"Well, this is more fucked up than I thought it would be," he finally says, grinning.
I nod in agreement. "Yeah." I have no idea what to say.
"Do you know who I am?"
I shake my head. "No. I don't think so. Should I?"
His full lips curve into a sexy, albeit sarcastic, smirk. "Most people do."
"Are you an actor?"
"No, but you're getting close, honey." He finishes off his drink and walks back to the bar to pour another one.
Christ. I hope he's not an alcoholic. I specifically asked for a nondrinker and made it clear during the interviews that it was very important to me not to be married to any sort of substance abuser.
I sip some of my water. "Look, can we not play games? This is nerve-racking enough. And I kinda don't like being with someone who drinks. At all," I say cautiously. "I put that on my questionnaire thing."
He stops midpour. "Are you kidding?"
"No, I'm serious."
"Can I ask why?"
I take a deep breath, not expecting to be talking about any of this now. "My father was an alcoholic. He used to get drunk and beat my mother and me. The mere smell of it makes me feel sick."
He closes his eyes for a few moments and then puts the bottle back down on the bar. "All right," he relents. "I can't argue with that, especially after I just agreed to love, honor, and obey. I guess I'll have water, too."
"Thank you," I reply softly. "So…who are you?"
He turns on his heel and saunters back across the room with a wicked grin on his face. He definitely knows he's good-looking and it's obvious he uses it to get attention.
"Talon Valentine," he says.
Asia Valentine. I test it in my head. My new name. "Well, I like my new last name. It's very pretty."
"You really don't recognize my name?" he asks in disbelief. "Or me? Come on."
Ah. An ego is emerging, it seems.