Chapter 77

“Yes, Chase, I'm not that stupid, but I was expecting you to be so civil with me. The people around here will talk about our marriage. Had I known, I never would have touched you. Just because you don’t have any morals doesn’t mean I don’t, either.”

“Know what? Morals? What the hell are you talking about?”

Yes, I don't know what I'm talking about either. She thought. “Tell me more about your morals, Mr. Johnson." There, she was being crazy again, changing the subject.

He raised a brow, “I don't know what you are trying to ask here, woman, but—you confuse me.” His eyes travelled along her body with boredom. He dragged his long fingers over his jaw.

I was foolish for marrying you, but that wasn’t something I was eager to correct him on.

She waved a hand at him. “Just say what you want to say and let me get on with my day.” The lies were so smooth, she swore it felt like durian ice cream, kind of smooth. “You said your life is none of my business. I tend to agree with that sentiment, especially now that we’re officially civil, like a married couple in their fifty years of marriage were with each other. So while I appreciate you explaining yourself,” she spat sarcastically, “I really think this conversation is over.”

She made a move towards the door he was blocking. He stopped her, resting a hand on her wrist. Their eyes met, and she found him bleeding with pain. But his set jaw, high cheekbones, and smooth, regal forehead all told the story of a formidable man. Her lonely heart believed in his eyes. The rest of her body knew it made no difference.

“Wifey…”

Stop calling me that. Stop giving me nicknames and orgasms and hope, I internally screamed.

“You said you were legal-savvy. Now’s a good time to withdraw that hand of yours,” she whispered.

He did.

Amaya thought he was going to send her on my way angrily, but he didn’t.

“Was Justin giving you trouble?” His voice didn’t sound like steel anymore, though it was nowhere near soft.

“Don’t.” She shook her head. “Don’t pretend you care. Don’t even try to be a good guy. You’re as bad as they come, and now that you came…”

His mouth twitched with a smile.

"It is time to move on and play this stupid husband and wife game of yours.”

Then she turned her head and stepped outside his office as Chase followed, but halted when every eye in the vicinity was on them.

She faked a sweet smile as she slipped her arm around Chase’s waist and smiled up at him before looking at the sun outside the massive glass wall.

“So beautiful, right, darling? a fresh, sunny day, I guess today... "

He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “I think so.” She looked up into his blue gaze and wondered how she had ever thought she’d hated him. The last few days had been some of the most relaxing and enjoyable of her life. She couldn’t remember a time when she felt more in tune with her body. Not just its sexual needs but in terms of general health and well-being. She had energy, she slept well, and she woke up feeling refreshed and excited about the day and what delights Chase had planned. But now Amaya was starting to dread the thought of going back to the real world. This office was their real world. Was she really for his hatred? What if he takes Tommy from her?

The world of work, long hours, and worries for Tommy’s future sawed at her nerves, kept her awake at night, and turned her stomach into a churning mess.

"Do we really have to work today?” Chase said a little louder as he drew her closer, his hands settling on her hips as she reached her station.

“Yes,” she smiled back.

“Staying on the yacht one more week will indeed be a dream. But duty calls, I’m afraid.”

“I know.” She sighed.

“I’ve already had five calls from various staff members over urgent matters. I shouldn’t have turned on my phone today.”

Amaya toyed with the collar of his polo shirt and looked at the glass wall, her hips resting in the cradle of his. Such intimacy seemed so natural now. Her body still leapt at his touch, her skin tingling and tightening when he gave her that look. The ‘I want to make love to you and make you scream with pleasure’ look spoke to her womanhood and made it do cartwheels, handstands, and backflips in excitement. But, while the intimacy was fabulous, their communication could do with some work, especially over the last few minutes.

This was, after all, an act. She thought to herself.

She had sensed a subtle withdrawal in him, as if he was only comfortable with being intimate sexually but not emotionally. There was so much they hadn’t discussed in any detail about their relationship going forward.

She lifted her gaze back to his. Amaya wasn’t sure what to make of Chase's act. Did it mean he wanted to keep this act until when? When would that be? The doubts gathered like seagulls above a fishing vessel, circling her brain, looking for a place to land.

"Hmm, by the way, wife, I'll get in touch with you later after the meeting, okay? Lunch maybe?”

Her reaction to his question was a raised brew. I don't want to have lunch with you!

How could she know for sure that he was not planning something? A business decision, maybe? Not a personal one? Was it a get-out clause? A backup plan in case things don’t go according to plan? Over the last few days, Amaya has been lulled into thinking he is developing feelings for her. The way he talked to her, listened to her, and laughed with her. The way he made love to her. Yes, made love. It didn’t feel like ‘just sex’ to her. Not the way he worshipped her body, made it feel things it had never felt before, made her senses swoon, and made her heart lower its drawbridge.

She had fallen in love with him. Not at first sight. Not since that night, but by degrees. Each time they made love the feelings would intensify. There was no denying them now. She had fooled herself into thinking he would fall in love with her. Sooner. Later. Eventually. But how long was too long to wait? What if it never happened? What if he wasn’t capable of being open emotionally?

“Lunch?”

“Yes, Lunch?” Chase asked as he slid his hand up between her shoulder blades and then under the curtain of her hair, cupping her nape.

“I—”

“I know, I can't force you, but I have to fly to Chicago for a meeting later today. I got an email a few minutes ago about it. I won’t be back for a couple of days, so it’d be best for us to get some lunch. Is that okay? I’ll catch up with you mid-week.”

Amaya thought, What the hell was wrong with him? One moment, he was being an ass, and the next? A—gigantic tease? Was it because people were watching them behind that massive glass wall?

“I thought we were going back to the farmland soon?”

“Yes, after my business meeting in Chicago.”

But she refused to show her disappointment. It was unreasonable of her to expect his career to take a back seat when she had her own professional commitments that couldn’t be cancelled at short notice. It had been a logistical nightmare to take this week off as it was. But it worried her that this would be an on-going pattern in their future relationship. How long before his 'catch-ups' with her became not weekly but monthly, or even less frequent?

Not that she cares, but... Well, it was quite disappointing knowing he'd leave soon. How long before he went from looking at her with those glinting ‘I want you’ eyes to avoiding her gaze altogether, as her father had to her mother when he’d come back from a new mistress’s arms? “Okay,” she said. “Fine.”

Chase inched up her chin, his gaze searching. “I know it’s not ideal. I wish you could come with me to Chicago, but I know how hard it was for you to be far from Tommy again. It was the same for me. There will be constant compromises as we juggle two demanding careers. But we’ll figure it out as we go. Okay?”

Why was he even telling this to her? He was her boss, for fuck’s sake. Amaya stretched her mouth into an ‘I’m cool with that’ smile. “That’s what I get for marrying a career man. I have to share his ambition.” Her voice went a little octave, knowing that there were people listening.