Page 13 of An Inevitable Marriage

In desperate need of a distraction and friendly voice, I pulled my phone from my pocket to call Natalie. Something else slipped out with the device, and when my eye caught the shiny black-and-gold card lying at my feet, it wasn’t Natalie’s number I dialed.

Chapter four

Liam

“Idon’tkiss.”Ipushed past the blonde and yanked up my jeans. “Ever.”

Without looking back to see if she was following or even pouting—because I sure as shit didn’t care—I headed straight for the front door.

The sooner she left; the sooner I could wash her off me.

Because it didn’t matter how many times I’d done this, I still couldn’t keep the damn shame from coating my skin when it was over.

“You’re sure you don’t want me to stay a while?” Her voice followed me like an inky shadow I couldn’t escape. “I promise to take such good care of you.”

“No.”

Irritated, more with myself than the blonde, I grabbed the handle and waited for her to catch up. Which took way longer than I would have liked. Especially since her feet moved at a snail’s pace with her ogling every corner of my place like she’d never seen the inside of a penthouse before.

“I had fun,” she purred, finally stopping before me. She wiped the corners of her mouth and she slicked her tongue over her lips while pulling a heart-shaped piece of paper from her purse. She held it out to me. “We should do this again sometime…soon.”

I eyed the pink thing between her fingers, then glared at her.

“I don’t want it.”

And there was the pout. I fucking hated it.

“You don’t even know what it is.” Her whiny tone made her voice sound all sorts of scratchy.

It grated on my damn ears.

“Sure, I do.” I sighed. “It’s your number, and you’d like me to use it instead of the agency’s number next time I need…company.” I opened the door and jerked my head toward the elevator down the hallway. “As I said, I don’t want it.”

I almost barked out a laugh when she had the nerve to look offended. A little rich, considering we’d just met not even twenty minutes ago, and I didn’t even know her name. Nor she mine.

But I could hardly blame the girl for seeing an opportunity and trying to take it. Unfortunately for her, her mouth wasn’t mind-blowing, and although I somewhat sympathized with hersituation, I had no desire to play the hero and save the girl working her way through life.

I had my own damn issues to deal with.

“Listen, you did what you came here to do, but it’s time to leave.” Yet again, I pointed her in the direction of the elevator.

She stomped—yes, this grown-ass woman stomped her foot like a petulant fucking child—and huffed, “You’re an ass.”

“I know.” I leaned closer and pressed my palm between her shoulder blades, urging her to move. “Bye now.”

A strangled noise gurgled from her throat, and I probably would have heard a few more insults from her if I hadn’t slammed the door shut.

“I’ve gotta stop fucking doing this.” I let out a long, slow breath and dragged my fingers through my hair.

Rafe was right. I’d lose everything if I didn’t find someone to marry soon. Not just the money but one thing I had that kept me close to my mother.

Nouvelle Femme.

Knowing I walked through the same building she’d walked through all those years ago kept my last bit of sanity intact. If I were to lose that, I was afraid to think of what I’d become.

Of course, like all things in life, holding on to something I wanted—needed—meant doing something that not only made me uncomfortable but filled my entire being with dread.

I didn’t want to love someone, and I sure as shit didn’t want anyone loving me.