Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 37885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
“I was wondering if my parents had called?” she asked.
Abby noticed the change in the two men instantly. They seemed to tense up at her question and part of her wished she hadn’t asked it, but she had to. They were still her parents, even if they didn’t act like it.
You don’t even like them.
Yeah, but if I don’t make contact soon, they’ll find an excuse to visit.
Could she trust James? Tell him the truth of her fears?
“I have possession of your phone. Why do you want it?”
She nibbled her lip.
“You miss your parents that much?” Drake asked.
She saw the flick of anger in his gaze, and she hated that he thought so badly of her.
“It’s not that. It’s … if you don’t answer, they’ll find an excuse to come here.”
“Excuse me?” James asked.
She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole. “I’m not trying to scare you or blackmail you. To be honest, I don’t want to have anything to do with them. I don’t know what they’ve said to you or got on you for this marriage to have even been considered.”
“What do they have on you?” Drake asked.
“I’m not telling. Not unless you’re willing to tell me the truth.” She looked from Drake to James then back again.
She liked Drake.
Apart from that flash of anger she’d caught sight of moments ago, he seemed like a nice guy. Not that she was any judge of that.
“Forget it.”
“I’ll call them. Let them know you’re having a good time.”
“Okay.” She stared down at her food, her appetite disappearing at the thought of James and her mother talking.
“What is it?” Drake asked. He reached out, touching her hand. She appreciated the contact, but it wouldn’t do her any good.
“It’s nothing.”
“There clearly is. Rather than lie why won’t you just tell me?” James said. “I can help you or we can go back to me hating you.”
“You still hate me,” she said, glaring at him.
This conversation was starting to give her a headache. Rubbing at her temples, she wondered if she could ask to go and lie down.
“No, I don’t hate you. I’ve decided that I’m willing to make this marriage work, Abby. I want you to be my wife in the full sense of the word.”
She stared at James, sure she’d misheard him. “What?”
“You heard me. I want you to be my wife, in my bed. I’m not getting any younger, and after last night, I want to give this a try.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Drake eating his breakfast.
Did he have any idea of what happened last night?
No, it couldn’t be possible.
He’d not been there.
It had just been her and James.
There’s no way out for you. Not if you want to keep your freedom.
Make it work.
Help James to make this work.
Give him a chance to see that you’re not a monster like he thinks you are.
“Okay. I don’t want us to have an awful marriage. I know it’s not what you want, but I want to give this a shot.” She smiled at him.
“Good. So, I think it’s only fair that we take our time. It has been a long time since I went for a swim. I think a change is as good as the rest. Eat your breakfast, Abby. I’ll join you.”
She nodded.
Finishing up her pancakes, she felt a little happier and a little less scared. If they were willing to give this a go, they had a chance.
Her parents would stay off her back and she’d be able to live her life in some form of freedom.
Yes, this could really work.
She wasn’t about to start planning the future, but she wasn’t going to allow negative thoughts about what was to become of her life affect her either.
****
“I don’t like this,” Drake said.
James watched Abby’s ass as she left the dining room. She was going to the pool house while he finished his breakfast.
Returning his attention to his man, he sat back.
“You want her gone?”
Drake frowned at him. “I don’t know.”
Last night, while he’d been balls deep in Drake’s ass, he’d been okay with the plan. Now, seeing her this morning, James saw that Drake was struggling.
“What part don’t you like?” James asked.
“The part where we use her to get what we want and toss her out of our lives as if she’s nothing.”
“She is nothing,” James said.
“We’ve both agreed she’s not like her family.”
“It doesn’t mean I want her in my life. Regardless of how good she is, she’s not staying here. I’m not having a Bryant be my wife and the mother of our children.”
“We shouldn’t have allowed ourselves to get caught,” Drake said, getting to his feet. “We’d talked about having a woman to call our own.”
“We were going to decide who, together.”
“Why not let it be Abby? Last night you had me where you wanted me. I couldn’t think straight, let alone make a sound decision. What if she’s genuine, James? Could you do that to someone like her?”