Imperfect Match (Elixir Bachelor Billionaires #1)

When she finds me staring at the mugs, my housekeeper explains, “Mr. Raymond Teager’s driver dropped them off this morning. He said it was a gift from your cousin.”

“Of course it is.” I chuckle.

After yesterday’s news, my cousins must be itching to rib me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if not just Ray but all four of them are behind these coffee mug gifts.

But the joke’s on them. They might have thought I’d hate these cups, but I love them.

I place the tray on the bed, and Daisy sits straight.

“About last night,” she starts. “So, we had sex—”

“And thank God for that, because I’d hate if it was all my imagination.”

Her mouth falls open, forming a perfect O before she looks away and makes an annoyed sound.

“Why did I think you would make this conversation any easier?” she grumbles under her breath.

As much as I’ve enjoyed her annoyance over the years, I like her smiling much more.

“What’s there to discuss?”

“This.” She moves her hands between us before throwing them up in the air. “This was not a part of the plan, Charles. Was it?”

For the first time since I woke up today, an empty feeling hits me hard. The word plan surges the same feeling that has always gripped me but has been less intense since she came into my life.

“You are my wife, aren’t you?”

She turns those big, tender brown eyes on me, nodding slowly. “Yes, but—”

“There is no but. The last time I checked, there’s no rule that says it’s a crime to sleep with your wife.”

“It’s not the same for us, and you know it, Charles.” Her voice is low. “The contract—”

I’ve officially started to hate that word.

“There’s nothing about us sleeping together in the contract, is there? We are like any other married couple until one of us wants to end this relationship. Do you want to end it today?”

Discomfort grips me even saying the words, but thankfully, Daisy doesn’t keep my heart in pain for longer and immediately shakes her head.

“I don’t. But after everything that has happened in the last week, don’t you want to think more—”

“Not for a fucking second. What I want is to repeat what we did yesterday. What I really want is to finally make my wife beg. This time, possibly on her knees.”

She blinks rapidly, her gaze transfixed on me, my face, my lips, and I love it.

I love that she’s as attracted to me as I am to her.

“So it wasn’t, like, a one-time thing?” she asks carefully, biting her lip and making me crazy.

“Do you want it to be a one-time thing, Daisy?” My heart is in my throat at that question.

Please, butterfly, don’t say yes.

My prayer is answered when she once again shakes her head.

I like that I can make her speechless and throw her off-kilter for a change.

“You speak my thoughts too. So are you ready for some begging?”