Page 13 of His Fake Wife

“Beth! You can’t spend the entire night in there. What are you going to do, sleep in the tub? I was just joking around. You really need to lighten up.”

“Just shut up, Adam. If this is going to work without me strangling you, I’m going to need you to just shut up.”

I heard him grunt and then he went quiet. Moments later, I jumped when I heard his voice. It sounded as if he was leaning against the bathroom door just as I was.

“I wasn’t altogether joking. I really would like to get a taste of you in the sack.”

My breath left my lungs in a whoosh. I pressed my ear to the door, waiting for him to start his annoyingly sexy chuckling, and tell me he was messing with me again but I was met with silence. My heart jumped and I slumped further down the wood. Something told me that if I wasn’t careful with Adam, I’d end up in trouble.

Chapter 6

Beth

“Two months of being married to a vile womanizer and you haven’t killed him yet. You deserve champagne.”

The words uttered for my ears only rang with humor. A glass appeared from behind me held at the stem by long fingers. The familiar chuckle made my lips twitch. Damn Adam for making me want to smile. His breath caressing my neck made me shiver and I sucked in a breath.

Accepting the glass, I took a few sips.

“One, I’ve discovered that you aren’t entirely vile. Two, we shouldn’t be too quick to celebrate. I might just kill you yet... if this boring party doesn’t kill you first.”

He snickered and stepped forward to stand by my side. He too surveyed the sea of elegantly dressed people. We were at a charity event hosted by someone Adam was hoping to do business with. I was all about charity but this crowd was a real snooze fest.

“Remember our wedding night?”

“How could I forget. You were a perfect asshole,” I said through my teeth, smiling at the woman passing by. She clutched her chest and grinned from ear to ear. Mrs. Parsons thought Adam and I were the cutest couple she’d ever seen?her words. She was at our farce of a wedding. She had always moved in our circle, present at just about every function connected to the Thornes. According to her, she always knew we’d end up together. If only she knew the truth. My smile dropped the second she was gone.

There went that alluring, throaty chuckle again. It was starting to affect me more with each passing day.

“That night we only had two things in common. Now, we have three. You and I have always hated these shindigs.”

“Awe three things in common. Look at us growing as a couple.”

“Putting up with your non-stop sarcasm for two months, I’m starting to find it attractive.” He grinned broadly when I grimaced. I searched his face, trying to gauge if he was teasing or if he was serious. “Remember to smile, wife. People are watching.”

“Kill me now,” I groaned, tossing back the rest of my champagne. A waiter passed by and I snatched up another glass.

Adam hummed, “Look at that, being married to me for a mere eight weeks has turned you into an alcoholic. I must be the worst.”

“You really are,” I said sweetly.

His white teeth flashed when he laughed. “That’s my Beth, delightful as always.” He fished his phone from his pocket and peered at the screen. “Will you be alright for a few minutes? I need to take this call.”

“I’m always alright without you,” I snorted. “And I’m not your Beth.”

“Looks like we need to blow this joint sooner rather than later. Somebody is getting crabbier than usual.”

I rolled my eyes as he sauntered away, holding his phone to his ear. My eyes bore into his back and I let out a long breath. It wasn’t the entire two months with Adam that had me throwing back champagne like water. It was what happened earlier before the charity event. I accompanied him to a few since we tied the knot but this one was different. Before we left his place, something happened between us that had me worried.

I’d wiggled my way into the fitted olive green dress that looked great with my fair skin. As I turned from side to side, studying myself in the full-length mirror, I groaned. The dress was gorgeous and disgustingly expensive but maybe it would look better on someone thinner. “Ugh, me and my childbearing hips. It’s a curse I’ve had to bear.” Trying to get rid of my extra curves proved to be futile over the years.

“Others might call it a blessing.”

I yelped and wheeled around, hand over my heart. “Oh, my God, how long have you been standing there?”

Adam leaned against the door frame, ankles crossed, hands in his pockets, wearing his signature sly grin and a suit that flawlessly fitted his frame. The way his eyes roamed over me from head to toes sent my body heat skyrocketing. “Long enough to know that you don’t embrace your grown, womanly body. You really should. It’s...appealing.”

Smothering a surprising feeling of pleasure, I replied, “The last person I need body image validation from is you, Mr. I-only-date-twig-like-models.”

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