Page 25 of Prince Un-Charming

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VIVIENNE

Waving my hand in front of his face, I try to bring Caesar back to reality. It seems like I’ve scared him.

“Are you alright?”

“Hm? Yes! Of course.” He smiles and nods, his eyes glowing with something I can’t decipher. Caesar reaches into his pocket and fumbles for his keys. “Let’s talk about this more in private, okay? Not out here.”

“Sure. Whatever you want.”

The moment we step through the threshold of his condo, I’m surprised to see the state of his home. I know he’s normally meticulous in his apartment based on the times I’ve been here for work.

It’s much messier than usual. Crumpled shirts litter the floor. A couple of empty pizza boxes lie askew near his shoe stand. Then my eyes drift towards the empty wine bottles not too far away.

“Ignore the mess. Please, come and sit.” Caesar rushes forward and snaps up the shirt on his sofa, bunching it up and tossing it somewhere in his bedroom.

“No worries. I’ll turn a blind eye to the cockroach on the wall.”

“The what!”

“Kidding.” I smile wide as I lower myself onto the couch. “Can I ask what a marriage between us would entail, Caesar? I assume we want to get this in writing.”

Caesar snaps his fingers. “Absolutely. We’ll get to that.”

He disappears into the kitchen but soon returns with two wine glasses and a red that I know from the wine store is expensive. “But first, I would like to know what changed your mind. Out of curiosity.”

As he pours me some wine, I relax on the couch. My purse strap falls down my arm, and I allow myself to loosen up a little bit.

“I was getting tired of all the blind dates my family kept sending me on.” I take a quick sip of the wine and relish the way it burns my throat. “I’m also under some recent pressure from my mom to have a man in my life. There’s a cabin in my family… I don’t need to get into all the details, but this will help cure my problems, too.”

“I see.” A slight grin grows on his lips. “Well, I’m glad to hear that I can assist you.”

He tosses back half of his wine glass and then starts pouring himself some more. He opens up his laptop and puts it on the table for both of us to see.

“I just need you around so that my family can see this is a legitimate relationship,” I say. “We need to act as if we’ve been in love for a while and that nothing will ever separate us. Also, you’ll have to stop being such a playboy.”

I lean forward, placing my wine glass on the coffee table. Caesar glances at me, and I send him a knowing look.

“I’m serious. No more tabloids. Thankfully, they don’t reach America too often, but my parents know enough about you to need some reassurance. Besides, you’d be married to the daughter of a U.S. Senator. We’d be an even bigger target together.”

“Alright. I hear you. I won’t see anyone during the duration of our marriage. In fact…” He types a few words on his laptop and pulls up a file. “That was one of the clauses I added to our agreement. No cheating from either party. I hope you can agree, too.”

I snort. “You act as if I have a long line of men waiting to be with me.”

“You don’t? Well, you could’ve fooled me.” He perks a brow and reclines against the couch. He sips his wine while I skim through the document.

In reality, I’m watching him diligently in my peripheral vision. There’s nothing too concerning about this agreement. No cheating. Occasional public dates and public displays of affection. Sticking with him whenever he goes to events. I don’t mind any of this.

Honestly, it sounds like a dream relationship. I get to spend time with a handsome prince. He’ll dote on me and always remain loyal to me and only me. This sounds like something I would’ve dreamed up when I was a little girl before I knew about the realities of relationships.

“Alright.” I slide the laptop back his way. “I agree to these conditions.”

“Amazing. I’ll send this to my lawyer for some final touches. Then all you’ll have to do is sign.”

Wetting my lips, I wring my hands together. Something in that wine has made me a bit audacious. I’m not a fool regarding what married couples do behind closed doors. And I also know that men, especially ones like Caesar, have their needs like everyone else.

“As your wife, I know that I’ll have some… um… expectations,” I begin, keeping my eyes away from him. Already, I can feel a heat rising to my cheeks. “And since you’re not going to cheat on me, I’d be willing to care for your needs. On my own terms. I don’t want to feel pressured or rushed, but still.”

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