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“You were pleasing me.”
“Don’t lie to me, Princess,” he says, smoothing my hair away from my face. “You were digging your nails into me one second, and then something switched off.”
I’ve never had such an intimate conversation with any previous sex partner, and it’s a little out of my comfort zone. Okay, a lot outside of my comfort zone. Yet, I feel safe enough to answer.
“No one…no one asks me what I like. I don’t know. It’s usually just a few hurried thrusts to get each other off, and then we’re back to work.”
His hand stroking my hair stills. “Back to work?”
“Yes. I’m very busy, you see. Or, I was when I worked for the Human Rights Council. When you’re in the field, a lot is going on. Oh, it was never a boss/employee situation but sometimes a teammate…”
He chuckles. “Getting dirty at work. I knew you had it in you.”
“Stop it. It wasn’t like that. Okay, it was exactly like that, but it didn’t mean anything.”
“Casual sex. I get it. Been there, done that. Got the tee-shirt.”
I playfully pinch his nipple, and he yelps. I don’t have time to react then because I’m under him again. My eyesight having adjusted to the dark, I can see the gleam in his eye as he gazes down at me.
“There’s my playful girl. I knew it.”
“I was punishing you for implying that I sleep around and break hearts.”
“Babe, you’ve got a thousand broken hearts in your wake, don’t doubt that,” he says.
With his arms and legs bracketed around me, caging me under him, I’ve nowhere to go. Nowhere to look.
“And what about you?” I regret asking as soon as the words are out of my mouth. I definitely do not want to know about Etienne’s body count. It might kill me.
“What about me?”
“You must be aware of your reputation,” I say, biting my lip. “Everyone implies that you’re a…”
“A what?” I can hear the fire in his voice.
“A lothario.”
He chuckles. “And what do you think?”
I take several seconds to breathe before I tell him the truth. “I think it doesn’t matter as long as you’re faithful when you’re in a relationship.”
“Or in a marriage?”
“Well, yes. In a real marriage.”
He pauses. “I am faithful.”
I sigh. “Yes, but we’ve a divorce pact. We’re not in love. I won’t hold you to your vows if you have…other interests.”
A low rumble emanates from his chest. “I said the vows, and I meant them. Just because I agreed to set you free at some point doesn’t mean I will cheat.”
Set me free? Separation and divorce sound more like a lifelong prison sentence than anything else. It’s not what I want.
“Would it be cheating, though?” I ask.
“Darling, if this is a test, I’m ripping the paper to shreds and snapping the pencil in half. I’m only going to say this once, so listen carefully.” Etienne lowers his head and presses his lips to my ear. “As long as you’re my wife, you’re the only person I’m touching.”
Oh. Oh, my. Chill bumps spread down my arms.
