Page 47 of Fake Wife

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Page 47 of Fake Wife

I don’t want her on a night of pent-up emotion that can only lead to regret.

I want her when I can lay her out on my bed, when there are no questions of what’s so rapidly building between us it feels impossible to keep up.

I want her, all of her, when she’smine.

“Teagan.” I reach for her, but she jumps off the table I will never look at the same way again. Pushing down her top, she doesn’t meet my eye, and when I step toward her, she jumps out of my way. “Let me explain, please.”

Her laugh is harsh and brittle and I cringe.Let me explain.It’s exactly what Drake said to her last night.

Let me explainis what I started to say before she responded with, “How many men do I have to listen to explain why they decide it’s okay to treat me like crap?”

And now she’s hearing it again.

I make a mental note to never utter those three words again and follow her as she rushes through my workshop.

God. I’ve shown her me. The deepest parts of me. I’ve shown her who I am down to my soul and she didn’t laugh, she didn’t think it was silly. I could see it in her eyes…she wants my dream. She wants it to be hers.

“Please.” I catch up to her, wrapping my hand around her waist and yanking her to my chest. “I didn’t pull away because I don’t want you, Teagan.”

“It’s okay.”

She’s sniffing again. Crying. I’ve made her cry twice now, at least that I know of. Damn it.

“It’s fine,” she says. “It’s a mistake anyway, right? You know, keep it business. Keep our distance. We keep messing it up, but we’ll get better at it.”

I want to get better at doing a thousand things with her, but not the way she’s saying.

“Please let me go, Corbin. I’m tired and it’s been a long day. I need to sleep.”

Shit.

I let go of her and she stumbles forward, flipping on the flashlight and opening the door.

“Let me walk you back.”

“No.” She doesn’t turn to look at me. “I can make it to the house and I know the security code. Please, I need to be alone.”

I’ve screwed up. And we need to talk about it, but first I need to figure out what I’m going to say. How I’m going to make myself vulnerable to her all over again.

I clasp my hands behind my head and turn in a full circle, surveying everything inside, seeing nothing.

Because the realization slams into me, almost knocking me off my feet.

The fucking contract. The distance. Every time we get close she pulls back, puts it between us. Perhaps I’m wrong after all.

Maybe she wants my dream, but she doesn’t want it with me.


I sweep up wood shavings, the mindless activity just calming enough to help steady my racing heart and suck the heat out of my hard dick. By the time I’m done, I’ve wasted an hour on unnecessary cleaning and tidying.

Returning to the main house, everything Teagan said on the way out repeats in my mind.

It’s spectacular.

You’re incredibly talented.

It’s so beautiful. The perfect life.