She leaned back slightly, still full of my softening cock. “I think I’m going to shower.”
“Nope.” I stood up and lifted her with me, keeping my cock inside her as I carried her into the hallway. I hadn’t been in her bedroom yet, and I walked into the first room I saw. It was feminine, with lots of light colors and fluffy pillows. I set her on the bed then moved underneath the covers. “Wow, your bed is comfy.”
“That’s why I only lie in it when I’m going to sleep…otherwise, I’ll never get anything done.” She pulled the covers back and got comfortable beside me, her makeup smeared slightly and her hair a mess.
I thought she’d never looked hotter. “I’m sleeping here tonight.”
“Really?” she asked. “I thought we didn’t do that.”
“Well, now we do.” My arms cradled her smooth body, and I pulled her tighter against me. We were both warm and sweaty, but I wanted her right beside me. I’d spent the day keeping my hands to myself, and now that we were alone together, I wanted to be all over her—all the time. “Don’t pretend that you want me to leave.”
When she didn’t answer, I assumed it was a silent admission. “What exactly did you tell Titan?”
“About us?”
“Yeah.” She watched me through her thick lashes, her eyes glowing with their own light.
“The truth.”
“But how much of the truth?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Tell me what you said.”
“Pretty much everything.”
Her eyes narrowed further. “Everything?”
“You have to remember…she’s my best friend. Shit, she’s my only friend. I had to tell her about you because I told you the truth about my relationship with her. So she wanted to know the extent of ours…so I told her.”
“And what did she say about it?”
“Nothing really…” I considered telling her what Titan really said. I wanted to pursue Autumn in a different way, but I wasn’t even sure where to begin. How would she feel about it? “I told her I cared about you…that you’re the only woman I’m seeing. So she got her hopes up and said she wants it to turn into something more.”
“Really?” she whispered.
“Yeah, she wants me to settle down. She made a fool out of me to the entire world, so it would make her happy if I was happy.”
“Well…are you happy?” Her gaze was locked on to mine, watching every single shift of my eyes.
“That’s actually something I wanted to mention to you…”
“I’m listening.”
“Titan and I had an arrangement because it suited both of us. I’d be a great husband and father. She’d be a great mother and wife. We both have considerable wealth that would make us unstoppable together. It was a perfect match. Not to mention, we trusted each other implicitly. It took away the issues of heartbreak and disappointment. Now she’s fallen in love, and she prefers a romance based on passion and longing…two things that might disappear over time. She understands that, but she’s willing to risk it.”
Autumn didn’t let a single expression escape on her face. She watched me calmly, listening instead of jumping to conclusions right away.
“I already told you I don’t see myself feeling something deep for another person, so I’m still open to this idea. I want a family. I’ve always wanted to be a father. But the pressure of being in a romantic relationship is just too much. I’m an honest guy, so I’d always treat my wife with respect, take care of her, and be there for her. I’d never lie to her. With me, she’d have a man who treated her like a goddess. I’m sure I would love her…just never fall in love with her. I’d be with other women, but that wouldn’t be a secret. They’d have my bed, but they wouldn’t have my loyalty, not like she would. We’d raise a beautiful family and love our kids together. It’d be a partnership. You mentioned your hesitance to another relationship. Is this something you would consider?”
Instead of blurting out an answer right away, she didn’t say anything at all. At least she wasn’t repulsed by the idea. Most people wouldn’t understand it and would just think there was something wrong with me. But at least she gave it some thought. “Are you asking me to be your wife…?”
Was that a yes? “I’m asking if you’re open to the idea.”
She turned quiet again, thinking about it in silence. “In this scenario, you would have relationships with other women?”
“Not relationships. Just flings. But, yes. It wouldn’t be a secret. I wouldn’t parade that in front of our family or anyone else. It would be a secret to everyone else besides the two of us.”
That was the moment her eyes fell. She looked at the sheets between us, no longer holding my gaze.
I felt the disappointment inside me grow, knowing her answer before she actually gave it.
“I couldn’t do that part. I could do everything else…but that.”
“You’d have your own relationships too. It’s a two-way street.”
“I know I wouldn’t want a relationship…” She slipped out of the bed and ran her fingers through her hair. “I’ll be back…I’m going to shower.” She crossed the room, her womanly hips swaying as she walked. Her black hair trailed down her back and shifted as she moved. She stepped into the bathroom then lightly shut the door behind her.
I propped myself up and stared at the closed door, trying to decipher what her last statement meant. She didn’t seem horrified by my proposition until the end of my explanation. One moment, she was cuddled in my arms. And in the next instant, she was gone.
Now I was in bed by myself—and I’d never felt more alone in my life.
Titan and I sat across from each other in her office, going over the new product line for her Illuminance brand. We did beta testing in
