Page 31 of Wed to You-
That did seem unfair, but it didn’t completely overcome the big problems in his plan. “How long would this marriage last?”
He shrugged. “As long as it takes.”
Chelsea had had students in her class who’d been in custody disputes. Most of those cases went on for months. Some over a year. A few continued to reoccur. So if she agreed to this, she would be committing to it for some time.
“You said you talked to a lawyer in case she filed, which means she hasn’t yet. Shouldn’t you wait until she does before entering into a marriage of convenience?”
“You said it would already look suspicious. I suspect it would be even more so if I did it after she filed.”
“What if she doesn’t file?”
“Then your house is paid for and I dodged a bullet. But Tanya has gone out of her way to come here, which suggests she’s serious. She told me she’s talked to a lawyer, so it’s probably only a matter of time before she files for custody.”
He’d definitely been thinking long and hard about every detail of his situation. Which then led to the next question of how this marriage would play out.
“Would we live here?”
“Yes.”
“So, why would I need my house that you’re graciously going to pay off?”
“We’d keep it because it’s your family’s legacy. We could rent it out.”
He really had thought of everything. “So I’d have a room here?”
He shifted, his eyes narrowed. “No. You’d stay with me.”
She cocked her head and lifted a brow, while simultaneously telling her hormones to cool it.
“Look. Everyone, including Kaden and the people who work forme, would need to believe this is legit. To do that, you need to stay with me. I’ve got a big bed and promise not to touch you.”
Chelsea couldn’t stop the little sink of her heart at that, which was stupid. It must have shown on her face because he added, “Unless you want me to.”
Well, of course she wanted him to. She was a woman, after all. And he was Jagger Talbot, the epitome of sexy. But just because she was curious about what his soft lips tasted like, and how it would feel to have that dark, devilish stubble rub her skin, it didn’t mean she’d actually do it. If Jagger’s reputation was correct, he wasn’t a man to go too long without indulging with a woman. She wondered how he’d managed it with Kaden in the house. She hadn’t heard any rumors about him with someone in Charlotte Tavern, so he must make return visits to New York. He probably had a few lady friends with benefits. So what would happen if she agreed to this arrangement and chose not to include sleeping with him?
“What if I never want to?”
His wicked grin faded slightly. She imagined he was wondering what was wrong with her. What woman wouldn’t want Jagger Talbot to touch them? He’d probably never had a woman turn him down.
“Then I won’t.”
She tilted her head and studied him, trying to gauge his sincerity. “Even if this marriage lasts a year?”
“Even if.” But she could hear the tightness in his voice.
“The thing is, if I do this, I’ll end up being the woman who couldn’t keep Jagger Talbot happy and have a divorce in my background. I don’t also want to be the wife who was cheated on.”
She thought he might argue that it wouldn’t be cheating because their emotions weren’t involved. It would be a fake marriage.
“I won’t cheat.”
“How will you manage?”
He shook his head and then took a deep breath, as if he was steeling himself. “First, the fact that you’re asking these questions means you’re considering my proposal.”
Damn, he was right.
“Second, I’ll do anything to keep Kaden, and if I need to give up sex to do that, I will. I’ve got a strong hand.”
