SCARLET
Gosh, my husband is hot.
I can’t help staring.
It’s hard to tear your gaze away when you’re looking at a beautiful piece of art like this one.
I almost feel lucky.
Almost.
Because, apparently there is a part of my brain that hasn’t misfired because my hand came into direct contact with Devan’s hard chest.
This is a fuss.
I shouldn’t get lost in it.
It’s for the show.
And it won’t last forever.
I better not start digging myself into a ditch with another man, when the man I thought was my everything, just broke my heart.
The thought of Kelvin is like a bucket of cold water poured on me.
I quickly take my hand off Devan’s chest.
“You don’t like it?” He asks, probably gauging from my reaction.
“No, no…it’s not that…” I quickly try to defend but I realize I don’t know what to tell him or how to say it.
That I was thinking about another man while touching his chest.
It wasn’t in a bad way, but still.
“So you do like it?” He pries with raised brows before he grins mischievously.
This man knows what he’s doing, doesn’t he?
It’s only been a few instances but I’ve noticed he’s a teaser.
How will I survive in the same room with a teaser for six months?
I smile, genuinely, as I say.
“It’s a beautiful piece of art.”
He runs his thumb on my cheek.
“Like I said. You can touch the piece of art any time you want. Even when I’m asleep.”
I would love to.
But why would I be touching him when we’re supposed to keep our distance in the bedroom?
Again, the thought reminds me that this is fake.
“And there are so many other places you are allowed to touch.”
My jaws drop to the floor.
I know exactly what he means and I can’t resist the temptation as my eyes go down to his crotch.
Shamelessly.
Seriously, Scarlet?
The way Devan grins at me, makes me want to crawl under the bed and disappear.
I sigh.
Six months with him?
I’m toast.
“I think we should put a no touch rule in the bedroom,” I say, in my attempt to control everything.
If we start playing these games as early as now, what will we become after six months?
We are supposed to stick to the script.
That’s why the rule should stand.
“Well,” Devan says, “it’s okay. I would never touch you without your consent. But my rule still stands, you’re still allowed to touch me.”
“No wonder your doctor called you a stubborn head.”
“Speaking of doctors,” he winks, making me smile.
“What about doctors?” I ask.
“Can you imagine you as my doctor?”
I know what that means.
I love my work.
But that wasn’t part of the plan.
“I can imagine that,” I nod.
“But it ends there. It’s just an imagination.”
“Ouch,” he places a hand on his shoulder, making me panic.
“Are you okay?”
“No, your words went straight to my heart and transferred the pain to my shoulder.”
I huff.
“I’ll kill you one day.”
“You’re already killing me with your beauty, so there’s that.”
How can I even kill him when he’s warming my heart like this?
“I’ll help Miranda with dinner.” I stand up because if this continues I might lose my mind.
Or I might forget this is a contract marriage.
In the kitchen, I’m welcomed by a mouth-watering aroma.
Devan mentioned Miranda being a magician in the kitchen.
From what my nose is experiencing, I believe he’s not wrong.
“You’re here,” her eyes light up.
“I was just winding up.”
“Good. Then I’ll just help you take the food upstairs.”
She facepalms.
“You don’t have to do that. It’s my job.”
“It’s okay, I don’t mind,” I say, taking the tray from her hand.
The aroma now hits my nose closely and I want nothing but to wolf down everything.
“What do we have here?” I ask, inhaling it audibly.
“Salmon and baked potatoes. Before you ask, it’s a secret recipe.”
“Oh, really? I’ll convince you one day. And you’ll tell me. We can bet on that.”
She grins.
“Well, good luck, Mrs Galloway.”
Mrs Galloway.
Oh, that’s me.
I should get used to that.
Six months, Scarlet. The source of this chapter is g.com.
Six months.
“Thank you. I’ll take this to my husband then.”
My husband.
I should get used to that too.
It’s all for the show.
I tell myself on my way to him.
By the time I put the food before him, Devan is salivating.
I’m tempted to tease him by taking long to serve, but I’m starving too.
“I’ll feed you since you don’t have a hand,” I say.
He doesn’t hide his happiness.
“Thank you.”
“It’s my duty to take care of my husband, remember?”
“And to touch your husband too,” he supplements, making my body heat up.
Not again, Scarlet.
He’s just teasing.
“Don’t make me choke you, Mr man,” I warn, but realize how it sounds when it’s too late.
Devan is already grinning at me.
“Is that a threat?”
“Okay, you should eat.” I avert the topic.
Stick to the plan, Scarlet.
“Oh, by the way,” he says as if he just remembered something important.
“I don’t use any cutlery to eat fish. So if you’re going to feed me…”
“Oh, really? You just want to feel my fingers in your mouth.”
Oh.
Again I realize it too late.
And there’s that grin again.
How long will I last again?
Six months.
That’s how long I’ll last.
Great job, Scarlet.
Great job.
“I’d like to feel something else, but fingers would do,” says Devan.
My body tingles when I process his words.
I feel the reaction between my legs at the mere thought of his tongue…
No.
I can’t be thinking about this.
He’s the one teasing me.
And I’m falling right into it.
Six months, Scarlet.
Six months.