His Indecent Proposal(8)

The guy was crazy.

She looked around for her clothes, but realized most of them were still in the living room. She grabbed the towel from last night off the floor, wrapped it around to cover herself, and hurried into the other room to retrieve her clothes. She found them, minus her bra that was in the bathroom, and hurriedly dressed. She found a comb in her purse and was standing in front of the dresser trying to make herself presentable when the shower cut off and thirty seconds later he walked naked into the room, casually drying himself with a towel.

She stood still, and watched him in the mirror. He first searched for her in the bed, and then around the room until he found her. His eyes clashed with her gaze in the mirror, then moved down her body, noticing her clothes in place like armor protecting her.

He hooked the towel around his hips and stalked towards her. His hands landed on her shoulders, and she felt his erection pushing against her through the towel. "Good. You're dressed already."

Her eyes became wounded at that comment and dropped from his.

He continued. "We'll stop at your place for fresh things before we hit the airport."

She lifted her eyes back to his. "Airport?"

"Yeah. We're going to Vegas."

"Why?" Her voice held confusion.

"Why do you think?" he bit back.

His reason dawned on Jenna. "I'm not marrying you in Vegas this weekend if that's what you're thinking."

"Yeah, you are." His confidence was absolute.

"No, I'm not," she argued.

"Why not?"

"It's too soon. I need t-time to think about it first."

"What's to think about?" His voice held impatience.

She looked at him with an edge of anger. "My life. Does that mean anything to you? Or do you not give a shit about my feelings in any of this?"

"I give a shit, Jenna. This whole situation is going to be good for you. You need the money and you're still young. A couple of years at this stage in your life won't matter in the long run. You'll leave the arrangement with no debt, and money in the bank. Hell, you could even go to school during the day and get a couple of years under your belt." His eyes studied her intently. "Have you ever considered trying to get a bachelor's degree?"

Blood pulsed through Jenna's veins at his condescending attitude. She wanted to throw her education in his face. But she couldn't. She had lied on her resume. How many people lied and disclaimed the education they had? But that's exactly what she had done. She hadn't had a choice. Eating and paying rent had seemed slightly more important at the time. But he wouldn't know anything about that. His last name was Bennett, and he'd never suffered a day in his life because of it. So now she couldn't throw her education in his face. Couldn't or wouldn't? Surely that wasn't pride that was keeping her silent.

Suddenly, anger came up and clouded her thought process. Why shouldn't she take the money and run? Two years would pass, she would be out from under her debilitating debt, and she could move on with her life. She could even move back to Texas to be with her family.

Coin tossed, decision made, she sucked in a breath and answered his question. "Yeah, I've thought about it." That wasn't another lie, was it? She had thought about getting an education. And done it.

"Good. There won't be anything stopping you, then. As long as you're with me, I'll pay for it." He crossed his arms over his chest and continued. "I don't mean this to be a one-sided relationship, only for my benefit. I'm not a complete asshole. I want you to get something from it, too."

"Fine."

His posture relaxed slightly. "You agree to the trip? To the marriage?"

"Yes." She hissed the word out contemptuously.

He reached out and pinched her chin between his fingers and thumb. "Why so angry?"

"Because you're getting your way."

"Yeah, I am." A smug look encompassed his features and he lowered his mouth to hers in a swift, savage kiss.





Chapter Seven


Jenna sat in first class and fiddled with the platinum band on her left ring finger. She watched David sitting next to her from the corner of her eye. His hand still held hers loosely even in sleep, his fingers laced between hers in a hold of ownership, a hold of possession that he had rarely allowed her away from the entire day.

They were approaching the Greater Cincinnati airport and her mind raced over the day that had just passed. It was almost midnight, and everything had been accomplished in one day. When they left his house that morning, the first thing they did was meet with his lawyer, the handsome blond man that had been with David in the break room that day, and she had signed a pre-nuptial agreement.

He promised her a hundred grand when the knot was tied, and she took him at his word. That had been accomplished in less than an hour. A quiver ran through her stomach when she realized the pre-nuptial agreement had already been drawn up. He must have planned it all ahead.

Then they had left to board a flight to Vegas, and the minute they had gotten there, he hustled her into a twenty-four hour wedding chapel. There were no Elvis impersonators that she saw, but it was almost as garish. Bright neon lights and fake flowers were everywhere. They got married quickly without benefit of rings, but he found a jewelry store when they left the chapel and had one on her finger with what to her now seemed to be an obscene lack of consideration and time. He picked out platinum bands to match, and that was that.

Leaving the jewelers, they went into a hotel restaurant and had a quick meal, and her mind shied away from what had happened next. They hadn't packed for an overnight stay, and she hadn't understood why he checked into the hotel after they ate. Her stomach had been tied in knots through the meal anyway, and apprehension and nerves screamed in her bloodstream as he pulled her by the hand up the elevators to a room.

The minute the door had clicked shut, he turned to her and began unbuttoning her blouse.

Panic attacked her and she put her fingers over his to stop him. "What are y-you doing?"

He brushed her hands aside and continued to strip her. "Consummating the marriage." His voice was harsh.

"Why? Can't w-we wait?"

"No. I want it consummated now."

Disturbed by what they were doing and his reasons for it, she tried to slow him down and lighten the atmosphere. "Why?" Her voice was soft, trying to soothe him. "I'm not going anywhere."

His eyes lifted from her buttons and tangled with hers. "No. You can bet your ass you're not going anywhere." His voice dripped ruthless possession.

Her pulse went spinning as he unhooked her bra and pushed it out of his way. He pulled her over to the king sized bed, and unhooked her skirt. "Step out of it."

Her mind in a daze at the speed of his movements, she stepped from her clothes and moved onto the bed.

He quickly stripped and pushed her legs apart and climbed on top of her. Her heartbeat going wild, she spoke in a whisper of defiance. "Just for two years."

It was a mistake.

His nostrils flared at her words and he grabbed her wrists and lifted them over her head. His erection huge and pulsing, he began to push into her. He stretched her completely, transferred her wrists to one strong hand, and lifted her face to his with the other. "When I'm good and goddamn ready. And not a day before."



The plane began its descent and Jenna pulled her mind from the troubling thoughts. His entire demeanor had changed after the marriage vows had taken place. It had only gotten worse after he had consummated the marriage.

Suddenly, he owned her.

He began to wake up from the change in cabin pressure, and she took the opportunity to slip her hand from his.

With hands that shook, she smoothed the creases from her skirt just to give herself something to do. She could feel his eyes on her.

The drive from the airport was well under way when she glanced over at him, his focus on the road. "It's too late for me to pack tonight. Just drop me at my house and I'll p-pack tomorrow."

His eyes cut away from the road and landed on her. "No."

"David, I--"

"Don't start with me, Jenna. You're not spending our wedding night away from me."

"But, I--"

"The subject's closed."

She sucked in a breath and her nervous tension heightened.

When he pulled into his garage and the doors shut behind them, her apprehension worsened. She was bone-deep tired, her nerves were stretched thin, and she suddenly felt like crying.

He helped her out of the car, and trailed her into the house. All she had with her was what she had grabbed that morning for the one day trip. She had a toothbrush, some make-up and the clothes she was wearing. Her blouse was silky and comfortable, and she guessed she would have to sleep in it. The thought of climbing into his bed naked was not appealing. Would he want sex again? She desperately needed some time alone to regroup.

She softly announced her intentions. "I'm tired. I'd like to clean up and go to bed."

He stood in the foyer, looking through the mail. He glanced up when she spoke. "That's fine. I'll be there in a minute."

Jenna turned away and silently headed for the stairs. She hadn't been upstairs yet, but knew she would find what her body was aching for. A bathtub.

The second door she came to was a bathroom located between two bedrooms. She looked in and saw the large, oval shaped tub. She closed the door, turned the taps on, and tested the temperature of the water filling the tub. She wanted it hot. Satisfied, she turned away, brushed her teeth, and clipped her hair on top of her head.