Dare To Play (Dare Nation #3) - Carly Phillips Page 0,35
of this marriage, but it’s not financial for me. Okay, there’s some financial gain, obviously. I mean, we’ll be living with you and–”
“Hold on.” Seeing she was working herself up, he held out a hand. “Yes, we’ll sign a prenup. I have one in the works, but I’m going to make sure you and Hannah are taken care of when the marriage ends. It’s not like I can’t afford it, and you’re doing something for me in all this, too.”
She leaned closer, elbow on the counter. “Are you sure? Because it’s beginning to feel very one-sided.”
“I am absolutely positive. This morning, I received a call from my coach. He wanted to congratulate me on my upcoming marriage and to let me know how pleased upper management was to know I was settling down and my playboy and hopefully brawling days were over,” he said, using air quotes around the words. “So believe me when I say this situation is very equal.”
She blew out a relieved breath. “I’m glad to hear we’re on the same page. And you really don’t have to give us anything when things end.”
Why did it bother him to hear her mention things being short-term? That was the point, after all. Pushing the gnawing feeling in his gut aside, he kept things light. “You’re going to learn that I usually get what I want. So don’t argue, okay?”
She smiled. “Okay. Do I need a lawyer to look over the paperwork?”
“It wouldn’t hurt. You should always have someone taking care of your personal interests. Speaking of lawyers, did you call Johnathan Ridgeway about the custody case? I’m sure he can handle the prenup, too.” He lowered his voice so Hannah wouldn’t hear.
She nodded. “I have an appointment on Thursday at ten a.m.”
“I’ll be there.”
She shook her head. “You don’t have to go out of your way for me.”
“In this together, remember?” Reaching out, he squeezed her hand, enjoying the feel of her soft skin and remembering the taste of her mouth and lips.
Her fingers tightened around him. “Stop looking at me like that,” she whispered.
“Like what?” he asked in a gruff voice.
“Like you want to jump me right now.”
His entire body was rigid with desire, the need for her surpassing what he normally felt when he wanted a woman. Which struck him as odd. Different. Because he was used to the kind of female who overdid everything from her hair to her makeup and whose voice always held a come-on.
Not Macy. She was who she was, no artifice or pretense, although she wasn’t wearing a bra and he’d had to do his best to ignore her perky nipples showing through her dress. But the fact remained, he wanted her more than he’d ever desired another woman. Warning bells went off in his brain. Again he got the feeling this fake marriage wasn’t going to work out exactly as he’d planned.
So when she noted his lust-filled look? Well, she was right. “What if I do want to jump you right now?”
She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, and he followed the movement, his cock rising as she licked.
“Then I’d tell you that you have to wait until our wedding night,” she said in a taunting voice.
“Tease.”
“Not usually. You seem to bring out the lighter, more fun side of me.”
He grinned. “Glad to hear it. Because you bring out the lighter side of me, too.”
“So we’re a good pair.” At the very least, his new life wouldn’t be boring, he thought as she called her sister down for dinner.
* * *
The next couple of days flew by, and soon Macy was walking into the lawyer’s office downtown. Jaxon had insisted on picking her up and accompanying her to hear what Jonathan Ridgeway had to say about the legal process and her chances for custody of her sister. He also explained that he’d possibly have to testify before the judge, and the more he knew, the better prepared he’d be. He wasn’t wrong.
Macy was nervous about what the lawyer might say. Despite Macy being a blood relative, Lilah was Hannah’s mother, and Macy knew how much weight that status carried. But she had every intention of fighting because she understood Hannah needed stability in her life, and Macy knew she could provide it for her. Much more so than Lilah.
As they followed a secretary to a conference room with a dark wood table and comfortable-looking chairs, Jaxon slipped his hand into hers, and she squeezed tight, needing the reassurance.
A good-looking