Chapter 4 Sealing The Deal

~Angela Pov~

The room was silent but for the hum of air conditioning. I crossed my legs, allowing the silk hem of my robe to fall away just enough to show the smooth curve of my thigh. Gary's sharp eyes flickered down for the briefest of moments before catching himself and looking away to regard the view outside the penthouse window.

"You didn't answer me," I said, the words so drizzled with playful teasing sounds on the tip of my tongue.

His sigh was immediate. With that maddeningly unruffled expression of his, he turned back to me the faintest of smirks tugging at one edge of his lip-but in his brown eyes, everything about him remained shut down tight. "I'm just saying marriage wasn't exactly part of the original deal. You said 'fake fiancé, not husband."

I cocked my head to one side, letting a slow, teasing smile spread across my lips. "That's because I didn't think my father would decide to announce our engagement to the world overnight."

Gary crossed his arms, the breadth of his shoulders flexing in its crisp white restraint like some animal's warning, he lounged on a seat on the rim of the desk looking relaxed.

"Angela," he started his tone even, "this was supposed to be a simple arrangement. You needed someone to fool your father and I needed the money. That's all. Marriage makes it complicated."

I rose from my chair, the silk of my robe rustling as I moved closer to him. "It doesn't have to be complicated," I said softly, my voice near a whisper.

Gary's eyes narrowed, but to his credit, he didn't back off as I closed the space between us. He was clinging to that control, holding on tight to that wall of professionalism that was between us. I wasn't here for walls.

"Think about it," I added, standing close enough now that the heat from him was radiating onto my skin. "A job as my assistant benefits, an excellent salary, and of course, the bonus of being married to me. Doesn't sound so bad does it?"

His laugh was low and humorless. "You make it sound like I'd be winning the lottery."

I smiled, my head cocked up to catch his gaze. "Perhaps you would be."

It was after a silence. His eyes never left mine, I could see the war in those depths, the part of him tempted, the part wrestling hard to resist.

He stepped backward and shook his head then, a tinge to his voice that I didn't quite place. "You are so convincing Angela, but I don't think I am the settling down kind of person, even for you."

My head cocked sideways, my eyes on him, I asked with great attention: "That sounded like a challenge." His lips merely twitched, never coming close to a smile, while speaking did not resume.

I took a step closer to him, closing some of the distance he'd put between us. My fingers barely brushed against his arm, resting and staying as I tilted my head sideways, allowing my hair to fall over one shoulder.

"You're thinking about it, though," I whispered, my voice low, playful.

Gary's eyes dropped to my lips then rose again. "Angela-"

I cut him off, reaching up to press a finger to his lips. "Shh," I whispered. "Let me show you why you shouldn't say no."

And there it was, the kiss, not tentative or in slow motion. There was fire and urgency all packed in that one big bundle of a kiss as my lips claimed his, tasting hesitation and resistance melting away. His hands found my waist, clamping tight when I pressed to him.

"Angela," he muttered against my mouth in that low hoarse voice of his.

I didn't let him finish. My fingers slid to the buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning them one by one with practiced ease. His skin was warm against mine, his chest rising and falling as my lips trailed down the line of his jaw to his collarbone.

Gary let out a sudden exhale as he buckled and set me easily onto the desk, the cool surface sending a shiver over me that his hands on my thighs chased away.

"You don't fight fair," he growled low, his voice thick with his need.

I smiled against his skin, my breath warm on his neck. "I don't fight at all. I always have won."

His laughter groaned as I pulled him closer, my legs wrapped around his waist, and for a moment, there was no world outside this room, only two souls entangled in a fierce and desperate dance.

The first had been a blur of tangled limbs and breathless whispers, the second slower, more deliberate. And I lost myself to the feel of him, to the way he moved, to the way he made me feel like I was burning and melting all at once.

When it was over, we lay tangled together on the bed, the sheets rumpled around us. I traced lazy circles on his chest, my cheek against his shoulder. Gary's fingers played idly with a strand of my hair, his breathing slow and steady now.

"You know," I murmured, my voice sleepy, "you're going to say yes."

He chuckled softly. "And why's that?"

I leaned my head back to face him, a mischievous smile playing on my lips. "Because you'd be crazy not to. Besides," I added, pressing a kiss to his jaw, "the benefits are worth it."

Gary didn't say anything, but the small, almost imperceptible smile on his lips told me all I needed to know.

I sprang the next morning to find my phone buzzing on the nightstand. Gary was still at my side, sleeping, with his arm laid lazily on my waist. I went softly out from under him and out of the room, answering the phone.

"Angela," Dad said after a quick hello, and his voice was as strong as ever. "I want you to go get the marriage certificate with Gary today, now. No delays."

I glared at the phone, weights settled upon me. "Of course," I finally said in a tone even.

I hung up the call and turned back toward the bedroom to find that Gary was now awake, lying on the edge of the bed rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Morning," he muttered thickly.

"Morning," I threw back at him while leaning in against the door frame, and said, "Get up. Let's get married, up!."

His eyes blinked once, but otherwise, his expression froze in that hybrid of incredulity and amusement. "You sure don't waste any time, do ya?"

I smiled, crossing the room to stand before him. "I told you. The benefits are worth it."

The whole thing was quick, yet surreally strange. We signed papers, exchanged faintly amused glances when the clerk congratulated us and walked out of the office holding our marriage certificate.

Gary looked down at the paper in his hands, unreadable. I turned to him, then back to the no longer important piece of paper between us, letting a light sigh out.

"Now Mrs?, tsk," I muttered, shaking my head.

One of Gary's eyebrows rose, his lips quivering with a smirk. "Regrets already?"

I smiled, slipping my arm through his. "Not a chance.