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She shifted and peeked up at him, a small grin on her face. “Claire, Graham, and the vegetarian living together? I’d love to see that.”
He slid his palm down her back, enjoying the soft brush of her ponytail along the back of his hand, before pulling it back into his lap.
“How am I ever going to repay you for doing this for me?” she asked.
“You probably can’t,” he said, smiling a little. At her dejected expression, he changed tactics. “Don’t do that. I don’t want anything.”
“Too bad. The guilt will be unbearable.” She squinted, tilting her face to the ceiling. “I’ll make you homemade breakfast every morning. And I’ll make carrot cake every weekend.”
His mouth watered at the mention of his favorite dessert. “Wow, I’m gonna gain like fifty pounds, aren’t I?” It would totally be worth it.
“I’d say I have ulterior motives to stop other women from checking you out, but it wouldn’t matter. They’d want you no matter your size.”
He grinned at that, flattered and far too pleased at the thought of Mia feeling possessive of him. Her face simultaneously transformed to a frown.
“What?” he asked.
“What about—” She stopped short, her cheeks flushing. Her eyes flashed to his waist and quickly away.
Oh, shit.
He wanted to tell her not to say another word, but his tongue was suddenly glued to the roof of his mouth. Could they just ignore this part? Not talk about it, like normal adults?
“I, um. I don’t want to hinder your sex life...” she started, pressing her balled fists together near her stomach. “But I’m not sure how that could work. I mean, it’s probably not a good idea to bring anyone back here, but going elsewhere would just require discretion, you know? It could look bad if—”
This was so fucking uncomfortable. “Don’t worry about that,” he interrupted.
She nodded, neck flushed. “Yeah, you get it. Sorry.”
“No, I meant don’t worry as in it won’t be an issue. I’m not going to sleep with someone else while I’m married to you.”
“It could be two years, though.”
He just stared at her.
“Noah—”
He held up a hand. “Stop. Don’t bring that up again, okay?” She opened her mouth, but he added, “I mean it.”
She clamped her mouth shut, apparently registering his tone.
Unless... Why had he assumed that issue referred only to him? “What about you?” The words burned as they came up his throat. He tried to think as little as possible about Mia being anywhere close to naked with another man, but he had no claim on her. Even in a marriage like this one.
She shook her head. “I wouldn’t. I mean, I won’t. I know this isn’t real, but it wouldn’t feel right. For me.”
He could remind her, as she had for him, how long a time frame they were talking about. But he liked her answer too much, and besides, she knew.
They both did.
Two years would be a long damn time. But if his choices were meaningless sex with a stranger while the woman he loved was waiting at home, or nothing?
Nothing it would be.
5
“I can’t believe I agreed to this.”
“I think this is the best idea you’ve ever had.”
