Page 34 of Strip Bare

"Yes, but I just... He wants me to meet his parents and from his description of them, they're absolute a-holes. What if this doesn't work? What if they realize we're faking?"

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Their stipulation for Max is that he be married, right? As long as there's no clause or specifications about them having to approve then I don't see what the problem would be. Unless... you care?" There she went again, avoiding my eyes. I folded my arms across my chest. "You never did tell me how you guys met, or how this whole deal was arranged."

Kat said nothing, slurping noisily on her drink instead.

The fact that she wouldn't tell me told me everything I needed to know.

"You slept together."

"Just the one time," she protested, the words practically bursting out of her. "We were both drunk, he was sad and pissed at his parents. I'm always mad at mine so I commiserated, one thing led to another..."

"And now you're getting married," I finished for her and she winced.

"Could you just take a look at this please and make sure I’m not signing away my soul?"

She slid over a bundle of paper and I raised my eyebrows, most contracts were done digitally nowadays. I scanned the document. Most of it was standard prenuptial stuff and I read it aloud to Kat as I went, explaining the terms as she watched me, nibbling anxiously on her bottom lip.

My eyes widened when I got to the part that stated her compensation. "Holy shit."

"I know." She laid her head in her arms on top of the table.

"You're getting a good deal here. Everything looks alright to me, but I'm not a lawyer yet. There's a few local firms you could reach out to just to be sure?"

She shook her head. "I trust you, and I trust Max. Besides, it's supposed to be a secret. So the less people who know, the better. He wants us to 'date' first, so it doesn't come out of the blue for his parents."

"Makes sense," I murmured. "I guess the only thing that's not covered in this," I said, holding up the contract for emphasis, "is your ethical obligations."

"Meaning?"

"You're being tied into a fake marriage for at least a year. You have emotional and physical needs. Is he going to provide for those? Or are you able to seek them elsewhere, so long as you're discreet?"

"Are you asking if I can fuck other people?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes."

"Hm, I didn't think of that. I guess I'll ask him."

Somehow, I wasn't sure that would go over well, but it was better that they went into the contract with their eyes open.

"So? Are you going to sign it?"

She bit her lip before nodding slowly. "I think so. It's a good deal for me. Max gave me until Friday to decide."

I raised an eyebrow, that didn't feel like much time for such a big decision.

She shrugged, noticing the look on my face. "He's on a deadline. If he doesn't get the funds through in time he'll have to shut down the studio in Sun City."

"Fair enough. Well, it sounds like congratulations are in order."

"They are?" She frowned before blinking at me, a glazed look in her eyes as if this was only just now hitting her. "They are. I'm getting married."

I smiled slightly. "I expect a mention in your wedding toast."

"Oh god. I'm going to have to have a wedding and pick out a dress and bridesmaids and—"

I covered her hand with mine. "One step at a time."

"Right." She blew out a long breath and shook her head as if to clear it. "What were you up to before I called anyway? It sounded noisy."

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