Wilde at Heart (Wilde Security, #3)(20)

A sudden case of nerves ate at her. She fidgeted—couldn’t seem to stop—and smoothed out the fabric of her skirt. “Um. What kind of rules?”

Leaning forward, he linked his hands between his knees. “If we are going to do this, we have to go all out and play it like a real marriage, like we’re madly in love, or it won’t be convincing.”

“Even with family?”

He winced, showing a chink in the armor he seemed to have drawn around himself since leaving the chapel. “I’m not looking forward to that.”

“They’ll know we didn’t magically fall in love in the past six hours and decide to elope.”

“Agreed. But we will have to make them understand our reasoning so they’ll play along. Though I’d rather not divulge the details about the blackmail. My brothers will go into fight mode, and this situation requires a more delicate touch than their slash-bang-boom method of dealing with problems.”

She laughed. Her sister really was the perfect fit for the Wilde family. That was exactly Eva’s method of dealing, too, which only highlighted how very different Shelby was from them all. She preferred to laugh away her problems and, if that didn’t work, she ran away and remade herself. Still, she could play the part of a Wilde woman for two months.

Maybe.

She also leaned forward. “If you don’t want to tell them about the blackmail, then I’d prefer they not know I borrowed money to buy The Bean Gallery.”

He scowled. “With the arson investigation, it’s going to come out whether we tell them or not.”

“The same can be said for your blackmail.” When the scowl only deepened, she sighed. “I know, okay? Just…not yet. Please.”

“Fine. I won’t say a word.”

She held up her hand, pinky outstretched. “No talk of your blackmail or my money issues. Pinky swear.”

He stared at her, unblinking. “You’re not serious.”

“Yes I am.” She wiggled her hand in the air. “In my world, pinky swears are as binding as a legal contract.”

“You and Jude must be from the same world,” he muttered, but hooked his pinky through hers. “Okay?”

She nodded, satisfied, and relaxed into her seat again. “Any other rules, Oh Great Rule-maker?”

And there was the scowl again. “When we return home, you’ll take my name. Doesn’t have to be a legal change, but in public you’ll be Shelby Wilde. You’ll also have to move in.”

“Whoa, hold up. The name thing? Whatever. A rose by any other name and all that. But moving in? You do know I’m a package deal, right? I have a parrot, and he lives where I live.”

“A parrot?” Reece sighed heavily. “Loud. Colorful. Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”

“He’s an African gray, for your information, and a good bird. Very affectionate.”

“Fine. We’ll make it work, but I can’t guarantee the cat won’t try to eat him.”

Of course he’d have a cat. They were a match made in pet-owner heaven. “Aloof, cold. Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”

He didn’t acknowledge her mocking tone. “You can keep your bird in the guest room where you’ll be sleeping.”

“Wow. Okay. That was about as subtle as an anvil falling from the sky.”

“You’re my wife in name only and we won’t be, uh…” He cleared his throat. “Consummating this marriage.”

“I didn’t know anyone used the word ‘consummating’ anymore.”

“I was trying to be polite, but if you’d rather I put it in terms you understand, then fine. No f*cking.”

“What about oral?”

“We will not be sharing a bed. Period.”

She was getting under his skin. She could tell by the tick in the muscle just below his temple as he tried to hang on to his temper. And maybe she was suicidal, but she had to keep poking at him. She wanted to see him lose that mighty control, same as he had earlier in the evening when she’d tied him to the bed. “You don’t have to do it in a bed. I mean, you should know that since you worshiped quite thoroughly at my altar in the hotel’s hallway.”

His teeth ground together. “I’ve never paid for sex in my life, and I’m not starting now.”

The words hit her like a slap, and every drop of amusement drained away. If they had sex, and he gave her money to pay back her debt, that would essentially make her a prostitute, wouldn’t it? Her stomach knotted. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” was all Reece said, his tone heavy with scorn.

“Oh my God. You think I’ve done it before? Traded my body for money?”

“What you’ve done in the past is none of my business. Just know it’s not happening with me.”

“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a complete *?” Tears blurred her vision as the car came to a stop. She didn’t wait for the driver to let her out, but gathered her poufy skirts in one hand and shoved open the door, because she was about five seconds from a sobbing fit, and she wasn’t going to let him see how much he’d hurt her. The hotel entrance was busy with people, and a few stopped to stare as she stalked across the pavement and pushed into the front lobby.