Page 48 of Curvy Fake Wife for the Player

“Why,” I asked seriously. “We’re going through with the wedding no matter what.”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “Because this whole thing could blow up in your face.”

“There are contracts,” I insisted weakly. As much as I hated to admit it, Dante was starting to make sense.

“Yes, but you know the number one reason contracts are broken? Because someone’s feelings gets hurt. They feel lied to or disrespected or some other emotion that they can’t or won’t get over. I’d hate to see that happen to you, Alex.”

A broken contract. It wasn’t something I wanted, not professionally or personally. “You think that could happen?”

He nodded. “I do. What if she doesn’t want to continue sleeping together after the wedding for fear she might fall in love with a man who hasn’t given any indication that he feels the same?”

“Shit.”

“Now he’s getting it,” Dante said with a small laugh.

“You know, maybe we should have just done this at your place since you’re kind of raining on my parade.” It was an immature thing to say when he was just trying to help but I was only half kidding.

Dante roared out a laugh and clapped me on the back. “Sorry about that but I’m not sorry. It’s time for you to be a grownup about this, man. You don’t want to lose Sasha, especially now that you know Dixie isn’t going anywhere.”

My scowl darkened and my so-called friend laughed louder.

“Just tell her how you feel and give her the choice going into this marriage. Don’t just hope it all works out, make it happen.”

“How do I do that?”

“The same way you became the best in hockey. Hard work. Effort. Blood and sweat. Tears if it comes down to it.”

Dante was right. This was too important, Sasha was too important to leave anything to chance. I was a master at setting a goal and achieving it, like Dante said it was how I became who I was. I just had to do the same with Sasha. “Thanks, man. You’ve helped a lot.”

“Good. Try not to screw it up, Lucy likes Sasha and she thinks she’s good for you.”

I smiled. “She’s right. Lucy is a smart cookie.” Sasha was good for me, the only question left was did Sasha think I was good for her.

Only one way to find out.

Chapter 26

Sasha

“Tip’s already taken care of, ma’am.” The fresh faced delivery guy flashed a smile while I signed the electronic keyboard, took it back and handed me a lavender and yellow box. “Enjoy.” He was gone, whistling as he made his way back to the elevator.

I frowned at the box. It was different than the other packages that had been arriving all week from the companies Alex had endorsement deals with, which were often baskets filled with expensive gourmet foods and alcohol, high end wedding gifts even though we didn’t have a registry and a few even sent swag. It was odd and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before and I had to keep reminding myself that this was all just a fantasy. It was a real fantasy that I would be living for the next couple of years but none of it was real.

None of it, except my feelings for the man who would be my husband in less than a week. Luckily for me, Alex seemed completely clueless about my feelings, which suited me just fine. He had plenty of time to admit his feelings and since he hadn’t, I knew for sure that this was just another part of the convenience factor.

Oh sure, he liked me well enough. He was attracted to me. But Alex didn’t want to keep me around beyond the point I was useful.

“What’s in the box?” Henrietta’s question and her smiling face pulled me from my thoughts and I realized I was just standing in the middle of the living room holding the box while I got lost in my thoughts. Again.

“I don’t know. Let’s see.” I followed Henrietta back to the kitchen, casting a quick look at Dixie’s sleeping form on the way. I lifted the lid and gasped at the sight of a smaller version of our wedding cake. “German chocolate cake.” Tears sprang to my eyes and I felt foolish. A cake had come last week as well. It was waiting for me when I returned to the penthouse after shopping for a wedding dress.

“Another one? Alex is wooing you,” Henrietta said with a sweet smile.

I shook my head, automatically rejecting her words because if I allowed them to seep into my mind and my heart, for even a second, they would take hold and I might start to believe it. “He’s just being thoughtful.”

“Sasha,” she sighed. “Men like Alex don’t have to be thoughtful and no offense because I love the boy like he’s my own, but he’s not exactly known for being thoughtful. This means something,” she insisted. “You mean something to him.”

That much was true. The question was, what did I mean to him? Was it just affection or something more? “I’m taking care of his daughter.”

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