uncomfortable with.
I know he’s offering a lot of money, and with that money comes a lot of stress off my plate. It’s nearly impossible to pass up, so I want to take my time and think out every scenario. Kaden’s foot starts tapping the floor as I read, but I urge myself not to let him rush me.
Think of the pros and cons before making a decision. This is life-altering. He can be patient.
It will help me afford my mom’s medication. It could go so far in helping us finally feel like we have our feet underneath us.
Kaden helped us deal with the initial, crushing expense we were left after my father’s death. Not only do I owe him for that, but a chance to get even further ahead would be fantastic. We managed to avoid losing everything thanks to Kaden back then, but we’ve never truly gotten out from under it.
But I have to think about my choices for the rest of my life. I want to do the right thing, but a year with someone is a long time. I don’t know if I can live a lie for as long as he’s asking me to.
There has to be boundaries, especially with the baggage between Kaden and me. He has to know that I want nothing more than the fake side of this. No other benefits besides money. I won’t give him anything outside of this contract. He needs to know that before I sign.
Be bold. Tell him exactly what you need to feel comfortable. Don’t let his perfect eyes trick you into agreeing to anything!
I take a deep breath before shooting a look at him and beginning with my conditions. “Okay. I don’t mind most of the conditions here. But, if we have to live in one house, let’s have separate rooms,” I say. I can be his wife in public, but I need my personal space at home.
He scoffs. “That can’t happen, Amber.”
“Um, why not?” I ask in irritation.Is he only trying to get me into his bed? Because that is not a part of the contract. He can ask someone else if he’s expecting those kinds of ‘wifely’ duties. I won’t be fulfilling that part of my title.
A grin appears on his handsome face after my apparent signs of discomfort. “I’m not trying to get you into my bed,” he says, almost like he’s reading my mind. “I’m just saying it would look suspicious if we didn’t share a bedroom.”
My brow raises, confused by his answer. “What do you mean? Who’s going to see us at home?”
“What if my family comes over for a visit? Or what if the staff finds it odd and talks about it? Word travels fast. It would look weird if a newly married couple weren’t sleeping in the same room. Newlyweds are known for not leaving the bedroom, so not sharing one at all would raise suspicions, don’t you think?”
His reasoning makes a frustrating amount of sense, and I can’t find a good point to argue. A part of me keeps thinking about the money and how long I’ve been struggling to help my mother. If I do this with him, I can move on from everything after a year. I can finally help her in the best way possible, by giving her the life she deserves.
