Lib Novel Page 131
“You should just look for another option,” Archer cuts right through Ray’s words. “It’s not like Cherrywood is short on commercial land.”
“Calm down, Archie. I’m not going to blackmail them. Everybody has a price. I just need to figure out what I need to pay here. What’s wrong with that?”
“The capitalist has spoken.” Disapproval paints Archer’s face.
“News flash, bro, we’re all capitalists. The moment we step into the business world, we sell a part of our soul, and unlike you, I don’t fake it.”
“I’m not faking anything,” Archer hisses in Ray’s direction. “I’m just telling you to be a little more human.” When Ray just shrugs in response, Archer shakes his head. “I hope someday someone comes into your life and shows you that this business can also be done equally well with a little compassion.”
“You mean like Charlie?” Ray’s laugh couldn’t be more staged. “If only Donna was young. Unfortunately, she’s already married and happy with her husband.”
His funny remark about his assistant doesn’t sit right with me. A cold feeling seeps through my chest, chilling my veins.
“I think you’ve been enough of an asshole for today, Ray.” My molars grind together, not liking that he’s pulling Daisy into their stupid argument.
“Say, how long are you going to continue with this marriage charade anyway?” Ray raises his eyebrow. “Didn’t you already get what you needed out of this marriage?”
I know he’s trying to get a rise out of me and divert Archer’s attention away from him. And I hate to admit it, but he’s doing a damn good job of it.
I take a deep breath. “The official decision hasn’t been announced.”
“Mm-hmm, so you mean there’s still a few weeks’ time before you both go your separate ways?” Ray crosses his arms.
“It’ll probably be longer. I don’t want anyone to think I married only to become the CEO.” The sentence and the thought leave a strong distaste in my mouth. As much as I try to forget it, the words keep running in a loop in my head, ruining my entire day.
29
COMPLETELY, INSANELY, IRREVOCABLY IRRESISTIBLE
CHARLES
“Can you zip me up?” Daisy stands before me, dressed in a silk champagne-colored cocktail dress. Her hair is elegantly swept up in a loose bun, secured by the rhinestone daisy clip I gifted her for Christmas.
Warmth floods my chest at the sight of it. I fell in love with that clip the moment I laid eyes on it on the jeweler’s website.
“How does it look?” She glances over her shoulder with a smile on her lips.
“You always make it look beautiful.” The words tumble from my lips instinctively, causing her smile to falter.
She turns around, her hand over her chest, holding her unzipped dress in place. “Do you even know how sweet you are sometimes?”
“Does that mean my plan is working?” I pull her closer, my hands finding home on her waist.
“And what plan would that be?”
“To make myself irresistible to you,” I state and she grins.
“Definitely. You are completely, insanely, irrevocably irresistible to me, dear husband.”
“Mission accomplished.” I lean in, but before I can ravish her lips like I want to, she places her hand over my mouth.
When I raise an eyebrow, she gives me an air-kiss and smiles. “Sorry, but I’ve spent a lot of time on my makeup tonight, and I’m not going to let you ruin it.”
I gently remove her hand from my mouth before tucking a loose curl behind her ear. “You look beautiful, and I agree to not touch your makeup right now. But once we’re back home, your makeup, your dress, everything will be ruined if I don’t find you on our bed, begging for my cock.”
She blushes, as always when I talk dirty to her. And lately, I’ve made a habit of it just to see that adorable color on her cheeks.
My hands, which are resting on her hips, slide upward to the small of her back. Without losing eye contact, I slowly zip up her dress, stopping midway.