Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
“That’s because this contract is binding and while I’m willing to negotiate on the clauses you’re upset about, I’m not willing to end it. Now, let’s go have dinner. We can discuss what you would like to change in the contract. You’ll find that your husband can be very reasonable,” I say with a wink. Isabel looks like she wants to slap my face. That shouldn’t make me happy, yet it does.
“Do I have to change for this dinner?”
I let my gaze drop to rake over the way those jeans are hugging her curves. She’s wearing a loose pink sweater, and her hair is pulled up high on her head in a ponytail. She looks gorgeous. I’m used to women pouring themselves into skimpy dresses that are so tight their boobs almost fall out—all while wearing makeup so thick it makes me wonder how they’re breathing.
“You’re perfect the way you are,” I tell her truthfully.
“I think I like you better when you’re not trying to be nice. I don’t trust this new Sam.”
“You’re just hungry. Let’s go find some food.” I hold out my hand and I watch as she stares at it. It’s like she thinks I might strike out and bite her. Eventually, she puts hers in mine and I smile.
I don’t say a word as we move through the hotel, then into the parking garage. When I discovered Isabel had tried to trick me, I was looking forward to a little revenge. Now, I find myself thinking about spending time with her—bringing her into my life. I wasn’t lying. She’s stayed in the back of my mind since the night we met. Isabel challenges me. There’s something about her that makes me feel energized. I’m drawn to Isabel. That’s not something that has happened since Angelina. At this point, I’m not even sure Angelina’s pull was this strong. Isabel is her complete opposite. The more I find out about my wife, the more I find I appreciate that fact. I’m not letting her get away. I want Isabel.
And I’m going to keep her.
12
natalia
If you’d asked me earlier what I’d be doing after reading the contract I signed with Samuel, I would have told you I’d be hopping on a plane and flying far, far away. I even told my brother to bring my passport with him. Daniel was willing to help. He’d never seen the actual contract. My father always handled everything on his own. After he died, my brother had his hands full. He hadn’t checked into the particulars. He—like myself—thought our father just formed an alliance, and that was it. He had no way of knowing my father was taking money from Samuel under the guise that it was for me. It wasn’t. I’ve been working to pay my own way, because my father refused. He thought my career was a waste of time. Sure, I have a lot of student loan debt, but I don’t care. I feel good that my career rests solely on my shoulders.
I checked the account listed in the agreement. There was one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in it. The very first deposit was withdrawn and transferred into my father’s private account. The rest of it hasn’t been touched since my father’s death. If he were still breathing, there wouldn’t be a dime in that account—of that, I have no doubt.
“I think we should head to the Christmas tree lot next,” Samuel says as we walk out of the restaurant. I wasn’t dressed for the place he took me, but not once did he make me feel self-conscious. He centered his attention on me, and it stayed there—even as the waitress flirted with him.
I curl up my nose. “I hate live trees.”
“You do?” he asks, sounding completely stunned.
“They make a mess, and they look so sad. They need to be in the ground, growing.”
“What kind of tree do you normally get then?” he asks, making me sigh.
“We don’t.”
“Don’t?”
“My father didn’t allow us to acknowledge Christmas.”
“It seems we may have had similar fathers, Izzy.”
“Lucky us,” I mutter sarcastically.
“You can say that again,” he laughs. “Okay, so if you’ve never had a Christmas tree, do you know what kind you would have liked?”
“My friend Riley invited me home with her over Christmas break last year. They had like this huge nine-foot tree. It was flocked, so it looked like it was covered in snow. I remember staring at it, with the decorations and twinkling lights, thinking it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.”
“Then that’s the kind of tree you’ll have. Let’s head out to the home center. They should have Christmas trees there.”
“Are you sure it wouldn’t be better to just agree to end our marriage? You wouldn’t have to waste money on Christmas that way.”
He yanks on my hand and pulling me into his body before I even realize his intent. “I’m giving you the Christmas you want and the one you deserve. I’m not wasting money because we’ll be using this tree next year and the year after, too.”