Page 8 of To Have and To Hold

“Fine, I will go through with this farce of a relationship and marriage, but it ends after a year and no sex or PDA except when absolutely necessary.”

He frowned, a look of displeasure now on his face.

“And we tell my parents the truth and get their permission. I won’t lie to them and won’t put them through thinking this is real. And listen to me now, I will not go through with this unless they are on board.”

“Coco. This is—”

They froze when they both heard Jackie’s feminine voice filling the office.

“Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, she must have slept here last night after a migraine came on. Why don’t you have a seat, and I will just go into her office, or you can just follow me.” They could hear her grumbling in exasperation of Coco’s parents not listening to her.

They both turned as the door to her office pushed open and the light switch was turned up higher, illuminating the room and the occupants on the sofa bed.

Chapter 4

“Nooo, Daddy, wait!”

“Linnel, wait!”

Colin tossed the rest of the comforter around Coco as he jumped into the legs of the loose pair of jogging pants and donned the t-shirt he brought with him when he returned to watch over Coco as she slept.

He saw from the corner of his eyes as her imposing father came around the corner of the sofa bed at a rate of speed only an enraged overprotective father could do.

Colin put up his hands. “Sir, let us exp—”

Colin was a tall and broad man but Linnel, Coco’s father, grabbed him by the front of his t-shirt and lifted him onto his toes, not breaking a sweat.

He saw Mrs. Hunt round the bed followed by Jackie, and Coco stood on top of the sofa bed, making her way over to his side.

“What do you think you are doing with my daughter?” Her father then tried to shake off his wife, who was pulling on one of his arms.

“Linnel. What do you think you are doing? You are going to put out your back!” Mrs. Hunt shouted.

Jackie took hold of his other arm. “Mr. Hunt, please—”

“Nothing happened, sir. I just stayed the night to make sure my fiancée was going to be okay and wanted for nothing while the medication helped with her migraine.”

“Colin! Gezuz Christ, man.” Coco snapped out.

Her father loosened his grip in surprise. Everyone else froze in place before he felt a sting on his shoulder. Wincing, he glanced up to see a furious Coco. She looked like an angry Greek goddess standing over him with the sheet wrapped around her. Her braids were loose from the ponytail she’d worn yesterday.

Linnel turned to his daughter, a look of disbelief and confusion gracing his brown features.

“Coco what is this man going on about?”

“I’m sorry. Dad, Mom, I, we—”

“Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, how about we discuss this in Coco’s boardroom. Coco and I can finish dressing. Jackie, can you take them and order us coffee—”

Coco’s father head whipped back around to give him an ice-cold stare. “We are not going anywhere until my daughter answers my question.”

“Coco is this true?” Colin looked toward the concerned Mrs. Hunt. Her dark brown eyes swept between him, Coco, and her husband.

“Yes, Mom and Dad, I agreed to marry him.” Coco said into the tense silence. Colin saw her begin to rub her temples again.

Colin tried again. “Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, let us take this discussion into Coco’s boardroom and talk about this.”

“I cannot believe—” Her father started.

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