Page 40 of Worth the Vow

I can’t help but chuckle. “She really is taking this poorly, isn’t she?”

“She showed up at the hotel yesterday,” he tells me, laughing at the memory, but my spine stiffens. Seriously? She knows he’s married, and she still showed up there?

“Oh? What did she say?” I ask, straining to keep my voice even. Dominic laughs again as he runs his hand through his hair. He’s dressed casually, which meant he went home to change before coming here. Dominic is most comfortable in a suit. There’s an aura, an energy, when he’s in his suits. No matter where he is, he’ll become the most powerful man in the room. But right now, in a t-shirt and jeans, he’s comfortable and calm. It’s refreshing. It’s a very attractive look I don’t get to see too often on him.

“She came with the guise of talking about the kids,” he says, “but then suggested we enjoy each other’s company a different way.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not,” he says with a laugh, shaking his head as he smiles. “Took me a minute to realize what she was suggesting.”

“Did you, uh, take her up on her offer?” I ask, regretting the question as soon as the words leave my mouth. It’s embarrassing to feel the need to ask the question, but it’s even worse to care what his answer will be. But worst of all, it’s humiliating to know I have absolutely no right to ask my fake husband to keep his dick out of his ex-wife’s snatch.

When his gaze snaps to mine, I’m momentarily shocked at the intensity in his brown eyes. He looks genuinely angry. Furious even. “It’s appalling that you even have to ask that, Katharine.”

I throw up my hands defensively. “Well, you could want it with her. It’s not like you’re getting any from me, so she’d be the next logical solution, I guess.”

He shakes his head in disgust. “I don’t know what marriage means to you, Katharine, but I’m not a cheater. Vows mean something, regardless of the reason we said them. I promised to be faithful to you. Faithful, Katharine. That doesn’t mean I enjoy an afternoon delight from my ex-wife. The fact that you’re suggesting I cheat on you with her, when you know how many times she cheated on me? How many times she lied to me? You don’t really know me at all.”

“I didn’t —” I stammer, “I didn’t know that she cheated on you, actually. We’ve never talked about it, and no one has ever said anything. I swear I didn’t know.”

Dominic stands, looking down on me. He shakes his head again, then walks away. It never occurred to me that he’d take my question that way, or that he’d be so passionate in his response. I’m also confused about what he thinks I know about their relationship. Jumping up, I chase after him.

“Dominic!” I call out, catching him as he reaches the parking lot. “I don’t think — I mean, I don’t know anything about what happened with you and her. You’ve never told me much. Just that she left. That’s it. Arianna said she’s not a nice person.”

“No, she’s not. She’s awful. I’m more concerned with how you must view me. You know Savannah isn’t a nice person, but you thought I’d fuck her. What does that say about you and me?” he asks pointedly. His eyes flash with pain and annoyance. I look to where Savannah had been standing, and let out a relieved breath when I don’t see her anymore.

I feel the blood drain from my face as his words hit home. “I didn’t mean it that way. It’s different for men. Since ours is a business arrangement, I thought you’d possibly entertain the offer.”

“Stop calling our marriage a business arrangement,” Dominic sighs, tilting his head up. The sun has set behind the mountains, but rays of sunlight dance across the tops of the cumulus clouds still dotting the sky. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.”

“Me either,” I whisper. I continue to call it that because I refuse to let myself think otherwise. Thinking of Dominic as anything other than my fake husband, or my boss, is a slippery slope. If I think of him as more, it’s a dangerous place in my mind. I’m not the kind of woman Dominic goes for. He’s controlled. Respectable. He’s whiskey on the rocks, while I’m sex on the beach, or a fuzzy navel. He wears suits, while I wear fishnets and ballet flats. Am I … am I wearing two different black shoes? For the love of God. I am. As the self-proclaimed queen of the hot mess mobile, I’m really staying on brand here.

“Who the hell asks their husband if they fucked their ex-wife that afternoon? This is absurd,” he murmurs. When his gaze meets mine, the emotion I could see before has vanished. In its place, the standard Dominic glare has taken over. “That’s the difference between you and me, Katharine. You see everything through rose-colored glasses. Oh, you could have banged your ex today? Why didn’t you? Should have enjoyed it.”

“That’s not how I said it,” I hiss. “This is bullshit, Dominic. We had an agreement. This isn’t a marriage. If you wanted to fuck her, I’d have no say in it. It’s none of my business what you do in your private life, is it?”

Dominic’s eyes narrow as he takes a step toward me, and I automatically retreat. When my back hits a car behind me, he steps into my space, his body against mine. “The difference is you asked if I fucked her.”

“So?”

“If you suggested an ex-boyfriend propositioned you? If you told me an ex even spoke to you? I’d stop at nothing until I destroyed him.”

“What?” I gasp. I feel his hot breath against my lips, so close I can almost taste him. I desperately want to slide my hands up his shirt. I want to feel the harsh line of his jaw and run my fingers through his hair. My hands shake with need as I fight my own heart.

“I. Would. Destroy. Him.” Dominic growls. “You may think this is just a business arrangement, but there are still parameters in place. Do not disrespect me in public, Katharine. You are my wife. Mine. Now fucking act like it.”

“I’m sorry, I —” I stop. “Wait a second! How the hell am I now apologizing for this? I didn’t do anything!”

His glare sends a shiver up my spine. “You accused me of cheating.”

“I did not!” I am seething.

“Semantics.” Dominic cocks an eyebrow at me, daring me to give a rebuttal, but I’m silent. How am I supposed to argue with him when he’s upset about a hypothetical situation? No ex-boyfriend has approached me. If I’m being honest, I haven’t dated anyone seriously since … well, never. My focus was my mom, and then my focus became survival. I scratched an itch when I wanted to, but never found anyone that seemed worthy of giving up the precious free time I had.

Until Dominic.

I growl at myself, angry at my heart for suggesting anything with him.

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