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“That was the smart thing to do,” Nina assured him. “You took care of your people.”

And then he’d worked with some locals to take the pirates down. “I’ve had to deal with mobsters, and I didn’t speak their language. I didn’t have a team of badasses behind me. I had engineers and geologists. I’ve also seen some of the worst poverty in the world and known that everything I have would be a drop in the well of trying to cure it. But I can help Bill’s family. I can make a difference to them.”

“You could always tell her the company took out an insurance policy on him because he was so important and replacing him would have been costly,” she suggested. “It was an outdated policy from years ago. But now you realize that money should go to them.”

She was good at this. He wasn’t the only one who could manipulate his way around a situation. “That could work. She shouldn’t have to worry about her future when she’s in mourning. I’ll put that into play. Thanks, baby.”

Her shoulders went straight. “You can’t call me baby.”

He had an answer to her denial. “I thought I was supposed to call you that. You’re really more of a baby than a sweetheart. My dad calls my mom honey, so that doesn’t work. Not that you aren’t sweet.”

She shook her head, obviously flustered again. “See, that’s what we can’t do.”

“I thought that was what I was supposed to do. We’re getting married.”

“We’re getting fake married.” She thought about that for a second. “No, we’re fake engaged. We’re not actually getting fake married.”

“You’re going to leave me at the fake altar?”

“There is no altar. Fake or otherwise.”

“All right. You want a non-conventional fake wedding. I can make that happen.”

A frustrated groan came from the back of her throat. “JT, we have to work together.”

He smiled her way. “I know. I think we’re going to be good at it. I feel way better knowing you’re going in with me. Though we should talk about a couple of things. You know about Sanctum, right? It’s a lifestyle club.”

“I work in a lifestyle club.”

He’d been curious about this part of her life. “Are you in the lifestyle? I have Master rights at Sanctum.”

“I have Master rights at The Garden,” she replied.

He knew damn well that was a lie, and he wished he had the right to spank her pretty ass. “No you don’t, sub.”

She kept her eyes on the road, but there was some humor in her tone. “How do you know I’m not a top?”

“Because I topped you last night. I took control and you responded beautifully.” Knowing that she was in the lifestyle actually explained a few things to him. She had responded when he’d taken control, and she likely would enjoy more dominance when it came to the bedroom.

“What if I told you I was a switch?”

He wouldn’t have guessed she would like to ever top anyone during sex, but he could give it a go. After all, being a top was all about giving a bottom what they needed. “I would ask if you needed a real sub to top or if I could learn how to do that for you because I think I would have trouble watching you with someone else.”

She was quiet for a moment. “Are you for real?”

“Last time I checked.” He drove in silence for a moment, trying to figure out how she was feeling. “I’m not perfect. Far from it.”

“From where I’m sitting you’re pretty close.” She shifted in her seat. “So we should talk about how this needs to go.”

“Yes. I think we should start with some minor impact play.” He wasn’t going to have this conversation with her. Not the one about all the reasons they shouldn’t continue to sleep together. There wasn’t any reason they should stop. In fact, it would help their cover if they were sleeping together. She was clinging to some rule that didn’t need to apply to them.

“I take back the part where I said you’re perfect. You’re obviously very thick.”

He could turn that around, too. “I’m glad you noticed. I thought it worked well lengthwise, too.”

She stared at him. “You think I’m talking about your dick, don’t you?”

He did not in any way think she’d been talking about his cock, but he’d learned that hiding his intelligence could help him out in numerous ways. It was always good to be underestimated. “And I appreciate the compliment. Now let’s talk lingerie because there’s always some asshole who shows up in the early morning hours and I can’t have them thinking I force you to wear my old shirts. They’ll start to worry about my finances, and then they talk to a reporter and suddenly my stock tanks. I think there’s a La Perla here.”