He shook his head, reeling from her easy acquiescence.
Something inside Carlo went cold at the knowledge she had just agreed to become his lover in exchange for a role in their niece's life. The old adage to be careful what he wished for filled his brain with biting clarity.
"What is the catch?" he asked, hoping there was one.
Because that at least would prove she understood his character even a little.
That damn shrug again. "Is there one?"
"No."
"You seem angry."
"Do I?" He shoved his plate away.
"Yes, but you are getting what you want." She smiled, almost teasing, if he could believe it. "Me."
"Or the use of your body," he pointed out.
Her smile did not dim. "And I am getting the use of yours."
"I have a contract I want you to sign."
"A contract?"Thatseemed to throw her.
"Knowing me as well as you do, I am surprised you did not expect one."
"I suppose that is true. It just feels odd having contract terms for something so personal."
"Come with me to the living room. I have the contract in there." There was an edge to Carlo's tone that Annette did not understand.
She asked, "Not the study?"
He just shook his head.
There was a neat stack of papers on the coffee table nearest the fireplace.
Oddly, Carlo took a moment to light the gas fire before joining her on the sofa in front of it. Like he was setting a cozy mood, only too much anger made his body rigid and his expression grim for any kind of warm atmosphere to prevail.
Annette took the proffered seat beside him and began to read the contract. As she read the over the multiple page document, her amusement just grew and grew. "I cannot believe you put this stuff down on paper."
It was obvious the contract had been written by him, not a legal team. There had been an attempt to make the document feel like a legal contract with binding this and first party that, but some of the clauses came straight out of Carlo's fantasies.
He'd gotten very specific about what he wanted in bed and out of it. There was something endearing about that. Even more so because from Carlo's expression, he expected her to be horrified.
And it occurred to Annette that everything to this point about thedealhad been offered to get a reaction from her and she hadn’t given the one he expected.
Unsure why that was the case, she simply pointed out, "You do realize none of this had to be put in writing, don't you? You have to know how much I want you, and we were never boring lovers before."
Annette wasn't ashamed of her desire and saw no reason to pretend otherwise.
"Will you sign it?"
She grinned up at him. "If you say so, but I'm pretty sure no judge in the country would hold me to these terms. I'm not even sure it's legal to put them down like this."
"You will honor your word."
"Will I? Only I thought you didn't trust me like that anymore." She couldn't help the taunt, not when it was becoming obvious to her that his intent here had been to get some of his own back in the humiliation department.