Page 39 of Vegas Baby

“Cheating goes both ways.” he said, sarcasm lacing his voice.

She began to type once more, unable to look at him lest he read her thoughts. He’d accused her more than once of comparing him to Miller. And he was right each and every time. “Yes, all articles are subject to both parties. Now, we covered money, infidelity, our living arrangements, and our social obligations. Can you think of anything else?”

Elbows on the table, he clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them. The sound of his foot tapping on the floor spoke of nervous energy. Good, she wasn’t the only one. “No drugs, and alcohol only in moderation. After our crazy night in Vegas, I think it would behoove us both to stay away from sleeping pills,” he said.

“Agreed. I think we need an expiration date for this contract. I propose we revisit the contract on our first anniversary.”

“You want me to go a year without sex?”

He visibly swallowed and she hid a grin behind a cough. “I didn’t say that. Except this is about getting to know one another, not for short-term dating but for the long-term commitment. Sex complicates things and it’ll be hard to tell what’s pheromones versus a true bond.”

“Agreed, as long as sex is still on the table, I can wait a few weeks,” he said, raking a hand through his hair.

“A few weeks?” she asked, the words coming out high-pitched, giving her away. It sounded like forever to her ears. She gave a quick nod, willing her body to stop betraying her. Celibacy was going to be equally hard on her, odd since she’d gone months without sex. Now that she had a taste what it was like with Howler, she would be more than tempted to give in to her baser needs. Crazy.

“A few months?” he asked, visibly swallowing.

Laughter floated from her throat, her cheeks hot. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’ll have to play it by ear and not jump into bed.”

“Okay, fine. You can decide when we have sex.”

She hit save on the document and pressed send. The soft swish from the speakers finalized her decision. There was no turning back. “I sent the contract to your email. Have your attorney look it over, sign it and send it back to me so I can have my legal counsel review it.”

“Why don’t you come by for dinner tomorrow night and I’ll show you around the house. If you like it, you can start moving your stuff this weekend.”

This was it. She was having his baby, moving in with him, and trying to make their loveless marriage work. A marriage she’d balked at but she was forced to acknowledge a basic truth. This wasn’t about her anymore. She owed it to her child to try to make it work with Howler. If they failed, at least she could say she tried.

Chapter Fifteen

“Thanks everyone, let’s loop back to this on Friday.” Howler hung up the conference call in his home office, glancing at the clock on his laptop. His pulse picked up. Raina would be there soon. Stupid to be nervous, but a lot rode on her first impression of his home, soon to be their home.

Leo leaned back in his chair on the other side of the desk, his fingers clicking on the keyboard. “After I send out the meeting notes, do you want to shoot some hoops?”

“I can’t tonight. I have a dinner date.” With his wife. He licked his lips and swallowed the lump in his throat. Raina would be there any minute and he wanted to impress her but he was unsure why. They had a contract to remove any emotional attachment yet they had an attachment, no matter how much they said otherwise.

“Let me guess, you’re taking her to Vicenzo’s.”

“No, she’s coming here for dinner. I’m cooking.”

Leo glanced at Howler over the laptop screen. “You’re being domestic? Wow, you must be serious,” he said with a tongue in cheek grin. A loaded statement. Howler didn’t make a habit of sharing his personal life with just anyone but Leo wasn’t anyone. Howler had grown up with Leo on Grams’s farm and the other man was like a brother to him.

“Hey, I cooked for your ungrateful ass for years, and yes, she’s…special.”

“You’re calling a woman, special? Does this have something to do with the email you got yesterday? The one from Raina Ashton with the Pioneers?” The laptop lid lowered and Leo narrowed his eyes, head tilted. Howler could practically see his mind working. After spending eight years in the military, Leo was well organized, efficient, and could practically read Howler’s mind, a wonderful trait in an assistant if not a bit disconcerting.

“Maybe.” Howler ignored his telling look and dropped the phone onto the yellow notepad. He could feel the flush rising to his cheeks and he silently cursed the tell. He picked up his phone, staring at the screen. No text from Raina yet.

Leo rested his folded arms across the black plastic, a sardonic smile crossing his lips. “Son of a bitch, that was actually real? I thought it was a joke.”

The heat in Howler’s face increased and he nodded his head, blowing out a breath. If that were only the case. “No, it’s not a joke. Raina and I got married in Vegas and she’s moving in with me.”

“So Article II is real? You’re having a kid?” Leo leaned back in his chair, hand raking over his closely-shorn dark hair before he settled it on his chin.

“Yes, Raina is carrying my child.” Howler couldn’t help the small smile which formed. It was rare he could stymie Leo. “And yes, she’s moving in with me. She’s coming over tonight to look at the house and we’ll hammer out the rest of the details.”

Howler stood, his anxiety making it difficult to sit still. “I have to start prepping dinner.”

“Oh no you don’t, I want some details.” Leo followed Howler out of the office and into the kitchen.

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