Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
“I don’t understand,” I whispered, shaking my head.
“So here’s the thing…remember how I asked you to marry me yesterday?”
A watery laugh sputtered out of my mouth. “Um, yeah. That’s something I’ll never forget.”
“I’m glad my proposal was memorable.” His dark-blue eyes burned into mine. “Because I meant it.”
“No way,” I breathed, my mouth slackening. “I thought you were joking.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I got that by how hard you laughed.”
“Crap, if you were being serious”—which was very hard to believe—“I owe you yet another apology.”
“No, that’s on me, too,” he insisted. “Although you’re gorgeous as fuck, having some guy pop the question minutes after you meet has to be pretty damn unbelievable.”
My cheeks heated at his compliment, which he seemed to actually mean judging by the sincerity shining from his eyes. “It doesn’t make much sense. You could literally marry anyone you wanted, so why me? I’m a total mess.”
“I like your mess.” He lifted one of his hands to rub his thumb across my cheek. “It makes you more interesting.”
Those butterflies that seemed to always be around when Dempsey was near took flight in my stomach again. “Okay, setting aside how smart you are to recognize my awesomeness when I haven’t even cooked for you…why propose to a woman you just met at all? Is there some inheritance you’re going to miss out on if you’re not married?”
“Close.” His deep laughter filled the interior of the SUV as my eyes widened. “I’m in the running for a big endorsement deal that will let me turn a lifelong dream into a reality, but my agent found out that they’re balking at using me because the company wants someone more settled to represent their brand. To them, that means a family man, and my close relationship with my parents and brothers doesn’t count.”
A lock of my hair fell over my shoulder as I tilted my head to the side, mulling over his answer. “This lifelong dream of yours is important enough to marry someone you don’t even know?”
He blew me away when he explained about the community centers he wanted to open. I’d already figured out he was a nice guy, but his desire to help kids went beyond being kind and proved that Dempsey was a man any girl would be lucky to have in her life. “And there isn’t a woman in your life you could ask instead of me?”
“I couldn’t even tell you how long it’s been since I dated anyone.”
His admission made me a little too happy, considering he was just proposing a marriage of convenience, not confessing his undying love at first sight to me. The scariest part of this whole thing was the very real possibility that I would fall head over heels for him and end up with a broken heart when this was all over.
“Is it okay if I take a little time to think about it?” His lips parted, but before he could tell me he needed an answer right away, I rushed to add, “Because I can’t say yes when I can hardly wrap my head around the idea of getting married, even if it’s only for convenience and not forever.”
5
Dempsey
My phone rang, and I nearly fell off my treadmill in my haste to pick it up and see who was calling. When I saw Skye’s picture on the screen, my heart rate doubled, pounding hard even after I’d paused the machine and slowed to a stop. I’d been a professional football player since I was twenty-two, played against some of the meanest and most formidable opponents out there, taken hits that almost ended my career…and nobody had made me as nervous as the nineteen-year-old who I hoped to marry soon.
However, I managed to keep my tone level—even more impressive considering I’d been running a few seconds ago—when I answered. “Hey, baby. I hope you’re calling to tell me that you’re accepting my proposal.”
“Such as it is,” she muttered so low I almost missed it.
I grinned since she couldn’t see me. That’s what you think, baby. She had no idea how real this marriage was going to be, but it wasn’t the right time to tell her.
“Um, I…I have a couple of questions.”
“Shoot.” I grabbed the hand towel hanging on one of the bars and wiped my forehead as I left my home gym and headed to the master suite.
“Well, I was wondering if this arrangement would require us to…live together.”
I wondered if her hesitancy in the question meant she was really asking if we would be sleeping together. My instincts told me to hold off on that conversation until our wedding night. “Yes.”
“The thing is, I have a lease—”
“Baby, stop worrying about that shit. I’ll take care of you.” Once she moved in, she was never moving out, and I’d happily pay to buy her out of her lease. I made a detour on the way to the bathroom to pull out a pair of boxer briefs. “It has to look like a real marriage.” It would most definitely be a real marriage. “A piece of paper isn’t enough. They’ll want to see that I’m settling down.”