"An open marriage."
"Eh?" She blinks rapidly. "What does that mean?"
"Exactly what it says. I’m free to see other women during the time we’re married."
She gapes at me. "So, you’d ah, you’d—"
"Fuck other women," I helpfully supply. "Clearly, if I’m not getting it at home, I’m going to have to go elsewhere."
"No," she snaps.
"Yes," I insist. "You don’t expect me to deprive myself when you’ve determined our marriage will not meet my needs."
She juts out her lower lip, then shuffles her feet. "Fine, but I get to be with other men, as well."
"No fucking way." I scowl.If anyone else dares to lay a hand on her I’ll… I’ll kill the bastard.
"If you can see other women, surely, I should be allowed to see other men."
Anger thuds at my temples. I curl my fingers at my sides. "During the time that we are married, you will not see anyone else," I growl.
She gapes. "So you can see other women, but I’m not allowed to see other men?"
"Exactly."
“I don’t understand why we wouldn’t have the same rules for each of us.”
“You’re the one who doesn’t want sex to be a part of our marriage. Hence, sex is not important to you.”
She hesitates, then says, "That’s not what I— But that’s not fair."
"It’s not; deal with it," I drawl.
"Then you can’t see other women, either." She folds her arms across her chest.
"Are you jealous?" I smirk.
"Of course not. I’m trying to level the odds here."
"How about a compromise?"
She glances at me with suspicion.
My lips quirk, and I manage to wipe the smile off of my face. "During the time we are married, I won’t bring any of my women back home."
"What the—?" She opens and shuts her mouth. "You were thinking of bringing them home?"
"On occasion." I raise a shoulder. "I wouldn’t fuck them in our bed, of course. I’d keep a room in our house just for that, and you wouldn’t even know I was there. Well, unless one of them was particularly loud.” I bite back a laugh. I can tell she’s about to explode, but I continue, “In fact—"
"You willnotbring anyone home with you. I have a child, or have you forgotten?" she says in a dangerously low voice.
"It’s the main reason I proposed to you; lends an air of authenticity to the proceedings, you know?"
"You’re a… You’re a horrible, horrible man. I don’t think I want to marry you, after all."
I widen my stance. "I’ve pretended you have a choice, but we both know that you don’t."
Color fills her cheeks; her chest rises and falls. Those blue eyes of hers grow stormy, and honestly, it’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Her skin is so creamy that her every emotion is reflected on her face.