And now he was concerned about who she spent her free time with? That kiss must have rattled his brain if he thought he had any say in how she lived her life.
“Of course he’s just a friend. What else would he be?” Though Steve had asked her out on more than one occasion, Lexi didn’t date. She was married in the eyes of the world, and she didn’t want any stories getting back to her family and raising questions.
As she slipped onto the padded bench, Josh took the seat opposite. She lifted the glass to her lips and took a gulp, felt the warmth flow down her throat into her belly. She put the glass down and licked scotch from her lips, glanced up to find Josh watching her, his expression intense. A shiver ran through her. He made her feel…actually, she didn’t know how he made her feel, but certainly “uncomfortable” came into it somewhere.
Liar! Turned on more like. Hot and achy and… Not now, Lexi.
But what did she expect? She’d made herself come countless times, and this man had always been the inspiration for her fantasies. She squirmed on the leather seat at the thought. It seemed weird being with him in reality—remembering all those things he’d done to her, if only in her dreams.
Though the reality of that kiss had been way hotter than anything she’d imagined.
Don’t go there, Lexi. She shook her head to dispel the memory.
“How did you break your leg?” she asked, to take her mind off the kiss.
“The cruise ship I was on sank. I was injured getting off.”
“Wow. You were on a cruise?” He didn’t seem the type. “Do you have any photos?” Perhaps they could go on a cruise for their fifth wedding anniversary.
“I was working. And no, I did not take any photos.”
“You were working? On a cruise ship? Were you part of the crew?” Perhaps he had one of those white uniforms they wore, with epaulettes and—
“I was working security.”
“Oh.” That fitted in with him being in the army. Maybe that was all he could get afterward. She’d never considered what he did. She’d known he’d been injured shortly before the wedding—her godfather had told her that much. He’d been shot on tour in Afghanistan. He seemed awfully accident prone. “So did someone sink it on purpose?”
“Probably not.”
He wasn’t very talkative. Which was no doubt for the best. Except he’d been the one to suggest they come here “to talk.”
She sighed and took a sip of scotch. Josh hadn’t touched his drink. Time to move this on, let him say what he thought he had to say, then they could get back to their regular non-existent relationship. Well, after they’d gotten through dinner with the family tonight.
“So what do you need to talk about?”
“I want an annulment.”
For a second, the words didn’t make sense. Then she slowly put her glass down and stared at him. “What?”
“An annulment. I want to end our fake marriage.”
“You can’t.”
“I can. I contacted a lawyer. We just need to file paperwork that the marriage was never consummated, and it will be done.” He sat back, arms folded across his chest.
Was he after more money? Was that what this was about? Maybe he’d lost his job when that ship went down. Now he was penniless and had come to fill his bank account.
Did anyone want her for anything other than her money?
“Mr. Slater, if you think I’m going to pay you anything else for a job you were already paid a considerable amount of money to do, then you are very mistaken. I’m sure my Uncle Jamie made it very clear that the marriage had to stay in place until my twenty-fourth birthday.”
He frowned. “Your Uncle Jamie?”
“James Frobisher. He arranged this thing with you.”
He was staring at her in shock. “Colonel Frobisher is your uncle?”
“Not really. He’s my godfather. And I’m presuming he told you the details of our arrangement.
“I honestly don’t remember.”
“Well, let me remind you. The marriage was to last for five years and five months. That was what you were paid for, whether you remember or not.”
He shrugged. “Hardly a legally binding contract.”
She gritted her teeth. “You agreed.”
“And now I’ve changed my mind. I’m happy to pay you back the money you gave me. With interest.”
So he wasn’t after more money, but that was beside the point. “I cannot get an annulment.” She stood up. “Not. Going. To. Happen.”
“It needs to happen.”
“And I need to stay married.”
“How long?”
“Six months.”
“That’s too long.”
She rested her hands on the table and leaned across. “It’s what you signed up for.” She had a splitting headache, too much going on, and still dinner with her grandmother to get through. “Look, I have a meeting. I have to get back to the office. But we’ll talk tonight. After we’ve had dinner with my family.”
“You really want me to come?”