Page 42 of Size King

“I don’t like talking about my exes, so I’m not asking you to talk about yours,” I say. “It’s just, it’s an engagement ring.”

“So, if you don’t want me talking about my exes, why are you prying?” he snaps.

“Hey, I just want to know the story behind this thing I’m going to wear around my finger for the next however many fucking months!” I retort in aggravation.

We both grow quiet. We are still holding each other, but there is now a heat growing between us that makes us both uncomfortable.

“Let me ask you something,” I say. “How do you feel about me?”

“What do you mean?” he asks while obviously trying to figure out how best to answer me.

“It’s an easy question, Mr. Billionaire,” I say. “How do you feel about me? Just be honest. I’m already your fiancée. You don’t have to worry about losing me.”

“I thought we were just enjoying ourselves while we battled through the storm,” he says.

“Well, weareenjoying ourselves, but that’s not what I’m asking.”

“You want a label on top of another label?” he asks dickishly.

“What?” I ask, finally sliding out of his clutches to sit up in bed. “I just want to know how you feel about me. That’s all.”

“No, that’s not all,” he says angrily. “You have an answer you want to hear.”

“I amaskingyou this because Iwant to know,” I say as clearly as possible. “I don’t know how you feel about us! We’re engaged now, kinda! I want to know what you think and feel.”

“Honey,” he says condescendingly. “Let’s just have fun and not overthink things, okay?”

“I’m sorry, I’m not cool with that.”

I get out of bed, annoyed and bothered. I start getting dressed, struggling to get my clothes on with all the sticky residue that covers my body.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asks.

“This stopped being just fun when you decided we were engaged,” I say. “Your attitude is awfully unattractive right now, especially considering what I’m going along with. I don’t know where this is coming from.”

“WhereI’mcoming from?” He laughs. “Why are you asking me all these questions? You know how I feel about you. I tell you about it every day!”

“I know that you like having sex with me,” I say while I put my shoes on. “I want to know how youfeelabout me. You said up at that podium that you were falling for me. Is there, you know, any truth to that?”

“Babe,” he says like a tool. “Come on. I don’t get what you’re even asking.”

He gets what I’m asking, but he’s choosing to play it off like a typical guy.

“As long as you want to evade real talk with me about our feelings, maybe it’d be best if I went back to my place,” I say as I pick up my purse.

“Darling, come on,” says Aiden. “Kate, please.”

“I’ll see you at work.”

And with that, I leave Aiden’s house and get an Uber home. How I manage to avoid the wandering eyes of the nearby paparazzi outside, I don’t know.

17

Aiden

After Kate leaves my house late that night, I don’t see her for three days. I haven’t spoken to her in three days, either. All of her business with Tech Wreck is handled through my Chief Operations Manager, and there is no critical situation for her to tend to.

By Friday, it seems as though most of the media has come around. Many still wonder aloud about whether our engagement is truly genuine and legit, but since no one can know for sure, many decide to give us some space. My publicist is able to get every major news and Internet site to stop playing the sex tape of Kate and me, and people are no longer attacking me for having sex, since now it’s with my fiancée.