“Yeah, it was. What now, Caleb?”

My fingers are rubbing her back and neck and I’m quiet for a while. What does she mean? “You move in here where you belong."

"Are you sure? We just had sex, Caleb, we haven't sorted out our problems. Is sex going to get in the way?"

I roll her so that I am lying on top of her. "You're joking, aren't you? We had more than sex, Cora. I believe we opened our souls just now. You are moving in here and we are going to see where this takes us. I want you so badly. I want to own you, love you, admire you, respect you. I want it all."

"I feel the same, but you're paying me to be here and I don't just want to be a prostitute for you." She tries to roll me off her, but I box her in with her arms at her sides.

"A prostitute? First of all I'd never treat you that way. Secondly, I'd never pay for sex. Especially with you." I need to take a few breaths to tamper down my anger. "Did I just make you feel so bad that you feel like a prostitute?" I can't take it any longer, I release her and sit on the side of the bed. My head in my hands. "I would never..."

I feel her hand on my shoulder and then I feel her right behind me, pressed against me. "I didn't mean that you made me feel like one, but if you pay me to be here then it doesn't feel right. Do you get me?"

I grab her and pull her to the front of me. She's straddling my thighs. "I don't want you to feel like that. I want to pay you because we signed a contract and I never renege on an agreement. Just think of it as your allowance or some other payment. It's for you to enjoy your life, live carefree for a while. But I'll never pay you for sex. When you live here with me, I'll always give you money. I'll make sure you have everything that you ever wanted. I can give you that now, I couldn't give it to you before. I want to give you everything, Cora. Every fucking thing." I close my eyes as I know I have tears in them.

She lifts my chin with her finger and looks me in the eye. "I know you wouldn't do that, but I had to ask. I don't know you now, I only know you as you were before, Caleb. You need to give me time to catch up on what's happening here." She touches my face and then she kisses me. It's a peck on my lips, but she puts feeling into it. It's an, I trust you, kind of a kiss. I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight. I don't want to let go. I move us back into the bed and pull the covers over both of us. "You'll stay in here tonight, and every night."

She laughs. "Yes, boss." Then she snuggles in tight with me and we both fall asleep.

Chapter Ten

CORA

When I woke up the other evening, Caleb was watching me sleep. I forgot he used to do that. I smiled at him and said, "Good morning."

He leaned down and kissed me and said, "It is now." This man is capable of breaking my heart, he did it once, what is to stop him doing it again?

Today is the day of the wedding and I'm really nervous. The other night we went out for dinner with some clients and it was a fun night. Caleb doted on me all night long and I didn't feel nervous at all, but for some reason today I am.

He walks into the room and I can see him in the mirror. "Cora, you look gorgeous. That dress is beautiful." He walks toward me and stands behind me. He leans forward and kisses my neck, watching me in the mirror. "I'd like to fuck you like this, Cora. I want you to see how gorgeous you are when you come on my cock."

"Caleb don't talk like that if you are not going to follow through." I smile. I know that one day soon we will be doing exactly what he said.

"Are you sure I look okay?"

He spins me around. "I'm going to have to keep my eye on you today, you are going to be asked to dance by so many men and I don't know how I'll handle it." I laugh, he's just being stupid.

"Well, you look handsome too, Caleb, we should just stick together and then no one will try to dance with either of us. We don't have to stay long, do we?"

"No, we will eat their food, drink their drink and then leave early." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out some rings. I stare at them, they are beautiful.

"Caleb?"

"We are supposed to be married. But don't think that I don't want to be married to you, I just know that it's not the right time. We need to get to know each other better again before we commit like that. But we need to have these on for a while." He puts on a sparkling diamond ring and a small plain wedding ring. They are not huge or in anyone's face, but they suit me. I look at them.

"They're beautiful, Caleb." This is when I remember why we are doing this. To get back at his ex and his nemesis. I need to get into character, although right now I feel that I am his wife and that we will be together forever. But forever is not always promised, right?

He slides a single band on his finger and then he takes my hand. “Come on Mrs Masters, let's go to a wedding."

When we walk into the small chapel, we slide into some seats at the back. But it doesn't stop everyone turning to see who just walked in. There are a couple of women eyeing Caleb up and so I move into his body, he puts his arm around me. "I got you, babe," he says as he leans in and kisses my cheek. "I always have you."

The doors open and Tillie walks in. She is beautiful, blonde, skinny and so sophisticated. What the hell does Caleb see in me? Tillie sees Caleb and smiles, but then when I step out from behind him her face turns evil. I giggle. "Oh my god, Caleb, what the fuck were you thinking when you asked her to marry you?"

Tillie hears it and glares at me. I put my hand on Caleb's cheek, the hand with the wedding and engagement ring and turn his face to me. He's smiling at me, he knows what I am doing. I kiss him on the lips and the sound of everyone else in the church drifts away. It's just the two of us. When I open my eyes, everyone is staring at us.

"You are evil, Mrs Masters," he says loud enough for her to hear and then we both look to the front of the church, ignoring her. She stomps down the aisle and steps up next to her groom, Daly, and kisses him on the lips, until the priest coughs loud enough for us all to hear and then she steps away. I don't know how I am keeping my laugh in. This is comical. I didn't know we were going to have so much fun today. I might even stay till the end of the night.

As the ceremony progresses, Caleb and I are giggling in the back row like teenagers at their first movie. "Did you see what she did? She was doing that because I kissed you. This is farcical.” The priest asks, "Is there anyone present who doesn't want these two to be joined together in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace."