Page 51 of The Proposal Pact
Plus, I know I said I want a boyfriend, but I’m not actually ready for one. I’m not ready to give up the freedom I’ve just found again. I’m not ready to adjust to another person. To hide my less savory sides and cook dinners every night. I don’t want to be considerate, no matter how bad that sounds, but damn it, I just want to live for me without any pressure.
So, yes, this fake marriage is quite perfect.
Callum nods back. “Great,” he says, extending his arm out for a handshake that I’m watching with new appreciation. Those are some thick fingers… “And let’s keep it just between you and I.”
“Huh?” I look up, completely missing what he was just saying.Mind out of the gutter, Sophie. I repeat, mind out of the gutter. Now’s not the time.
“I said, let’s keep this a secret, yeah?”
I feel my nose scrunching. “Yeah, that’s not happening. I can keep a secret from everyone but Gracie. She’ll see right through me.”
Callum’s head tilts up as he pinches the bridge of his nose. “Okay, can she keep a secret?”
“Most definitely. From everyone but Luke.”
“Hell no, that fucker can’t know what we’re doing here or else I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“Um, aren’t you two best friends?”
“That’s exactly why he or Griffin can’t know. So, no one knows.” He pins me with hissherifflook.
“Is that supposed to scare me?” I quirk an eyebrow.
“Yes.” His jaw ticks.
“Yeah, it’s not working, quit scowling. You’re not that young anymore and wrinkles won’t go away. How old are you, by the way?”
“Thirty-four. You?”
I sit up, grinning. “Twenty-seven. Can I call you Daddy?” Those green eyes the color of early spring darken.
“Sophie,” he growls threateningly, but the problem is I always like looking for trouble.
“Sir, then?”
That strong jaw of his, ticks. “If you don’t stop that shit right-fucking-now, I’ll show you who’s in charge real quick.”
I stick out my wrists over to him. “Handcuffs?” I bite my bottom lip, holding in the laugh that just begs to be let out. Gosh, it’s so fun to wind him up.
Callum tips his head up, mouthing something. “Are you counting to ten?”
“At this rate, I’ll need to count to a fucking thousand on a daily basis.”
That’s it. I let out that belly deep laugh, falling back to the couch behind me. “Oh, we’re going to have so much fun, Shrek.” I look back to him and find those eyes already on me. Or rather, on my jersey that rode up and now reveals the color of my panties.
My core tightens, feeling his gaze on those intimate parts and the need to bare myself to him all the way is almost overwhelming.Theè mou,this will be a difficult year.I sit up before I can add some more to the list of “Stupid Things Sophie Does” and waggle my finger at him.
“If you won’t touch it, then don’t look at it,” I tell him.
“I wasn’t—” he starts, but a quick raised eyebrow from me shuts him right up. We both know he was most definitely checking out my yellow, lacy panties.
“Okay, let’s see the ring?” I stick out the palm of my hand.
“What ring?”
“Callum? You came to ask the girl of your dreams to marry you without a ring?”
“You’re not the girl of my dreams. Nightmares, maybe.”
