Page 72 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 2

“What? You’ve never seen someone pee before?” Her tone suggested I was the strange one when I could recall no time in my entire romantic history where a female I’d had sex with, used the toilet in my presence.

I heard the toilet flush and opened my eyes as she bodily bumped me out of the way so she could wash her hands. Then she grabbed her toothbrush and loaded it up with toothpaste.

“Well?” she asked around a mouthful of foam.

“No, I have never had a woman use the facilities with me present.”

“Huh, weird.” She confirmed my earlier thought.

My eyebrows rose so close to my hairline it was comical as I found my toothbrush and she handed me the toothpaste.

Together we brushed our teeth, taking turns using the water and spitting in the sink. While we did so, I realized I’d already jumped leaps and bounds over my previous engagements withthe opposite sex. Already I was sharing an intimacy with Summer I’d not experienced before—preparing for bed together. I smiled to myself as I leaned against the wall and watched Summer go through a complex skincare process including four different products that she applied to her face.

“You do this every night?” I asked.

She nodded, grabbed my hand and put it to her face. “Smooth as a baby’s bottom, right?”

I chuckled, and she winked playfully. I waited until she left, and heard her get into bed. I debated shutting the door but decided if I wanted true intimacy, it was right in front of me. I left the door open, went to the toilet and cringed as the sound of me urinating bounced off the tile in the small room. When I was done, I flushed and washed my hands.

“Bet that was hard for you. Peeing with the door open, huh?”

I slipped into bed beside her. “You have no idea.”

Giggling, she turned off the lights and curled up against my chest, her head to my shoulder, one of her long legs slung over my waist.

“Tonight was fun, Jack. I look forward to many more with you,” she said on a yawn.

I kissed her forehead and closed my eyes. “Best night in a long, long time. I look forward to more too.”

Episode 53

Divide and Conquer

GIOVANNI

“Ready to go in?” I traced her curves with my gaze in order to determine if anything was out of place after our limo ride. Emphasis on the wordride.Julianne’s passion had been insatiable while my driver circled the block repeatedly as I’d instructed, until we’d satisfied our need for one another.

I wanted Julianne constantly, and she seemed as hot around the collar for me. Perhaps it was the years we’d secretly lusted after one another that drove our libidos to unquenchable levels. So much wasted time. Just the thought of being without her again made my heart pound and my hand reflexively contract into a fist.

She pushed a tousled red lock of hair behind her ear. “Actually, do you think you could handle gathering your things without me? After the visit to the attorneys, I want to check in at the office. Since you made it clear that Brenden had no business firing me, I kind of want to rub it in his face.”

“And you think you should be doing that alone?” I didn’t like the idea of her being anywhere near her brother without me there to run interference.

“He’s not going to get physical with me, if that’s what you’re worried about. He’d never hurt me that way,” she said gently.

“My sore jaw and bruised ribs contradict that sentiment.” I reminded her of the fight I’d had with her brother last night.

She sighed and slumped against the leather seat. “True, but he’s never laid a hand on me, and regardless of what happened between the two of you, I am his sister.”

I pressed my lips together and focused on her expression, attempting to read between the lines and ascertain she genuinely believed she would be safe. Her expression was tinged with sorrow at the mention of her brother, but there was no sign of fear, which calmed my instinctive need to protect her from harm, even if that harm was by her own brother’s hand.

Julianne smiled, pressed a hand to my chest and kissed me. “Stop worrying about me. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

I curled my hand around her nape, keeping her close. “I know you can, but you no longer have to carry your burdens alone. You have me.”

The smile she gifted me in response was ethereal. “I appreciate it. I do, but I need to handle some things on my own. I suggest we divide and conquer. You pull together what you’d like to take to your new home while I check in at work and rifle through our parents’ offices. Maybe there’s something we missed. Then, this weekend, perhaps we can go to the estate. I’m not ready to go there quite yet and poke around. I just …” She inhaled sharply and looked away.

I used my thumb and finger to turn her chin so she faced me. “You just what?” I pushed.

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