SWNOVELS The Temporary Wife: Chapter 27
I stare at my wife through the glass wall in my office, taking in her beauty. She was gone by the time I woke up this morning, depriving me of an experience I’d been looking forward to. I’ve always hated having people in my personal space, but I’m curious what it’d be like to wake up with her. She has no idea that I fantasized about the way her hair would spread all over my pillows for months.
Valentina got to the office long before I did, and I can’t help but wonder if she’s avoiding me. I suppose yesterday’s events are catching up to her, and realization is dawning. I run a hand through my hair, equally uncertain what this marriage will look like.
That horrible outfit she wore last night, paired with the fact that she was out of the house before I even woke up, spoke volumes. She wants distance and I should be grateful for it, but the more she runs, the more I want to chase her. I want her moaning my name the way she did in that gazebo in the vineyard. I want her begging for me until every bad memory I created fades away.
I sit up when I notice Theo Miller walking toward her desk, looking flustered. What the fuck is he doing here? The top floor is reserved for me, our executive team, and the board. What reason could he possibly have to be here? Have they kept in touch since that date they tried to go on?
He leans against her desk, and she smiles up at him when she should be telling him to fuck off. Theo says something to her, and she laughs. The mere fucking sight of her makes my heart skip a beat. My wife is unnecessarily beautiful, and it irritates me that I’m not the only one who notices.
I glance at my pocket watch and grit my teeth. Three minutes. That’s all the time I’m giving her to send him away before I intervene.
The minutes trickle down, and with each passing second, my irritation increases. I rise to my feet at the three-minute mark, fucking fuming. Why the fuck is she still laughing with him like that?
I walk out of my office, and she looks up, her expression sobering. It’s like just seeing me sucks all the joy out of her, and I fucking hate it. Meanwhile, Theo looks at me in surprise and pushes off her desk, the smile melting off his face. “Looks like I’m interrupting something,” I say, my voice far calmer than I feel. Valentina has the decency to look somewhat embarrassed, and she averts her gaze. “What exactly has you two laughing like that?”
I feel like an irritating teacher, and it pisses me off that she brings out the worst in me. When have I ever cared about a woman I’m seeing laughing with someone else? This is a first for me, and I hate the way it feels. My wife turns me into a childish, petty, fucking fool, and there’s not a thing I can do about it.
Valentina clears her throat and looks up at me, giving me one of those irritating smiles when she gave the fucker next to her such genuine ones just moments ago. “It’s nothing,” she tells me, her tone as cold as it usually is. “Theo just came to hand me a report I’d asked for.”
“Why?” I snap. “If there’s an issue with your email, you should be speaking to IT,” I tell him, my eyes on the documents on Valentina’s desk. What kind of bullshit excuse is this? Who even prints reports anymore?
Theo cups the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed, and Valentina rises to her feet. She shoots me an annoyed look, and that just infuriates me even further. Is she seriously trying to stand up for him?
“Can I have a word?” I ask my wife.
She nods and grabs a parcel from her desk. “Of course. This just came in for you, so I was about to bring it in.”
I nod and extend my arm toward my office. Theo watches her as she walks away, and I raise my brow at him questioningly. He snaps out of it and nods at me before rushing off, unaware that he’s now officially on my shit list. I’m going to watch him closely, and if he fucks up even remotely, I’m demoting or firing him. Probably the latter. I don’t give a shit that he’s one of our best assets. I gave him a chance after he took my wife out on a date. One chance is all he gets.
I walk into my office to find Valentina standing in front of my desk, my parcel in her hands. She’s the only one authorized to sign for anything on my behalf, and I’m hoping that parcel is what I think it is. It arrived quicker than I was expecting.
I close the door behind me and press the button that makes my windows opaque. Valentina’s eyes widen as I walk up to her, and she takes a step back, her hips hitting my desk.
I smile humorlessly as I lean in and press my palms on my desk on either side of her, caging her in. “You weren’t there when I woke up. Avoiding me isn’t going to help us put on a convincing act.”
She looks away, her cheeks flushing. “Luca, we’re at the office.”
I smile at her and tip my head toward the opaque windows. “No one can see us, Valentina. You told me you didn’t want anyone to know, and I’m abiding by your rule. Had it been up to me, Theo Miller would’ve already been made aware that you’re mine.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “I’m not yours, not truly.”
I clench my jaw involuntarily. “It looks like there’s a misunderstanding of some sort.” I press my body flush against hers and bury a hand in her hair, tipping her face toward mine. “I was gentle with you last night because it was obvious you were nervous, but that is not how things are going to be between us. I told you in clear terms that I wanted your body. For the next three years, every fucking inch of you is mine, Valentina. Every smile you just gave Theo should’ve been mine. How are you going to compensate me for that?”
“You’re insane,” she whispers, her gaze dropping to my lips. One look, and my cock hardens. She’s fucking irresistible.
“Yes, wife,” I tell her. “We’ve long determined that you drive me completely fucking insane, so take some responsibility.”
I tighten my grip on her hair and pull her closer, taking her lips with an urgency I can’t suppress. She moans into my mouth and instantly wraps her arms around my neck, pushing herself up against me as she kisses me back. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of her. She tells me she hates me, but her body says otherwise.
My hands wrap around her waist, and I lift her on top of my desk. Valentina spreads her legs for me, and I pull her close, my cock pushing against her as I kiss her. She drives me fucking mental. Never before has anyone been able to make me lose control the way she does.
My hand brushes over her thigh, and she pulls away, her eyes wide and her breathing irregular. “We have a meeting in a couple of minutes, Luca. We can’t be doing this.”
I pull away a little to look at her and shake my head. “A few minutes is all I need to make you come.”
She blushes and bites down on her bottom lip as my fingers slip between her legs. That needy look of hers instantly takes the edge off my anger. “The next time I see him hitting on you, we’re going to have a problem,” I tell her, my voice soft.
“I know,” she murmurs, her voice husky. “I’m sorry.”
I smile in satisfaction as I rip her tights right between her legs, the sound of fabric tearing fucking music to my ears. Valentina gasps, her gaze heated. I thought she’d protest, but she looks at me like she wants this more than I do. “Wet,” I whisper. “You soaked through this, baby, and all I’ve done is kiss you.”
Her eyes widen, and I smirk as I drag a finger over her covered pussy. “You’re my wife,” I tell her as I push the fabric aside, the feel of her slippery pussy nearly making me lose my mind. I groan and push two fingers into her, until I’ve got them pressed against her G-spot. “Did you forget that?”
She moans and shakes her head as she reaches for the lapels of my suit jacket. “No,” she breathes. “Of course not.” I press my thumb against her clit, and her eyes fall closed.
“No,” I tell her. “Look at me.”
She blinks, her cheeks flushing as her eyes find mine. “Good girl,” I whisper. “I like you best this way, baby. Your gaze filled with defiance even as your body yields to me. You belong to me, Valentina. You don’t have to like it, but you need to remember it.”
I swipe my thumb over her clit roughly, and she moans. There’s something so fucking sexy about seeing her this way. At last, it feels like she’s truly mine. “What would all of our employees think if they saw their precious Ice Queen with her legs spread wide on my desk, your skirt around your waist and your tights torn? What would Theo think if he saw how you’re riding my hand, how desperate I’ve got you? Perhaps I should show him, so he’ll realize that he doesn’t stand a fucking chance. Should I make those windows transparent?”
“No,” she moans, even as she pushes her hips up against me harder, chasing her orgasm. “Luca, you can’t.”
I chuckle, intensely fucking pleased by the sight she’s presenting me with. “Don’t worry, my love,” I murmur. “This sight is for my eyes only. No one else’s.”
Her pants come quicker, and I speed up my movements, getting her right to the edge. “Do you want to come for me, wife?”
She nods and yanks on my suit jacket, bringing me closer. I chuckle as my gaze drops to her lips.
“Tell me you’ll keep your distance from that fucker, and I’ll consider letting you come.”
Valentina nods, her eyes glazed over with desire. “I will, Luca. I swear.” I’ve never seen her so desperate, so fucking honest about her feelings. Watching her fall apart for me is rapidly becoming my latest addiction.
“Good girl,” I whisper. “You’re such a fucking good girl, Valentina. You deserve a reward, baby.”
She looks at me with such desperation that my heart skips a fucking beat. This is my every fantasy come true.
No.
This is better.
“Come for me,” I tell her as I increase the intensity on her clit, taking her right over the edge.
“Luca,” she moans as her pussy swallows my fucking fingers. How is my cock supposed to survive her? I already know that I’ll never be the same again once I’ve had her. She’ll hook me and turn me into even more of a fool than she already has.
I pull my fingers away and lift them to my lips, needing a taste of her. She moans as she watches me suck down on them. “Jealous?” I whisper. “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll give you my tongue soon enough.”
Her eyes roam over my face, and she blushes fiercely as she lifts her hand, brushing away the lipstick stains she no doubt left on me.
I take a step away from her, intensely fucking pleased. My heart was unsettled seeing her with Theo, but my worries melted away the second I heard her moan my name.
“I’m serious,” I tell her. “I don’t want to see him hovering around you like that again. Either you put him in his place, or I will.”
Valentina lowers herself off my desk and straightens out her clothes, clearly flustered. “It won’t happen again,” she tells me before throwing me a sweet, reassuring smile. There’s a hint of shyness in her expression, and the way that makes my heart race is unreal.
It’s fun watching my wife fight for composure — almost as fun as making her lose it. Two minutes. That’s all it takes for her to paste that irritating professional smile back onto her face.
“This came for you,” she says eventually, reaching for the parcel she brought in, her hands trembling. It’s clear she’s back in work-mode, and I’d better follow suit before I anger her.
I take my time opening the box, a smile finding its way onto my lips as the contents come into view. I hand her the documents, and she stares at them wide-eyed.
“New passport and driver’s license,” I explain. Just seeing the name Valentina Windsor on them brings me such fucking joy. “And this,” I add, handing her a black credit card with the Windsor crest on it, “is a duplicate of my own credit card.” That too, says Valentina Windsor. “For as long as you’re married to me, you’re welcome to spend however much you’d like, on whatever the hell you want.”
She stares at the card, her expression unreadable. “You might want to hide our marriage, Valentina, and I may have consented to that, but you are my wife, and you’d better remember it. In private, you’re Valentina Windsor. Just because we agreed that our marriage would be temporary, doesn’t mean it isn’t real. Don’t you ever forget that.”
She nods and clutches her new passport to her chest. I’d give the world to know what she’s thinking right now. Countless women would do anything to take my last name, to be my wife. Yet the woman I actually married looks less than thrilled.