THE BILLIONAIRE’S DANCE(Billionaire Bachelors Book_Two)

Chapter Three

Jessica was exhausted. Alex had been back for three days and he refused to leave the house. He’d been amazing with their son though, so she had to give him credit for that. He’d even gotten up in the middle of the night so he could change and burp Jacob once she was done feeding him.

After the first night he’d maintained his distance, thankfully because she didn’t think she could handle anymore late night touching. Every time she was within breathing distance of Alex, her insides twisted into knots and all she wanted to do was reach out to him. She fully blamed the post partum baby hormones.

Today was the day of her wedding and she felt like she was going to have a panic attack. She had to keep telling herself it would all work out for the best. She went through her morning routine with Jacob, then she was whisked away to the wedding site.

“I’ll take Jacob for you so your mother can help you finish getting ready,” Joseph offered her.

Jessica jumped at the sound of Joseph’s voice. She hadn’t heard him walk up. The man sure moved quietly for a guy his size, she thought.

“I would appreciate that, Joseph. He’s had his breakfast so he should be in a good mood for a while,” she said.

“You look beautiful,” Joseph told her and then bent down and placed a kiss on her cheek before heading out of the room.

Jessica’s mother came in and put the finishing touches on her before they got into position. The walk down the aisle went by in a blur and the next thing she knew the preacher was speaking.

She was standing at the altar, next to a man she barely knew and was closer to having a panic attack than she’d ever been in her life. He looked so handsome and yet so aloof. She was wishing for some divine intervention to stop the whole circus. Maybe he’d come to his senses and tell her he couldn’t go through with it, or maybe her father would stand up and free her of the obligation.

None of that happened. Suddenly, the preacher was pronouncing them man and wife. Alex then took her into his arms. The rest of the world disappeared as his mouth fastened onto hers. She’d expected a chaste kiss but she was wrong. He coaxed her mouth open and then slipped his tongue inside.

Her knees went to jelly and she would’ve slid to the floor if it hadn’t been for his arms supporting her.

When there was laughter from the guests and a lot of throat clearing he finally pulled away and she was left to stand with one of his arms around her, staring blankly at the mass of people.

“You have plenty of time for the honeymoon later,” she heard someone call out.

“Share that pretty bride of yours. I’m calling the first dance after my brother,” another voice hollered with a chuckle.

“You can back off and find your own wife Mark,” Alex said, with jealousy in his tone.

“Doesn’t feel so good to be on this side of the ribbing, huh little brother,” Lucas said and then thumped him on the back.

Alex knew he deserved the teasing. He’d given Lucas hell, not that long ago when his big brother started dating Amy. Lucas had been trying to fight his attraction towards Amy, so Mark and he had decided to push their brother’s buttons. They’d both planted a kiss on her in front of Lucas and flirted.

She’d known they were kidding, trying to get a rise out of their brother but now Alex felt bad for what he’d put Lucas through because he sure as hell wanted to punch out Mark at that moment.

A shudder ran through Jessica’s body as she watched the interplay between the brothers. They were all so virile and appealing. She only had eyes for Alex though. He was the sexiest man she’d ever been around and in any other circumstance she would’ve been swooning to be held and kissed by him.

Jessica glanced over to where her father was laughing at something Joseph said. She tried to stay mad at both men for manipulating the whole situation but she really did love them. She knew they only wanted what they deemed best for her and her son. She just didn’t like the methods they took to get their own way.

As if the men knew she was thinking about them, they both turned and gave her a smile. She was too frazzled at the moment to even pretend to smile back so she turned away and let her thoughts continue to run.

Things could be a lot worse, she decided. Alex was a sexy, incredible man and it was obvious he was already in love with his son. She could’ve been forced into a marriage where the man not only resented her but her son as well. She knew no matter how Alex felt about her, he would always love Jacob.

“Time for photographs,” she heard a voice call. She grimaced until Alex looked at her, with their precious son resting in his arms. For one moment they shared a real smile. Her mask fell away. The love she had for her son and the love starting to grow for Alex was shining through her expression. His breath seemed to catch and he was about to say something, when the camera flash snapped them both out of the moment.

He turned from her and spoke so no one else could here. “Let’s get these pictures over with. We don’t need to announce to everyone in the room this is a shot gun wedding.” He placed her arm through his and headed towards the rest of the family.

“Come on Alex, everyone here knows why we did this so I don’t see why we need to have this huge masquerade. We could’ve just as easily taken care of our marriage in a courthouse and not put on a big show.”

“There’s no way my father would ever allow one of his sons to get married that way and I’m sure your father feels the same. Jessica, this marriage may be happening because of our son but we’re married now. It needed to be started this way. Something about our relationship needed to be done correctly,” he finished.

Jessica gave in without any more protest and allowed the photographer to place her in many different poses with Alex and her family members. She felt as if her cheeks were going to crack, she’d been holding the same expression so long. All she had to do though was look at her son and she was able to continue.

Jacob may have been an unexpected surprise she didn’t even know she wanted but she couldn’t imagine her life without him. There was nothing she wouldn’t sacrifice for him. She would give up her entire world to make his better. She could live in a loveless marriage because that meant her son was with his father and would be loved, cherished and spoiled.

The photographer was finally happy with the shots he’d captured and Jessica was able to step away and gain control of herself once more. She heard a hearty laugh and glanced up to see Alex slapping his brother on the back, as his features lit with mirth. She sucked in a breath at the beauty of the man.

Alex was the most handsome man she’d ever known. From his dark, silky hair, piercing blue eyes and devastating smile, to his rock hard stomach and sculpted arms. When you added in the confidence, which was as second nature to the man as breathing, he was every woman’s dream come true.

She knew there were plenty of women who would love to be in her place. They wouldn’t have even cared if Alex loved them or not. They would just love to have him on their arm. He was a trophy for sure. The thought caused a small giggle to bubble up inside of her. She’d heard of all the men with their trophy wives. Well, it looked like she’d snagged herself a trophy husband.

“It’s time to head out back for the reception,” Joseph said in his booming voice, which could be heard by everyone. The announcement made Jessica’s head snap up to attention. She thought this was the reception. Why did the wedding keep getting bigger and bigger?

She saw Alex hand their son over to his mother, then he was at her side. “I know you’re tired but in a few more hours we can get out of here and rest,” he reassured her.

They walked through the huge Anderson mansion and as they crossed through the patio doors, her breath was once again taken away. The backyard had been transformed into a fairytale. She looked around in awe. She’d grown up wealthy but what the Anderson’s had made her family look like middle class.

There was a white carpet laid out from the back door to a group of tents. Thousands of cascading lights looked like diamonds raining from the sky. Tables were set up with beautiful settings and waiters were at the ready, loaded down with trays of champagne and appetizers.

A small orchestra was playing in the center of the whole affair, with a beautiful dance floor waiting for people to occupy its space. As they walked out she noticed more people were at the reception than had attended the wedding. She knew some but not all of them.

“Do you like everything?” Joseph asked, seeming to appear from nowhere.

“It’s amazing but you really didn’t need to go to this much trouble. Some cake and champagne would’ve been fine,” she said.

Joseph let out a hearty laugh and then leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Only the best for my boys and the beautiful women they choose to marry,” he said before he walked away to visit with some of the guests in attendance.

“Try not to feel too overwhelmed. I got really flustered when I walked out these same doors on my wedding day but now I will cherish those memories forever,” Amy said. Jessica was surprised to see Lucas’s wife standing there with her

Jessica knew the story of Lucas and Amy’s rocky start. Amy had been working for him and found herself pregnant with Lucas’s child. They’d married for the sake of the unborn baby but things had seemed to work out great for them. It was obvious to anyone around them they loved one another. It also seemed Alex was following in his brother’s footsteps and getting married due to an unplanned pregnancy.

They had one daughter who was over a year old and obviously loved. Amy was also looking very pregnant with baby number two on the way. Their marriage had ended up working out perfectly, which sent a bout of sadness through her. She didn’t see how her and Alex could end up with the happily ever after Amy had gotten.

“You startled me,” Jessica finally managed to say. “This whole thing is a little bit overwhelming.”

“I know how you feel and it doesn’t seem like it right now but you will appreciate all of this someday.

You’ll have the pictures to pour over and the memories of the perfect wedding to tell your children,” Amy said comfortingly.

Jessica didn’t think she would ever be appreciative of the wedding but she wasn’t going to voice that to her new sister-in-law so she decided to change the subject.

“How far along are you?” Jessica asked.

“Six months now,” Amy said, beaming. “I couldn’t be happier. I love Lucas, Jasmine and this entire family so much. I was in a similar circumstance as you, not that long ago but it worked out so much better than I could’ve ever imagined. This family loves big and I’ve seen the way Alex looks at you. I know you’re scared now but know I’ll be there for you if ever you need a woman to talk to. Things do get better,” she finished and then gave Jessica a hug before joining her husband.

Jessica watched as the other couple embraced like they’d been apart for months instead of mere minutes. She felt slight jealousy at the obvious love radiating from the happy couple. She didn’t expect to ever have Alex look at her the way Lucas was looking at Amy. She shook herself out of the mood and decided to enjoy her evening, since she wouldn’t be able to get out of it.

Once Jessica decided to let go of her worries she found herself enjoying the reception. The cake was incredible. It had five layers with water cascading down the center. There were tiny flowers and butterflies created from frosting and she was almost afraid to cut it and ruin the great work of art.

Alex swiped a piece of the frosting and stuck his finger in his mouth, making her stomach churn with desire. How watching a man lick a bit of frosting off his finger could be so dang sexy, she’d never know?

When Alex’s hand fit gently over hers, they cut the cake and her worries fell away. Whenever he touched her, the rest of the world could tumble down and she wouldn’t notice. She looked up into his eyes and forgot what they were doing. He leaned down and kissed her intimately, to the delight of the crowd. His mouth tasted sweet from the frosting and she could feel shivers running down her spine.

The laughter pulled Jessica from her thoughts. She gently fed him and the look of lust in his eyes as her fingers grazed his mouth made her knees go weak. She started to tremble, praying the rest of the audience didn’t notice. Then he fed her a small piece of cake and heat shot throughout her body. She sucked his finger into her mouth and the lust instantly in his eyes was enough to drop her to her knees.

When he wiped a piece of frosting from her lips and then licked the tip of his finger, she actually swooned. She thought swooning was just a Hollywood movie moment but if he hadn’t been there to pull her close she would’ve fallen into the table.

His eyes smoldered to a dangerous level and he pulled her close, kissing her with far less restraint than he’d exhibited earlier. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave into the passion she’d been feeling since he’d first stepped through her door.

“Well, I guess that’s some great cake,” she heard the chuckling voice of her father.

Jessica’s head snapped back and she stared at her husband with horror. She couldn’t believe she’d kissed him like that in front of so many people. He smiled down at her and turned toward the guests.

“We need to get this over with. I want my wife to myself,” he said with laughter.

“Here, here,” she heard Lucas shout, as he lifted his glass to toast the couple.

Jessica heard the sound of Jacob letting his mom know it was time for his own dinner and was relieved to get a few minutes of privacy, as she took him into the house to eat. As she rocked Jacob, she reflected on the overwhelming day.

She’d watched Alex with her son and wanted to think he was only marrying her because he was trapped into it. But she knew he genuinely loved Jacob. She knew he was happy to be a father. It wasn’t what either one of them had expected but he’d quickly taken to his role as father and he was doing an amazing job.

She wasn’t anxious to get back out to the reception. She knew most of the people out there had to be talking about how poor Alex had to marry to make his son legitimate. It made her very uncomfortable.

Even though no one had treated her badly or said anything negative, they had to be thinking she’d trapped him. Even though she had plenty of her own money, Alex Anderson was a real catch. He could literally choose any bride he wanted but the choice had been stolen from him the minute he found out he was a father.

As Jessica took a few moments longer rocking Jacob, she heard footsteps enter the softly lit den. “I’m glad to have a few moments to speak with you alone,” Joseph said softly. “I know all of this has been a little overwhelming for you and I just wanted to let you know how happy I am you’re a part of our family,” he continued, as he sat down next to her.

“I’m very pleased to join your family, Joseph. This is all quite overwhelming though,” she finished speaking with a nervous laugh.

“I understand how you feel Jessica but know you have a lot of people to turn to for support. Also remember that lasting marriages have started with less going for them that what you and Alex have. I think your union is off to a great start. You have this beautiful baby boy and it’s obvious to anyone who watches, you and Alex have chemistry. I can understand if you’re afraid to admit love yet but I see the way you look at my boy and it fills my heart with joy,” he finished.

Jessica didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to admit her growing love for Alex but she couldn’t tell his father a lie either so she thought it best to simply keep silent.

“Let me take that amazing grandson of mine and lay him down so you can get back out to the party,” Joseph offered. She was reluctant to hand Jacob over but knew she was just being silly.

“Thank you,” was her only reply and then empty handed again, she had no choice but to head back outdoors.

“It’s time for our first dance as a married couple,” Alex said to her, taking her hand and pulling her onto the dance floor. All her worries washed away again as he pulled her close into his arms. Dancing intimately with him was a prelude to sex. The way he moved his hips against hers and rubbed on her lower back had her insides burning.

When he bent down and kissed her on the neck, goose bumps appeared and a light shiver spread throughout her middle. He gazed into her eyes and neither of them needed to say a word. Her breathing increased as he whirled her around the floor and she breathed a sigh of relief as the song came to an end.

She didn’t think she would’ve been able to remain in his arms much longer without beginning to undress him. She’d never been such a wanton woman before she’d met Alex.

The next half hour passed slowly as she was passed from one person to the next on the dance floor.

She enjoyed her father-daughter dance and a few tears fell as he told her how much he would miss his little girl being only his.

She laughed with both Lucas and Mark, genuinely enjoying Alex’s brothers. She couldn’t understand how Mark hadn’t been snatched up yet. Of course, from her understanding, all the Anderson males held onto their bachelorhood like a rancher held onto his prize bull.

After being whisked around, she was once again in Alex’s arms and it felt like coming home. “Are you ready to get out of here,” he whispered in her ear. Before she had a chance to reply, the music stopped.

“I hope everyone is having a great time,” Joseph spoke into the microphone. There was an outbreak of applause at his words.

“Good, good. Now I would like to make a toast for my son and beautiful daughter-in-law. I couldn’t be happier to have you join our family, Jessica. You are a true blessing and a perfect match for our stubborn son, who we happen to think is just about perfect. Although, we were worried no woman would ever put up with him.” The crowd erupted with laughter.

“All joking aside, we’re grateful for this union and the blessing of our first grandson. Katherine and I both wish you the best and hope your marriage will be filled with laughter, joy and surprises. And best of all, remember a little fight now and again makes life exciting and gives you a chance to make up,” he said with a wink.

“Katherine and I have a wedding gift for you we couldn’t quite gift wrap,” he said with a chuckle. “A new family needs a real home and not to be living in some apartment in the city. We got you a place about a mile down the road from here. It’s all set up for a nice honeymoon since Jessica doesn’t want to leave somewhere without the baby. We do insist on babysitting so you two can get some alone time together though,” he finished.

Jessica gasped at his words. She couldn’t believe Joseph and Katherine had bought them a house.

What if this all fell apart within a week, or even a month? So many people were already involved in their union and now they would have a home, which she would get attached to. She watched as Alex strode over to his father and gave him a huge hug, then did the same for his mom.

She didn’t realize tears were falling down her cheeks until Alex came back and gently wiped them away. “If you don’t like the place, we can find something different,” he said, mistaking her anxiety.

“No, it’s just we aren’t in a real marriage. This is all too much.” She couldn’t say anymore and quickly hugged Joseph and Katherine and then excused herself to check on the baby.

Alex stood there, shocked for a few moments and then he was angry. He’d been enjoying the wedding and his bride and then she had to remind him it was a forced marriage. He knew she was having a hard time with the whole situation but a lot of people had gone the extra mile to make it enjoyable for her.

He needed to keep his guard up around her or he could see himself getting hurt deeply.

The party finally slowed down and they were able to make their escape. Jessica gathered up Jacob, while Alex grabbed their bags and they ran through the throng of people to the awaiting limo.

Birdseed flew at them and cameras snapped and they were both more than grateful to be inside the safe confines of the limo. They didn’t have a very far drive, thanks to the generosity of his parents.

Jessica was exhausted and more nervous than ever being alone with her husband. Was he going to expect her to sleep with him, or would she be allowed her own room? Did she even want her own room? The thought of sharing a house with the virile, masculine Alex and not sleeping with him seemed worse.

She was going to have to wait and see what happened.

They arrived at the gated driveway within a few minutes. Jessica rolled her window down to look out.

The driveway seemed endless and was flanked by huge pine trees on either side, giving privacy to the house still hidden from view. When they turned another corner, the driveway opened up to a huge circular turn-around done in colored bricks. In the center was an enormous water fountain with angels dancing in the center, looking as if they were splashing each other.

Jessica didn’t know what to say. The home was a smaller version of the Anderson Mansion. There were three stories with wrap around balconies on each level. There were five huge columns across the front, giving the home a southern plantation look. She was immediately in love with the place. She was afraid to step inside because the minute she did she knew she’d be even more in love and never want to leave. She had plenty of her own money. When things in the marriage failed, as she knew they would, maybe he would allow her to buy the place and stay there. She was tired of apartment living anyway.

The driver opened her door and she reached in for Jacob but Alex had him already. “I can take him,” she said, not liking him taking control all of the time.

“I’ve got him. Go ahead and check out the house. I’ll come back for the bags in a few minutes.” She wanted to argue with his high-handedness but decided it wasn’t worth the hassle. He would win once again but she was exhausted. The door opened, which surprised her, as she didn’t know anyone was there.

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. I have a snack prepared for you in the kitchen and your room has been prepared. Would you like me to lay down the baby so you can look around?” Alex handed Jacob over to the woman, which Jessica immediately was going to protest. She wasn’t going to let him hand her child over to a stranger. “Jessica, this is Tina, our cook. She’s worked for my family for over twenty years and is one hundred percent trustworthy,” he said, noticing her concern.

Jessica still wanted to rip her baby away from the stranger but knew she would look bad in doing so. “I will walk with you to the nursery so I know where Jacob is. Are baby monitors set up so I’ll be able to hear him in other parts of the house?” Jessica asked with concern.

“Yes, and you can carry around portable listening and video devices so you know your precious one is safe at all times,” Tina reassured Jessica, as they walked up the grand staircase.

They reached the second story and walked down a well lit hallway. “This is the master bedroom, here to the right and the baby’s room is right here across the hall. Mr. Anderson said you’d want the baby close by.” Tina pointed out a few more doorways and then led Jessica into a lovely baby’s room. The walls were identical to what she’d done at her old place. Alex must have taken pictures and had someone reproduce her artwork. All her nursery items were there, along with many new things. She noticed the camera angled in the corner and felt some relief.

Tina laid Jacob in his crib and Jessica bent down to kiss his soft cheek and cover him up. She could stand there all day and night watching him sleep.

“Here’s the monitor, Mrs. Anderson,” Tina said, handing over a small device. Jessica looked at it and not only were their voices coming through but there was a small screen showing her son sleeping in his crib.

“Thank you so much Tina,” Jessica said with real gratitude. The home was very large and she would feel comforted being able to keep an eye on her son no matter where she was.

Jessica turned to find Alex right behind her. “I tried to match Jacob’s old room as much as possible,” he said in explanation of the decorations. “My father bought this home a while ago waiting for the day one of us would choose to settle down,” That explained how he’d been able to have the nursery prepared.

“It’s lovely, thank you. It has a lot more room than his old one,” she said honestly. She really did like the room. She liked everything about the home.

“This door over here leads to the nanny’s room…Now before you protest, we’ll hire one together and I’m not expecting you to not take care of our son. It’s simply a good idea to have a nanny here to help you. That way you can have some free time to do whatever it is you want or need to do.”

“I, in no way need a nanny.” She wasn’t happy about him thinking he could control everything. She’d been doing fine taking care of her son on her own.

“Your father told me you had a passion for writing but hadn’t been able to do any the last few months because you were either too exhausted or taking care of our son. I just want to give you a chance to be able to do what you need to do. You can still be with him full time. The nanny can be more of a helper for when you need her,” he spoke reasonably.

“I’ll think about it,” was all she said. The thought of writing again was tempting but she would feel like such a bad parent, passing her child off to a stranger. She would at least consider the possibility.

Alex took her around the rest of the home. The home was decorated in a way she would’ve done herself. Some of the rooms reminded her of her childhood home. She loved everything about it. They arrived in the kitchen, where two other staff members were waiting for them.

“This is Edward, our gardener. He’s married to Tina. They live in the cottage on the back of the property. This is Maria, our housekeeper. They’ve all been with the family as long as Tina, which is why I wanted them here.”

“It’s really great to meet all of you,” Jessica said, while shaking their hands. The staff left them to eat the food and then an uncomfortable silence fell between them. Tina had said master bedroom. She wasn’t ready to share a room with her husband nightly. She needed more time to protect herself, to keep her heart out of it.

She would keep her things in that room but sleep in the nanny’s room for now. When the silence seemed to stretch on forever, Jacob’s cry came over the baby monitor. She jumped up in relief to get away from Alex and take care of her son.

Jessica changed Jacob, then fed him and was laying him down when Alex walked into the room. “Hold on, I want to kiss him goodnight,” he said, before gently kissing Jacob’s head. She had a very difficult time staying angry with Alex when he was always so loving towards their son.

They both stood over the crib for a few moments, both of them content watching him sleep peacefully.

“Let me show you to your room,” he said.

Jessica breathed a sigh of relief, although she also felt a tiny twinge of disappointment at the same time. This is what she wanted, she had to remind herself. She didn’t want to share his bed, yet she felt bad he didn’t seem to want her at all. She was a little curvier since she’d had the baby. Maybe he was turned off by her new body.

Alex led her into the master bedroom. There was enough space for an entire apartment to fit into the huge room. The master closet was the size of her old bedroom. She stepped into the bathroom and was immediately in love. She didn’t say another word to Alex. She shut the bathroom door and started filling up the huge tub.

Jessica had to chuckle to herself at the size of the tub. It was large enough for a few people to have a hot tub party in it. After adding some soap from a bowl on the side of the tub, she placed her hair in a bun and stepped into the hot water. As she sank down to her chin and the bubbles surrounded her, a sigh of ecstasy escaped her lips.

Jessica finally relaxed and let the scents take her stress and worries away. She stayed in for over an hour, then finally managed to pull herself out of the cooled water. She wrapped herself in one of the luxurious, oversized towels and stepped through the doorway.

She wanted nothing more than to crawl into the huge four-post bed. She started to pull the towel away and noticed Alex sitting on the bed in nothing but a pair of pajama pants. She sucked in her breath at the raw power rolling off of him. He had to be the sexiest guy she’d ever seen. With clothes on he was enough to accelerate your heart, with them off he could cause cardiac arrest.

“Wh…what are you doing here?” she stuttered. She was praying he wouldn’t come towards her because if he took her into his arm she would cave quickly. She couldn’t seem to say no to him.

“I’ve been waiting for you. How was your bath? I was beginning to get worried, you took so long,” he said casually.

Jessica braced her shoulders. She knew she had to get all of her words out quickly or she’d lose her courage to do so. “Alex, I know we’re married but I’m not sharing a room with you. I can use the one next to our son’s,” she finished weakly.

Alex’s eyes went from casual to smoldering in one second flat. He slowly stood up and walked towards her. He was like a panther, stalking his prey. Her stomach felt like it was crawling up into her throat, she was so tense.

She wanted to be in his arms and knew it would be fantastic but she needed to protect herself. It wouldn’t take much to fall head over heels in love with him. She took an involuntary step back and then another, as he got closer to her.

He slowly looked at her from her head to her toes and back up again, without saying a word. When he finally reached her eyes again, they were both breathing heavily. He placed one hand behind her neck and the other at the small of her back and jerked her into his body.

“Alex, this isn’t a good id…” she tried to tell him but he swallowed her words as his lips took possession of hers. He kissed her with anger, passion and need. She tried not to respond but after a few seconds she was giving just as good as she got.

Her hands wrapped around the back of his head to pull him even closer. He was pressing her stomach into his obvious arousal. Knowing he wanted her was like throwing a lit match into a puddle of gasoline.

His hand slid down past the bottom of the towel and began touching the bare skin at the top of her thighs. She pressed even closer and a moan escaped her lips. He pulled back and turned away from her.

They both stood there, trying to catch their breaths. Alex cursed himself. He hadn’t meant for the kiss to go that far. She had a way of blocking out every thought in his head except for his desire to take her.

He finally gained control over his raging body and turned to face her again. Her breasts were still heaving with the deep breaths she was taking in. He could tell she was trying to gain control and not doing a very good job of it. He almost lost his will to turn away from her, at the look of desire in her eyes. He had to prove a point though. He knew later when he was standing in a cold shower he’d have to try very hard to remember what that point was.

“You’re my wife. You will be sharing my bed and you will be my wife in every way that matters. I will not disgrace my son, or my family, by having affairs and in case you haven’t noticed, I’m a man with needs. This marriage is for better or worse and we’ll make the best of the situation.” He said all of this in a smooth, calm voice making her temper was rise.

How dare he tell her what she would and wouldn’t do! He wasn’t her boss. Yes, he’d strong-armed her into a marriage for the sake of their son and their families but she wouldn’t be at his beck and call.

Alex was enjoying the light of temper entering her passionate eyes. She was so easy to read and he could see she was ready to explode. The desire in him was growing. It was going to take all he had to walk from the room. He didn’t want to take her in anger. He respected her far too much for that.

Jessica walked up to him and slapped him hard across the face. He stood there, too stunned to move for a moment. When she saw the anger light his face, she backed up quickly, realizing she most likely had made a huge mistake.

He caught her arm and whipped her back around to face him, “if you slap me again, you will feel my wrath,” he snarled.

“You will not tell me what to do or how to be a wife. Our marriage doesn’t give you power over me. It doesn’t mean I will be sharing your bed. I make my own choices and decisions. No one makes them for me,” she said, with far more bravado than she actually felt.

Alex smiled at her with his normal confidence. “You want me just as badly as I want you. I won’t make you have sex with me, you’ll be begging me for it.” He then kissed her quickly and walked to the door. “I’ll give you tonight, alone, so you can miss me. Tomorrow and every night after, we’ll sleep in the same bed. The sex will be entirely up to you.”

With those words he walked out the door, leaving Jessica standing there, angry because she feared he was right. He barely left and she wanted to call him back to her. She sighed, knowing it was going to be a long night alone in the empty bed.