she mocked then laughed as he shook his head.
"Youâll enjoy going abroad and will likely wish to go more than once a year. And next year..." He pulled her into an intimate embrace, his nose nuzzling at her neck. "Next year we'll go the Alps. Just the two of us."
Visions of them finding creative ways to keep warm in a snowy region left her breathless. The heat of his body and enticing woodsy scent of his cologne didn't help matters.
"And we'll be married," she whispered.
On a growl, his mouth captured hers. Caylie was able to do little more than hold on as he delivered a kiss that sent waves of desire straight to her toes. His tongue curled along hers while his fingers pressed into her hips. Everything in her ached to be against the rigid mass of his body, but she knew getting too close was dangerous.
The same notion must have crossed his mind, for he pulled away. With a sigh, he smoothed hair away from her face and delivered another soft kiss.
"I really need to talk to you about something."
"Now?"
Breathing heavily, he set his forehead against hers. "Now more than ever."
Since the distraction was much needed, Caylie knew she couldn't be too upset. She gave a nod, taking his hands in hers. "All right, tell me what's so important."
***
Rick never considered himself a coward. Until now. Staring down into Caylie's beautiful, trusting blue eyes, he didn't know how to tell her their upcoming nuptials were dependent on a contract. He loved her with everything he had. Losing her wasn't an option.
Since breaking the news wouldn't be easy, no matter how he tried, he decided a straight-to-the-point approach best. Tearing his gaze from hers to keep the guilt surely showing on his face from alarming her, he sidestepped and then headed to the desk.
"I need you to understand what I'm about to ask of you has nothing to do with the strength of our relationship."
Her jaw worked, her pace slow as she moved closer. "Okay," she replied softly.
Opening a blue folder, he glanced down at the official wording on legal-sized paper and then spun it around. "This is simply a standard precaution. I will, of course, pay for a lawyer if you want someone who isnât on my payroll to look it over."
The color drained from her cheeks. Arms wrapped around her waist, she stared at the agreement. "A prenuptial agreement? You want me to sign this?"
Pain tore through his heart at the hurt in her shaky voice. "Caylie, it's standard. It doesn't mean anything."
"Obviously it does, or this wouldn't matter!" She pushed the folder across the wide desk back to him. "I'm not signing that."
"All this does is ensure that if, and it's a huge if, things go badly, we're both fairly represented. This protects me and you."
"I don't need protection from you, Rick. And I surely hope you don't think you need protection from me," she said on a whisper, her voice shaky.
He came from around the desk, pulling her into his arms the second he could reach her. "No, no of course not." Stroking her silky blonde hair, he rested his chin on her head, unable to ignore the shaking of her shoulders. "Consider it more protection from my mother, and my lawyers."
With a sniffle, she pulled back. "I don't even want to contemplate the situation that would make it needed. Please don't ask me again to sign."
Regret settled heavy in his chest, and he took a step away. "I can't marry you without it."
***
A fresh set of tears coursed down Caylie's cheeks, and with a pitiful sigh, she wiped them away. Why the prenup came as a shock, she still hadn't figured out. Rick's vast wealth, and that of his familyâs, meant they needed to make sure anyone professing fake love to get money couldn't. At least not more than a percentage. She wasn't a con artist though, and if they'd asked she would have told them she wanted nothing if things went sour.
Not that they'd believe her, of course. Rick's mother had yet to personally speak a single word to Caylie since the engagement
"Youâll enjoy going abroad and will likely wish to go more than once a year. And next year..." He pulled her into an intimate embrace, his nose nuzzling at her neck. "Next year we'll go the Alps. Just the two of us."
Visions of them finding creative ways to keep warm in a snowy region left her breathless. The heat of his body and enticing woodsy scent of his cologne didn't help matters.
"And we'll be married," she whispered.
On a growl, his mouth captured hers. Caylie was able to do little more than hold on as he delivered a kiss that sent waves of desire straight to her toes. His tongue curled along hers while his fingers pressed into her hips. Everything in her ached to be against the rigid mass of his body, but she knew getting too close was dangerous.
The same notion must have crossed his mind, for he pulled away. With a sigh, he smoothed hair away from her face and delivered another soft kiss.
"I really need to talk to you about something."
"Now?"
Breathing heavily, he set his forehead against hers. "Now more than ever."
Since the distraction was much needed, Caylie knew she couldn't be too upset. She gave a nod, taking his hands in hers. "All right, tell me what's so important."
***
Rick never considered himself a coward. Until now. Staring down into Caylie's beautiful, trusting blue eyes, he didn't know how to tell her their upcoming nuptials were dependent on a contract. He loved her with everything he had. Losing her wasn't an option.
Since breaking the news wouldn't be easy, no matter how he tried, he decided a straight-to-the-point approach best. Tearing his gaze from hers to keep the guilt surely showing on his face from alarming her, he sidestepped and then headed to the desk.
"I need you to understand what I'm about to ask of you has nothing to do with the strength of our relationship."
Her jaw worked, her pace slow as she moved closer. "Okay," she replied softly.
Opening a blue folder, he glanced down at the official wording on legal-sized paper and then spun it around. "This is simply a standard precaution. I will, of course, pay for a lawyer if you want someone who isnât on my payroll to look it over."
The color drained from her cheeks. Arms wrapped around her waist, she stared at the agreement. "A prenuptial agreement? You want me to sign this?"
Pain tore through his heart at the hurt in her shaky voice. "Caylie, it's standard. It doesn't mean anything."
"Obviously it does, or this wouldn't matter!" She pushed the folder across the wide desk back to him. "I'm not signing that."
"All this does is ensure that if, and it's a huge if, things go badly, we're both fairly represented. This protects me and you."
"I don't need protection from you, Rick. And I surely hope you don't think you need protection from me," she said on a whisper, her voice shaky.
He came from around the desk, pulling her into his arms the second he could reach her. "No, no of course not." Stroking her silky blonde hair, he rested his chin on her head, unable to ignore the shaking of her shoulders. "Consider it more protection from my mother, and my lawyers."
With a sniffle, she pulled back. "I don't even want to contemplate the situation that would make it needed. Please don't ask me again to sign."
Regret settled heavy in his chest, and he took a step away. "I can't marry you without it."
***
A fresh set of tears coursed down Caylie's cheeks, and with a pitiful sigh, she wiped them away. Why the prenup came as a shock, she still hadn't figured out. Rick's vast wealth, and that of his familyâs, meant they needed to make sure anyone professing fake love to get money couldn't. At least not more than a percentage. She wasn't a con artist though, and if they'd asked she would have told them she wanted nothing if things went sour.
Not that they'd believe her, of course. Rick's mother had yet to personally speak a single word to Caylie since the engagement
Similar Books
salt.
nayyirah waheed
5 Tutti Frutti
Mike Faricy
Face to Face
Ariana Gaynor
Engleby
Sebastian Faulks
Gathering Shadows
Nancy Mehl
Get It Girls
Treasure Blue
The Concubine's Secret
Kate Furnivall
Bondmate
J.J. Lore
A Christmas Howl
Laurien Berenson
Safekeeping
Jessamyn Hope