Chapter 6

MAY. Ethan goes still. I do too. Scenes like this only occur in telenovelas, you might think, and then you find yourself wondering why the female lead wouldn't just pick up the towel and cover up. Being in the same situation right now, I finally understand why. When a man truly looks at you like you're a woman, your body freezes and goes hot. Your brain goes out the window, and the edges of your mind get frayed. His eyes darken and something flickers in them as his gaze rises from my fallen towel to the flare of my hips, up to my pinched waist and my moderately-sized bust. Then his gaze meets mine and he blinks rapidly, red creeping into his cheeks. He turns sharply and heads out the door without another word, leaving me standing there, staring at the shut door. And then it hits me. I pick up the towel, wrapping it around my body so tight and fast that it almost becomes a straitjacket. My hands rise to my mouth and I silently scream into them. What the hell, May?! After one hour of nearly dying of shame and hiding in our bedroom, I pick up what's left of my pride and step out of the room. Gripping the edges of oversized shirt—somehow, I'd felt covering my body from head to toe would make it better—I find my way to the sitting room, in search of him. I feel the need to explain myself, tell him I didn't do that on purpose, and perhaps, he could knock before entering. I get that it's his house and his room. We may be married, but that doesn't make us any less of the strangers that we really are. Ethan's on the couch, working on his computer. Despite myself, I catch my eyes taking in the sharp angles of his face, the handsome curve of his nose and lips, his hair that seems glossy under the light, the stray strand that brushes against his high cheekbone-- Damn. I could sleep beside this man and wake up happy from just looking at him. His shoulders suddenly tense and his head snaps towards me, like he could feel me staring. Heat creeps up my neck and I surge forward with purpose. "I...uh...the door and the towel..." Hell, no. Now I have no control over whatever nonsense is coming out of my big mouth. He tilts his head, observing me keenly. "You wish to ask that we stay in separate rooms." I blink. Do I want to stay in separate rooms? Do I? Do I?! "Yes, I came to say that," I tell him without missing a beat. He turns off his computer and leads me down the hallway, taking me past his room. He stops by the door beside his and looks in my direction without particularly looking me in the eye. "You can have this one. I'll have it furnished to your taste in the morning." "Thank you," I murmur, keeping my gaze fixed on the ground. "I didn't drop—" "I know," he cuts in swiftly and turns away from me. I watch his broad back as he saunters away, but he stops at the last minute, throwing over his shoulder in a voice that has the hair on my skin rising, "Goodnight, May." He's gone before I have enough presence to respond. Groaning inwardly, I push the door open and shut the door behind me, leaning against the wood. The room has the basic amenities I need, but... it feels oddly empty. I get into bed, staring at the wall until I drift off to sleep with a million thoughts in my head. What's he thinking? What next? How do I get used to this? What had flickered in Ethan's eyes when he'd seen me naked? **** ETHAN. Dread. Confusion. Getting married should come with a manual. How does a man know what to do when he walks in on his wife naked? Taking into consideration that said wife is a complete stranger. Or not, I can't decide. I look at her and it feels like I've known her all my life. She'd looked... I groan, shutting my eyes and tapping on the keys to my computer violently, like that could rid me of the image that keep assaulting me. She is stunning. Damn, I'm in trouble. I can't look at her anymore without seeing her unclad. If I'm to respect what we've agreed on, I need to stay away, for however long it takes to get my thoughts in order. **** MAY. "You got married?!" Ginny squeals, grabbing my hand and staring at my ring with wide eyes. "OMG, it's so pretty. I do hope the man is too!" I suck in my bottom lip, unable to hide the blush creeping up my neck. Oh, he's pretty. A whole different breed, if you ask me. "No shit, you're blushing! Y'all hit it yet? How was it?!" she yells a little too loud, drawing attention from both our colleagues and customers. "Stop yelling, Ginny," I chide, dunking my head to hide my face. "And no. We literally just met. Having sex with him would be silly and insane and...well... I've thought about it and how would we even...hit it?" Ginny bursts out laughing, slapping the seat beside her. "You've got me, friend. Consider this my wedding gift to you. So, about having sex--" "Stop it, Ginny. That's not what I meant!" I laugh, settling in beside her anyway. We're on a lunch break, so it's totally fine to joke around like this. "I meant that there's literally no chemistry between us, we know close to nothing about each other, I don't even know where he works or what he does for a living. He doesn't know that about me either--" "Stop talking like a child, May. Y'all don't need to know nothing about each other before you're smashing against a wall or kitchen counter." She pops a chip in her mouth and eyes me. "You ain't even got the rizz to seduce him." I blink. "What's that?" She throws her hands up in frustration. "Asexual. We've got to fix this, asap." I reach for the box of chips, but she pushes it out of my reach. She then wipes her hands on the tissue and starts to reach for me. By reach for me, I mean, she's reaching for my chest, loosening a few buttons to show cleavage. "You've got the body. We just need to work on the attitude, and maybe teach you how to talk the talk." My stare is one of confusion. What in the world is she talking about? Talk...the talk? She slurps on her slushie before continuing. "But before we proceed, we need to know he's worth it. Where do y'all live?" I tell her and her jaw suddenly drops. She's looking at me funny, and her eyes have widened to the size of saucers. She fishes out her phone from her pocket and types in something pretty fast. And then she shows me the screen and my jaw drops. I'm staring at Ethan Chase's home and I'm seeing a lot of zeroes. Way too many zeroes behind that seventy-five. "That can't be real," I say, my heart pounding in my chest. Thoughts race through my head. Ethan had looked sophisticated when we first met, but he was so down to earth and never gave off the vibe that he was...a multi-billionaire. Even the decor of his home, howbeit tasteful and unique was toned down to exude simple, yet elegant. What does he do for a living to spend that much on one house? Am I safe? Do I even want to find out what the price of our couch is? "It is real. Except this isn't your house." I look at the picture again. It is. Ginny squeals again, gripping my shoulders. "You've hit the jackpot, May!" That is seriously the last thing on my mind. One of the reasons why I'd felt comfortable around Ethan was because I thought he was...simple. Not too much for me to keep up with. Now, I feel like I've been hit with something heavy. Damn, why had he proposed marriage? He could even buy a woman's affection if he wanted to. Why me? Why penniless May, who doesn't have shit to her name other than a few bucks I earn from here? It makes no sense. Ginny notices the shift in my mood and the panic in my eyes. "May? What's wrong?" "It's just...this is a lot..." My voice trails off as I massage my forehead with my thumb. Just who have I gotten married to? Ginny chuckles. "That should be the least of your concerns. If it was me, I'd be looking for a way to get my name on his property deeds. Maybe even get a fancy black credit card from him!" I cut her a sharp look. "You know I don't move that way, Ginny, and I don't give a shit about his money. I'd rather save whatever penny I can for however long it takes and get what I need, than take from him." Ginny raises her hands in surrender. "Chill out, I was just kidding." I know that, but my chest feels too tight and my head is spinning from all this information. "I'll be right back," I murmur, heading out to get some air.