Page 48 of Salvaged Hearts

“Leighton came down with the flu, and I went home to take care of her,” I supplied sardonically.

“I have doctors on staff for that.”

“I appreciate that, but I don’t throw money at my problems when I have a heart that can solve them. Besides, Leigh was fine—thanks for asking, by the way—but the media doesn’t need to know that.”

He nodded, lips pursed as he let that sit between us, stewing like a pot of soup about to boil over. “When you agreed to this, I didn’t realize you intended to make it as miserable as possible.”

“I didn’t realize you’d be a territorial caveman, either. I guess we both misjudged the other.Shocker.” I deadpanned as he did the same. It would’ve been funny if it were anyone else.

“You know, I miss the version of you that you lured us in with over the last two years.”

“Of course you do,” I sighed, leaning back and peeling at a bit of orange stuck under my artificial nail. “She had the personality of a desk lamp.”

“Did you ever think I would’ve been more eager to put you in a position of leadership if I’d known you could hold your own?”

“Did you ever think that’s not synonymous with being adick?”

That little twitch of his lip brought me way too much satisfaction. In a matter of weeks, I’d shown him the ugliest, meanest sides to me, and he found thementertaining.

“If we’re suddenly in the habit of shooting it straight together, answer me this. Are you in or out? Because I can’t tell.”

“I said I’m in.”

“Words take only a tongue, but commitment requires compounded action over time. Are you all the former, or do you possess the latter to see this through?”

“IsaidI’m in,” I growled, lifting my chin.

“Then act like it,” he countered, leaning back. “As it is, no one close enough to leak to the press will believe a word of it. What bride runs off after her engagement party? I have staff. Staff who knew your bed was never slept in. Who probably think it’s odd you’re keeping your own rooms, despite my justification that we’re taking a break until we say ‘I do.’”

I opened my mouth—once, twice—but snapped it closed. I knew he was right, even if the idea of climbing into his bed at night made me…simultaneously a bit flushed and nauseated, like I’d caught a nasty stomach virus.

But that didn’t diminish my irritation with him. “I want to be treated as a partner, Greyson, not a subject.”

“And I expect my wife to be in her own bed, especially after a disagreement.”

“Ooh,quick,” I said sardonically. “DemandI join you for dinner.”

“The staff will expect it.”

“Just call me Belle,” I muttered, not dropping our locked gazes, which granted me the pleasure of rendering him confused. This time, I couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh, come on, think about it.”

He narrowed his eyes on me. “Did you just liken me to a cursed beast?”

Smirking, I shrugged as if to say ‘obviously.’

“I’d argue, but aside from Cap, I am alone, and we do have a library. If you’d like, I can gift it to you to really cement the picture.”

Aaaand, I was smiling. How the fuck did he do that? When we both blew out a sigh in unison, laughter naturally followed.

“Ollie was right,” he muttered, palming his jaw. “I hate when he’s right.”

“About what?”

“That this would be harder than I anticipated.”

“Duh,” I replied unflinchingly.

“You say that quite casually for someone who also signed on the dotted line.” He palmed his face before muttering, “We don’t even know if this marriage will even be adequate enough to keep the sharks in the water we chummed instead of feasting on the embezzlement story.”

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