Page 25 of The Marriage Bargain

“I would never demand sex from you. I’ve never demanded sex from any female,” I said, a little offended. “I’m not that sort of male.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I merely intended to ask that we add a stipulation that sex is allowed if both of us desire it.”

She blinked a few times behind her glasses. “What makes you think I’d ever want to have sex with you?” she finally asked and her voice was very soft.

“The same instinct that makes me want to have sex with you,” I replied. “Sex is enjoyable. There may be a night when either of us is lonely and decides the other looks good.”

She blinked again, then a smile curved her mouth.

“So, to clarify, casual sex if we’re bored or lonely or whatever—that’s okay. But it doesn’t change anything. We can still get divorced when the danger’s past.”

I hated that word, but I had no grounds to argue with her. “Of course.”

“What about the other part?”

“What other part?”

“The other part of the bargain, what I said a minute ago. About not falling in love.”

CHAPTER 15

DELLE

Why was he being so insistent? I couldn’t figure it out. Wasn’t he supposed to be as averse to the situation as I was? Wasn’t he supposed to be disgusted by the idea of marrying a human woman? Wasn’t he supposed to be icked out by the idea of sex with me? Well, maybe not icked out—but he didn’t have to tack on the stipulation that casual or bored sex was okay. That made it sound like he was actually interested in having sex with me. Otherwise, why bring it up? Also, did he have problems with divorcing? Eventually ending our marriage?

I was finding this alien prince hard to read. But when I threw that last part out there—no falling in love—I saw him visibly still. He stared down at me with those glowing golden eyes for several long, tense seconds. Finally, a slow, wicked smile curved one corner of his mouth.

A mouth that had a nice shape, actually. A mouth that would probably be really nice to kiss…

What the crap, Delle?

I nixed that train of thought at the station. Blinked a couple of times to get my thoughts back on track, bracing myself for the Overlord’s response.

“I suppose that would depend,” he answered finally, slowly, drawing the thought out.

“Depend on what?” I asked stiffly.

“Depend on whether or not you can keep from falling in love with me.”

I couldn’t help it. An odd combination of a laugh-snort burst out. I clapped a hand over my mouth and pretended to cough.

“I, um, I’m sorry. Me, fall in love with you? I don’t think—I, um, I don’t think that will be a problem.”

I probably shouldn’t have said anything. After all, I did need the Overlord’s help to escape the breeder’s list. Me and my big mouth—it would be my downfall one of these days. Luckily, Overlord Caide didn’t seem to take offense.

“I am told I am very loveable.”

“You—uh, you are?” His expression was so serious I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. “Yeah, right. Who tells you that?”

“All of my subordinates and workers.”

I gave him a sideways look. “Uh huh. I’ll bet. Who else?”

“My fellow Asterions are quite fond of me.”

“All of them?”

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