Page 16 of Falling for the Wife

His mother? I thought he had wished this to be a secret? Having her here would make it awkward, on my part, anyway. “Why would you do that?”

“So she stops nagging me to get married. What else?” He shrugged. “Thought it better to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.”

Rose won’t be meeting mommy dearest anytime soon, then…Jared would be leading a double life. Did he know what he was signing on for? Was he even up to the challenge?

Rose. I had a feeling she’d be a thorn in my side very soon. My life sure wasn’t getting any easier. While my friends enjoyed the rest of summer, daydreaming about our first year at Stanford, my life, on the other hand, was far from exciting. At only eighteen, I was faced with problems I wasn’t sure I had the proper tools to fix. I dreaded what life at twenty-five would be like.

I was on the verge of losing my father, overwhelmed by my impending marriage, and the very image of my fake husband-to-be spending carnal nights with Rose left a sour taste on my tongue.

The imperative word to continuously drill into my hazy, lovesick mind wasfake—and don’t I dare ever forget it!

“Papa wants us to join him for dinner at seven. Will that be good for you?” I straightened my stance, dejected, as I readied to leave him be.

He glanced at his watch. “Sure. I have to stop at the headquarters for a little bit, but I’ll be back before dinner. Will that please you?” Vibrant blue eyes drew me in, holding me entranced.

My throat ran dry. My sight flickered to his lips, and I unintentionally constricted my vaginal muscles. Oh, the things that pleased me…if only he knew. Well if hedidknow, he’d run for the hills. How was that for irony? “Whatever makes it easier for you, Jared,” I blandly said before readying to leave him in his reverie, but before I managed to take a step, he took hold of my arm, halting me altogether.

Confused, my eyes snapped to his face where a soft smile tugged at his lips.

“I think you and I will be fine, Gisele.” He gently placed a hand on my shoulder, pulling me close to him as he intently gazed down on me. Intense cerulean blues held me in place, momentarily rendering me stupid. “This is a difficult time for all of us. I want you to know I’m here for you, too. You can vent and air out all your worries; I won’t mind it at all.”

My God, those powerful hypnotic eyes…I could drown in them forever.

Things were falling apart around me, and yet, right this very moment, all I could focus on was how my body reacted to him in the most wanton, licentious manner.

He then did the most unexpected, surprising me with a soft kiss on the forehead. “Ease up, you’re stiff as a board. You’re going to be my wife tomorrow, so you have to get used to me being close to you.”

His wife. In name only. But still, something primal stirred within me when I heard him sayhis wife. Like I was some sort of property. Under normal circumstances, I was all for feminism and what not, but that didn’t apply where Jared was concerned. The thought of him manhandling me wasn’t appalling; it actually turned me on. So, what did that make me?You’re just like any other hormonal, oversexed eighteen-year-old woman.

The soft brush of his lips against my skin, though innocent, engulfed me in flames. My groin tightened, fighting the deep arousal his scent and nearness did to my body.

Stiff as a board, he said.I’m horny; can he not tell?

“Maybe if you do it often, I’ll get used to your touch,” I said coyly before tapping him lightly on the shoulder, needing to immediately disengage before I said something idiotic, like begging him to alleviate the ache within me—yeah, that’d be disastrous. So it was best I retreated to my bedroom and pondered how I could ruin my already chaotic life some more. “Anyhow, have fun at work, my fake sexy fiancé.”

I could feel his eyes on me as he watched me strut into my bedroom.

For a second, I wondered how excruciating it’d be sleeping in the same bed with the man I was nuts and bolts about when I wouldn’t be able to touch him at all. It would be a nightmare. I could already feel the frustration permeating from my pores.

Left to my own devices and in the safe confines of my bedroom, I took the liberty of calling for an emergency check-up. Since the ceremony wouldn’t be until noon tomorrow, anyway, I was pleased to slot the appointment at seven-thirty in the morning.

With a few hours to burn until I’d get to see Papa again, I decided to call Blair but was sadly sent to her voicemail box.

“Hey, it’s me. I’m back and Papa’s really ill. So, um, yeah, you guys have fun, and I’ll see you both when you’re back. If there are any changes, I’ll make sure to keep you guys updated. Miss and love you both.”

Part of me ought to have wondered what in God’s name happened to Jack, but I also didn’t want to know. Who had time to spare for a lying, cheating lowlife, anyway? If tomorrow’s results proved he was to be the father, then I might be singing a different tune. But for the time being, I was content with my decision.

I let out a long drawn out sigh as I strode into my walk-in closet and stripped myself bare. A hot shower would temporarily calm my nerves. Unlike Blair’s opulent bedroom, mine was rather on the Spartan side. I liked the minimalist contemporary designs, a preference I gained from my father. All white or all black scheme, or a combination of both, with a random hint of color in the form of a vase or a painting—I normally chose cerulean blue, crimson red, or eggshell yellow to contrast the monotonous design schematics. It made everything immaculately organized. Father once said that colors could sometimes distract one’s concentration; that was why he preferred his surroundings less stimulating.

Once nude, I strode across the vast closet and stepped into the bathroom. But before showering, I took a moment to study myself in the three-paneled mirror, observing if there were any changes in my body. So far, there were none to be significantly noted. However, my mother didn’t see stark changes in her body until she was five months pregnant. Maybe my body was like hers. My breasts remained pert and full. My belly flat and my seemingly two-pack abs attained from swimming were still in place. My long blonde hair had natural silvery highlights due to the time spent under the sun. My tanned skin looked healthy and glowing. My silver eyes blazed, as if fire ignited within me, within my soul. There was sadness in there, too, but the blatant light shining in their depths couldn’t be denied. Thanks to Jared. All it took was a simple chaste kiss on my forehead, and the after effects of that one simple gesture went straight into my bones.

Hopeless as always where Jared St. James was concerned. When would that die out? And if it wouldn’t…I was forever stuck in this sweet purgatory of my own making.

Remember Rose? The woman he’s with?my mind irritatingly rebutted.Yeah, she’s getting all of him—lips, dick, and fingers. Do try not to forget that.

“Get a grip, Gisele. It’s not real.” My shoulders slouched as I huffed out a pained sound. I shook my head as I walked into the shower. Thoughts of him rutting between Rose’s legs hurt more than I cared to admit. All I could do at this point was to better my craft at playing“I’m not crazy in love with Jared.”

After relishing the hot soothing spray of a shower for almost an hour, I noticed that my belongings were now neatly parked inside my closet. Ignoring the items, I pulled on one of my favorite black kimono robes before sliding into bed, wet hair secured with a towel into a big knot atop my head. The second my head touched the pillow, I dozed off in a heartbeat.