Page 10 of Impending Consent

“Everything looks amazing and now that you’re done, we have some other business to tend to.”

Rival glanced at me over his shoulder, chuckled lightly, and shook his head. “I don’t sleep with my clients, Sailor.”

“Then I don’t see the problem, I’m no longer your client.” I motioned to the completed wall unit, which was gorgeous by the way. “You’re done with that, which means we can play a little.”

Rival turned and his eyes did a casual perusal over my body. “Whatever you’re offering is not happening and not because you’re a client. I’m celibate, Sailor. No sex with anyone.”

“Like ever, shit, are you a virgin?” My brows pinched as I admired this very sexy man. “No, you’re definitely not a virgin; there’s no way.”

He grinned. “Celibacy means abstaining. I’m not a virgin, but I haven’t been with a woman in over a year and I don’t plan to until I’m serious about someone.”

“You can be serious about me.” I smiled and crossed the room, placing my hand on his stomach. Damn, this guy had a very firm body. “I plan to be very serious about you and this.” My hand moved lower, past his waist and well damn, he was very well equipped.

Rival’s fingers wrapped around my wrist and he removed my hand from his person. “Serious as in marriage type of serious. I don’t believe that is a commitment you’ll be entertaining in your foreseeable future.”

He was right but it still stung a bit. This man had been around me for the past couple months so I didn’t doubt he had been privy to my lifestyle which included plenty of fun and no commitment.

“You have a point. So how about a middle ground, you stay and have dinner with me.”

“Dinner?” He seemed skeptical.

“Yes, dinner. We order, eat, talk. No sex, so your celibacy isn’t compromised.” I smiled smugly. I fully intended to compromise his celibacy. I simply needed time to accomplish that goal. Dinner and a bottle of something strong should get the job done. I loved a challenge and I never lost. Not in my personal or professional life.

“I’m not going to sleep with you, Sailor. Not unless you plan on becoming my wife.”

I shrugged. “All I plan on doing is sharing a meal, but the night is still young so who knows. I’m having wine, what’s your preference?”

“You have anything brown?”

I traveled to the kitchen and removed the bottle of Hennessy I kept for Gray and my father. They rarely visited, but when they did, I liked to be hospitable. “This work?”

“Yeah, that’ll do.”

I grabbed a glass and placed both on the counter. While Rival poured his first drink, I lifted my phone and pulled up the food apps.Let the games begin.

When the memory faded, I brushed my palms down my slacks, trying to understand how a harmless dinner ended with virtual nuptials. At some point I would have to travel down that very unclear and fuzzy road because I couldn’t avoid Rival or this situation forever but I was most certainly avoiding it tonight.

“Damnit,” I mumbled. “What the fuck did you do, Sail?”

I drank often but never to the point where I had memory loss. Well… at least not since college. There were plenty of times when I found my way to the bottom of a bottle of tequila and woke up with no memory of the who, what, when, where, why, or how. But not once had I ended up with a lifelong commitment. Maybe a few good orgasms but that was about it. This time was different.

Once I arrived at my building, I felt a slight panic attack rising. I had one last hail mary to help provide me with some legal footing that might allow me to weasel my way out of this sham of a wedding. Instead of taking the elevator to my place on the eighth floor, I stopped on the fourth and made my way to Lorraine’s apartment.

Through my very intensive research about my virtual wedding, I noticed her name was listed on the documentation for the marriage license. As a clerk for the probate judge, she had the capability to legalize a marriage license and I had asked her to do so, because her name was on the document filed electronically with the county clerk last night.

Damn me and my obsessive need to be thorough. I swallowed my concern and knocked on Lorraine’s door. After a few minutes she appeared with a slight frown until recognition settled in.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the newlywed. You here to get the details on what happened last night?”

Well shit. This is real.

“May I come in…” I paused and exhaled a sigh. “Obviously I have a few questions.”

“I’m sure you do…” She stepped out of the way and allowed me room to enter. I moved to the living room and sat while she filled the space next to me. “How can I help?”

“Maybe start by explaining why you would file a marriage license when I was clearly inebriated.”

Lorraine drew her head back and narrowed her eyes on me. “Because you asked.”

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