She blushed and then looked at me puzzled “if Grayson Oakes is not your real name then what is it?” she asked.
“That is the second reason I am proposing marriage to you. A contract marriage if you will. My real name is Grayson Deluca” I said and watched her eyes widen as realization dawned on her. I sat back and waited.
“You’re the bastard of the family, the black sheep. The one that’s been ostracized and kept out of the media” she said slowly, “but I still don’t understand why you think your name is enough to get me to marry you?”
“It’s simple enough Miss Flair,” I said easily, giving her a wolfish grin “wouldn’t you like to get revenge on your ex-husband and my half-sister?” I asked her pointedly.
She gasped and looked at me meaningfully. “You must harbor some resentment towards the two of them for what they’ve put you through” I urged, lowering my voice and leaning towards her “the newspapers, the magazines, the embarrassment and humiliation. Wouldn’t you like to do the exact same thing back to them? Wouldn’t you like to help ensure that Charlotte never gets her greedy little hands on my family’s company? We both know she would run it to the ground, she’s not exactly a brainiac” I said as Flair chewed on her lower lip “and correct me if I’m wrong” I added with a raised brow “but I thought that you might be attracted to me too.”
She looked like she was about to pass out. “But…but it’s not that I’m not attracted to you” she protested, hiccuping as I grinned inwardly, enjoying her discomfort and the way her cheeks flushed a brilliant pink, adding to her allure and beauty “and well, yes, revenge would be great” she mumbled awkwardly “but you also mentioned an heir” she blushed even brighter pink and avoided my eyes.
Ah. So that was giving her the greatest pause. I understood her hesitation. My eyes smoldered at her “An heir is required, but it matters neither if its male or female” I informed her calmly “and it would mean that intercourse would have to take place, but I assure you I’m quite experienced when it comes to the bedroom and you will have no complaints in that area.”
“But wouldn’t you rather marry for love?” she asked desperately, her eyes rising to meet mine.
I was almost bowled over as I stared into them. This woman had no idea just how fetching she was, or her ability to make a man forget what he was doing.
“You married for love, did you not Miss Flair?” I asked a bit callously, trying to get my point across and use any ammunition at my disposal to get her to marry me “and it didn’t work out as you imagined. A contract marriage means we both know what to expect and there are no false expectations. I assure you that I will be one hundred percent exclusive and I expect the same from you.”
“But what about my work?” she protested half-heartedly.
I raised a brow “If it pleases you then by all means continue working” I said nonchalantly “I won’t tell you to stop doing things you love unless it risks harming the baby. I also don’t believe you should be home cooking and cleaning for me either” I added, causing her to look at me in surprise “I am more than capable of looking after myself. The only thing I ask is that you do everything you can to ensure yours and the child’s wellbeing.”
“You don’t ask for much,” she said faintly.
“I will of course provide you with a financial incentive for the marriage and subsequent heir. The marriage need only last long enough for you to give birth to the heir and then, if required by mutual agreement we can divorce. I won’t leave you penniless and destitute.”
Unlike Johnathon, I wanted to add but wisely kept my mouth shut. She looked as though she was having enough trouble digesting everything as it was. I didn’t need to insult her ex-husband in order to make myself look good.
“But how do we know…” she halted stammering and then ducked her head, her hair covering her eyes.
“How do we know?” I prompted, leaning forward to sweep her hair off her eyes.
She slid her eyes away from me as I stood up and reached down, lifting her from her seat, my face inches from hers, my eyes boring into her.
She gulped. “How do we know we have chemistry? If I say yes, and I’m not saying that I will” she hastily added as I smirked “how do we know we’ll even feel anything for one another?” she asked in a low whisper.
“That’s easy to rectify” I purred, cupping her cheek with one strong hand, watching her eyelids flutter.
Before she could open her mouth, I pressed my lips against hers, soft at first, tasting the sweetness of her lips, forcing her to part them slowly as I delved my tongue inside to explore and taste even more of her. I felt her breath hitch, my hand moving to the back of her neck as I pulled her closer to me. My heart began to race. I wanted more. I became more demanding, deepening the kiss as her hands clutched at me, her body quivering. I heard her give a low breathy moan and felt myself becoming highly aroused. I could feel myself becoming close to losing control right then and there, the image of ravishing her on the table, flashing into my mind. Reluctantly, I pulled away, looking at her face closely as she opened her eyes again. Her lips were swollen and puffy and there was a look of wonder on her face. She put a trembling hand to her lips, licking them as I tried not to groan out loud.
Damn. I was feeling like a lecher. She blinked at me. “I would say we have chemistry, wouldn’t you Miss Flair?” my voice was hoarse and gruff as I retook my seat, Miss Flair nodding silently.
“I um, I have to go to the bathroom” she whispered and then practically fled the room, on shaking legs as I watched, a lethal grin coming over my face as the door shut.
I had her, I knew it and something told me, she knew it too. She could run, I thought, eyeing the door, but she couldn’t hide.
Flair POV
My hands shook slightly as I cupped them underneath the tap of running water and rubbed the water on my face, trying to cool down my flaming cheeks. That kiss. I almost moaned, gripping onto the sink tightly with both hands as my legs quivered. That kiss from Grayson alone had almost caused me to climax, the way his lips had felt as he kissed me, his tongue caressing my own, his strong arms holding me upright so I wouldn’t faint dead away. I panted, shaking my head at myself wryly.
“I would say we have chemistry wouldn’t you Miss Flair?” he had asked.
We had more than chemistry. It was like a volcano exploding when he kissed me. I waved a hand at my face, in an attempt to calm down. Like a giddy schoolgirl, I had gone running for the bathroom, unable to stare him in the eyes afterward. Johnathon had never made me feel this way. Not even in the beginning of our relationship. His kisses had always felt icky, too wet or perfunctory. I had certainly never grown as aroused as I had with Grayson. Did that make me wanton? A whore? Or worse?
What was I going to do? Part of me wanted to say yes to his proposal. A contract marriage wasn’t what I had envisioned if I ever got married again, but if Grayson kissed me like that again, I would forget all of my protests. At least if I knew the terms beforehand, I wouldn’t have any unrealistic expectations of what the marriage should be. I wouldn’t have to worry about infidelity either. But love, a small voice inside of me protested, what about love? Could I live without it? Would sexual chemistry and a respectful relationship between two people be enough? I hesitated. Then there was the matter of the heir. I blushed bright red as I remembered Grayson telling me that it would require intercourse. I almost salivated at the thought of having sex with that man. If he was as good as that as he was at kissing…
Children. I wanted children. Badly. I had always thought I would become a mother, but Johnathon had always insisted on waiting. It was never a good time. First, there was the establishment of our relationship, then he wanted me for himself when we first got married. After that, it was important that he build his law firm up. I had acceded to his wishes, hoping eventually he would come around. It hadn’t happened and then I had walked in on him and Charlotte one fortuitous day and my whole world had been ripped apart.
My family would not approve, but they hadn’t approved of Johnathon either, I thought with a small smile. Ian perhaps, would see the poetry in marrying Grayson Deluca and carrying out my revenge against her and Johnathon, but my father would be disappointed I stooped to their level. Then again, if I were to be head over heels in love with Grayson…well that would be a different story, I thought to myself, staring at my reflection in the mirror. All my father had ever wanted was for his only daughter to be happy.
I heard the sound of heels clacking on the floor and the door to the restroom was unceremoniously slammed open as a familiar redheaded woman came storming in, with a peevish expression on her face. My jaw almost dropped open. Of all the luck. Why was she here? She banged her handbag onto the sink and rifled through it, while I glanced towards the doorway, wondering if I could leave without catching her eye. She fetched a lipstick and turned to the mirror, a sly smile spreading on her face as she caught sight of me. “Flair,” she said eyeing me with disdain “I guess you must have convinced some poor slub to take you on a date because we both know you could never afford to eat here otherwise. Or are you turning tricks on the street now?” she asked, pursing her lips and delicately reapplying her lipstick.
I gritted my teeth. Charlotte’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Well if anybody knows about turning tricks, no doubt it’s you,” I said sweetly “I’m not the one who sleeps with married men. How many gifts did Johnathon give you? In exchange for sleeping with him?” I prompted.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.