Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
He stared at me for a long moment and then shook his head. “So our engagement is a prison? That’s the comparison you chose?”
“Why not?” I said, somewhat defensively. “Neither of us has any choice in the matter.”
He nodded, and if I wasn’t mistaken, he seemed a little surprised that I’d acknowledged that he hadn’t had a choice in the arranged marriage either. But there was no getting around that he had a say in pretty much everything else.
He shook his head. “You could’ve said we were college roommates assigned to the same dorm. Being in college sounds a hell of a lot nicer than being in prison.”
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been to college. Or high school. Or grade school.”
“That’s not my fault. That was your parents’ decision.”
“It was, but you’re doing the same thing. Keeping me trapped. Giving me no power over my own life. Look, I’m not asking to fly to Vegas for a long weekend. I’m just asking to not get yelled at because someone gave me bath salts.”
He frowned for a moment until he remembered our argument from the day before yesterday. “I didn’t yell at you.”
“You got all stern and scolding. Do you know one of the things I was thinking when I was at dinner with Carmine?”
He shook his head.
“I was thinking that it was nice to spend time with someone who doesn’t hate me.”
“I don’t hate you.”
“You don’t like me, either.” I scooched around on the floor, positioning my legs off to the side. “I get that you don’t want your life to change just because we’re engaged, but my life certainly has. We’re kind of ... both in this together, so why not make the best of it?”
He sighed. “It’s not that simple.”
“Well then, educate me. How is making the worst of it helping anything?”
“That’s not what I’m doing, but I can’t change who I am. I won’t.”
I nodded, looking down.
“Don’t start crying again.”
“I’m not.” I may have had to blink rapidly, but it was true. “But ... it would be nice if there were fewer things to cry over.”
He gave a noncommittal shrug at that. But then he looked me in the eye. “Maybe it’ll help if I you’re able to fulfill one of your wishes.”
My head cocked to the side. “What do you mean?”
“You spoke yesterday of all the experiences you’d missed out on.”
“Yes,” I said cautiously.
“So what if you didn’t have to miss out on all of them? What if there were still a way to get a little more experience before the wedding?”
“Experience?” I had no clue where he was going with this. Was he planning on letting me go out more? Even if he did, I doubted Carmine would trust me in public again.
“You said yesterday you’d only ever kissed one man. Well, two now. And only one man has ever made you come—one man and a heroic laundry apparatus. What if you could have a few more experiences like that before our wedding?”
Total confusion washed over me. What on earth was he driving at? I half suspected he was about to tease me about being turned on by a washing machine again. “I’m not following you.”
“You were correct when you pointed out that you’re coming into this wedding with a remarkable lack of experience. As you said, now that we’re engaged, you’ll never be to date anyone else. Or spend time with a man you choose to. But what if you could, for the next few weeks?”
“You want me to date?”
“I want you to gain experience—sow your wild oats, if you have a desire to, but in a safe way. Here. In the house. With my brothers.”
My entire body froze for so long that I didn’t remember to breathe until it became an acute necessity. “What are you talking about?” I gasped.
“Do your exploring here. With them. With people I trust.”
“You’re joking.” My voice was faint.
“That’s what they thought, too.”
If possible, my jaw dropped further. “Y-You talked to them about this? But ... but ... it’s insane.”
“My house—my rules. If I say it’s okay, then it is. But there are some caveats.”
“Caveats?” I echoed the word in surprise, but Massimo took it as a sign that I wanted him to explain them.
“First off, be completely discreet. Never let any of the staff see you. Never, ever, do anything outside of the house. Secondly, you are to be a virgin on our wedding night. That’s non-negotiable. Got it?”
“I— What? Yes.” I still didn’t understand any of this, or why he thought this was a good idea, but that last part was perfectly clear.
“Just think of how much more experience you’ll have by the time you get married.”
“But ... you’re okay with that?” I couldn’t tell if his bizarre offer was proof that he liked me or disliked me.