Stay(41)

“So your marriage proposal was not purely altruistic?”

“Altruism is good, but hot sex is even better.”

She snorts and wiggles in my arms. I ease up so she can roll over, onto her stomach. Her head is propped on her hand. “It seems silly to have a honeymoon for a fake marriage.”

“I don’t mind indulging in this part of the charade. Do you?”

She chews her lip and looks down at her hand on the bedspread. “No. But I’m afraid people will be hurt when it’s all over.”

“They won’t if we handle it right.” I trace my finger down the length of her back, assuming she’s concerned about Eli. “Don’t worry. When the time comes, we’ll discuss the right thing to do. It’s going to be okay.”

She inhales deeply and gives me a little smile. “So we’re basically hostages in your house for the next two days, pretending to be blissed out newlyweds?”

I shrug, dropping onto my back. “Sure.”

“I’m ordering pizza.” She jumps out of the bed, going to my closet.

I roll over watching her, grinning at her skipping around in only a half-slip and panties. She’s a welcome compliment to my dark brown and gray, ultra-masculine room. She takes my chocolate-brown silk robe out of the closet and puts it on before heading to the door.

“Meet you in the kitchen!” With that she’s gone, leaving me to pull on my boxer briefs and a tee and chase after her.

Emmy sits on the enormous white granite bar in my oversized kitchen. A piece of New York style pizza is in her hand, and the bottle of champagne is between us. My robe is tied around her waist, and she swings her bare feet. I’ve never thought this townhome looked better.

“So which old ancestor left you this pile of bricks?” She picks up her glass of champagne and sips.

I grin stepping in front of her, putting both hands on her thighs covered in the smooth silk of my robe. “My aunt Rebecca inherited it from her great aunt Matilda.”

She puts a hand on my shoulder. “Wouldn’t that make Matilda your great great aunt?”

I open my mouth, and she holds the pizza so I can take a bite. The savory mix of marinara and spicy Italian sausage hits my tongue, and I let out a groan. “Joe’s is the fucking best.”

“Have I mentioned how much I love living in modern times? If it were ten years earlier, we’d have had to walk.”

I slide my hands from her thighs to her ass. “What were we talking about?”

A grin curls her lips. “Aunt Matilda. Why isn’t she your great great aunt?”

“She is. She died before I was born, so she didn’t leave me anything.”

“Mm.” Emmy nods, taking another bite. “You’re so blessed to have a large family. All I have is Ethan.”

“Back in the day they would’ve said we were good Catholics.”

“Why are people such assholes?” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head, taking another big bite of thin crust.

I reach for the champagne bottle and refill both our glasses. Maybe I don’t mind her sassy mouth when it’s on my side.

“Cheers.” I hold out my glass and she clinks without looking. “What did you do for fun when you were at Sarah Lawrence?”

“While we’re on the subject,” she teases, slipping off the bar and walking into my white living room. “I’ve never been in this room.”

“I never noticed how white it is until now.” A wall of windows faces the garden in the back.

The two couches and thick coffee table are white, the walls are stark white, leading up to the white tray ceiling above. Even the warm-brown wood floors are covered in a pale sisal rug.

“I think the idea is to send your eyes out the window to the beauty of nature.” She flops on the overstuffed couch, holding her pizza.

“Or to give me a hell of a cleaning bill when you drip pizza sauce everywhere.”

She looks around the pristine space. “Have you ever sat in here?”

“I don’t think I have.”

I plop on the couch at her feet, and for a moment, we’re quiet, gazing at the wind moving through the leaves of the big tree outside the window.

Emmy finally nods. “Eli will use it. This couch will be beige by the time we leave.”

Her words make my stomach twist strangely… which is ridiculous. They haven’t even moved in properly, and I don’t like the thought of them leaving?

“So back to Sarah Lawrence. What do young co-eds do so close to the city? Do you even hang out on campus?”

“We have a lot of school spirit.” She acts indignant, and I hold up my hands.

“No offense to the Gryphons… That is the school mascot, right? The Gryphon? Is that a reference to Hogwarts?”

She throws a small, white pillow at me. “Are you making fun of my school? I’ll have you know we have an extended list of notable alumni, including Barbara Walters, J.J. Abrams, Emma Roberts—”

I catch the pillow easily, dropping it to the floor. “Emmy Barton… Now what did you do for fun?”

Her eyes narrow, and she scoots onto her feet. “Strip chess.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” I look around the room, and sure enough, a marble chess set sits behind a white basket of glass spheres on the coffee table. “Aunt Rebecca saves the day.”