Page 23 of Marriage Bargain With Her Brazilian Boss (Billion-Dollar Fairy Tales)

She’d sat in that very couch so many times over the years, come to him with some problem and asked for his help. And she’d always looked at him with such trust that Caio had felt like a hero. As if she was a conduit for him to make himself feel better.

Which was problematic in itself.

“Your idea, I’ll admit, has merit,” he said carefully, testing out the words on his tongue. “It solves our problems in a very comprehensive way.”

Fingers laced at her neck pulled her shirt tightly across her torso as Nush studied him from under her lashes. “You wouldn’t have sounded like it was a death sentence if it was Mira or even Yana proposing this...arrangement. I mean, you even dated Yana at Nanamma’s urging. Why is it such a leap for you when all along Thaata wanted you to marry into the family? We both know that if Mira hadn’t eloped with Aristos over a weekend, she’d have been suggested to you next.”

A sliver of hurt in her words made him cautious with his own. “It’s not a death sentence, Nush,” he said looking down at her. “I already admitted that it’s a good idea.”

“But? You’re not already married, are you? Because, Jesus, that could be horrible on so many—”

“Of course I’m not married.”

Color high in her cheeks, she shrugged. “Well, it’s not that much of a leap seeing none of us know much about you.”

“I want to make sure you’re not walking into this with any sort of...expectations.”

“The fact that I’m here, further entangling our lives when I want to be nowhere near you, is only because I decided it’s time to take responsibility for OneTech. For Thaata’s legacy. Now, please, let’s talk logistics. Then we can go back to avoiding each other.”

“Is that what you were doing?”

“Prenup,” she said, ignoring his question, counting out on her fingers. “How long we have to put up this charade for. What our statement to the media looks like. And, oh, yeah...”

“Prenup?” he said, more than surprised that she’d truly thought of everything.

“Yes. I went back to Aristos with my idea and he stressed that I get one.”

“Because you can’t trust me?”

“Oh, his first piece of advice was that my idea was a garbage fire. That I should stay far away from you. But then he also said that in a professional capability, you’d be the only man he’d trust, even before his own family.”

“You have to know that I’d never—”

“That you’d never...ruin me financially. Yes, I know that. We’re all very mature people here, with honor and integrity coming out of our asses. Honestly, all I want on the prenup is that if you cheat on me, I can sue your ass for everything you have.”

“Cheat on you, Nush?” he said, her bloodthirstiness knotting his stomach tight with a hunger like he’d never known before. “That implies a prior commitment. Is this more than a simple marriage bargain on paper?”

“Yes. No.” Her cheeks reddened. “I don’t care if you think I’m not sophisticated enough for you to screw, Caio. But I draw the line at the world seeing you parade your long lineup of girlfriends while you’re married to me. So yes, I want your commitment to not making me look like a fool in front of the world. Apparently, there’s only so much my pride can take.”

“And you, Nush? Will you promise the same? Will you stop chasing—”

“Yes, of course,” she said, blowing at her bangs. “That’s why we need to put a time limit on this. The celibate life isnotfor me.”

“I wouldn’t think so, given the number of dates you’ve been on in just the past year,” he added drily.

“I hope you appreciate the sacrifice I’m making for the good of the company...blah, blah, Caio. All this adulting is exhausting.” A glint in her eye caught his attention as she studied her nails. “I’ve completely accepted the possibility that the only two candidates that might bring me pleasure are this pink vibrator Yana gave me last year for my birthday or you.”

Instant heat gripped him, a fist around his cock, making his skin hum. She was taunting him. He knew that. She was going to continue taunting him for however long they stayed married. Still, he couldn’t beat away all the images her words conjured. Couldn’t think of a better torment.

“Which reminds me,” she said, and texted rapidly on her cell phone. “Yana promised to get me the latest model. Might as well stock up.”

“Is that your plan then? To seduce me?”

“I guess that means you don’t assume I hatched this whole plan to have you?”

He laughed at the idea and then sobered when he saw the very real apprehension in her eyes. Grabbing her hand, which he’d done a thousand times before, Caio squeezed it. “If it were Yana, maybe yes. But you’re far too straightforward for such a conniving plan.”

“Thank the universe for small mercies.” Her throat moved on a swallow, and she plucked her hand from his. “I won’t let everything Thaata worked for get destroyed because of my insecurities.” Grabbing the oversized jacket she’d discarded, she slipped it on. “As for seducing you, I wouldn’t know where to begin. But let’s say that I do have high hopes for this fake marriage.”

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