365 Days with Sexy Maia

Chapter 6

Rosianna stared at him, and he held her gaze. He realized he liked meeting her eyes—they were the most beautiful he’d ever seen. It felt as if he could read her through them. Despite her face showing clear displeasure at his question, there was a spark of interest, a hint of intrigue, in her eyes.

She started to speak but stopped when she noticed her assistant listening in. Tilting her head slightly to the side, she spoke while keeping her gaze fixed on Nathan.

“Sophia, mind waiting for me in the car and scheduling my meetings?”

“Your meetings have already been scheduled, ma’am,” the girl replied.

“Wait in the car then.”

Sophia glanced between Nathan and her boss, and, sensing the tension, quietly retreated into the dark-tinted car and shut the door behind her.

Rosianna shifted her weight, dragging her wedding dress irritably as she glared at Nathan.

“What s****l aspect of our lives do you want to discuss? I got the impression you didn’t want to sleep with me.”

He opened his mouth, then shut it again, stunned into silence.

“Which, now that I think about it, is fine. This isn’t a real marriage anyway—it’s purely for convenience. You’re free to have as many affairs as you want, as long as you’re discreet about them. I have three master bedrooms at home. You can pick one and decorate it however you like.”

She paused, her eyes sweeping over his body—not critically, but thoughtfully.

“I do find you attractive, though your sense of fashion could use an upgrade. But that’s it. You’re not going to force me to have s*x with you until I’m ready—or if I ever want to. Is that all?”

“Wow.” Nathan laughed, rubbing a hand over his nonexistent beard. “Are you always like this?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Always like what?”

“This ice-cold? Like a stone princess?”

“I’m not a stone princess,” Rosianna scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Is that all you wanted to ask?”

There were so many things he wanted to ask, but he decided this wasn’t the time or place. He wondered if she intended to rush to her meetings in her wedding dress and accuse everyone of dragging her from her wedding to attend a meeting that might not benefit her. It would be a clever business move, one that would quickly gain her the favor and position she needed. For a second, he imagined her walking down the halls of her huge company for everyone to see that she was now married and would soon be in position. He guessed that was all she ever wanted anyway.

“Yes, that’s all,” Nathan replied slowly. “Mind sharing contact information? I’ll need your number in case I have any questions.”

“Of course.” She took his phone and entered her number. “I already have yours. My grandfather snooped around and found it online. Don’t ask me how he managed that.”

A small smile crept onto his lips. “I’m not asking.”

“Good.”

When she handed the phone back, her expression had softened into a tiny, almost imperceptible smile. For a moment, she looked like she might give a heartfelt speech, but instead, she offered something simple.

“Nathan, thank you for being here. Really.”

Her gaze flicked to his lips, and for a second, he thought she might lean in for a kiss. But she pulled back, rapping on the car window instead. Her assistant immediately opened the door.

She grinned at Nathan as she stepped inside. “See you later, husband.”

He watched her drive away, a knot of apprehension tightening in his throat. How was he supposed to explain to everyone in his life that he was now married?

***********************************

When Nathan got home, laughter echoed from inside his house through the open windows. He instantly recognized the voices of his mother and sister. Those two were always in sync—whether it was entering his space unannounced or trying to set him up with women they deemed "eligible" for marriage. It was maddening.

There was a third voice inside, unfamiliar at first but oddly familiar, as though from a distant memory. He couldn’t quite place it.

“I’m home!” he called out as he entered, kicking off his shoes by the rack near the door before heading toward the living room.

And then he froze.

The third voice, the one he hadn’t recognized earlier, belonged to none other than Emma—the blind date who had thrown water at him the other day and later stalked his house just to insult him.

“Is this some kind of joke?” he barked, marching into the living room. “What the hell are you doing here?”

The laughter and chatter ceased abruptly. Emma shifted uncomfortably under his glare but managed a small smile as if attempting to pacify him.

“Nathan, darling,” she began smoothly, “I told you, our mothers are friends. When your mom mentioned she’d be visiting you today, I decided to tag along. I even brought you a gift to apologize for our last... encounter.” She gestured to a fancy bag sitting in the corner.

Nathan turned to his mother, who was smiling at him with a look of encouragement, clearly signaling he should accept the gesture. His sister, Aubrey, munched on a bag of chips, her eyes locked on him, her short hair framing her face as she nodded in agreement. It was clear they were all in favor of Emma’s presence, entirely unaware of how badly she had insulted him.

“I don’t want your stupid gift,” he snapped, his arms falling to his sides. “And I specifically told you never to come here again.”

“Nathan,” his mother, Evelyn, scolded with a polite but firm smile. “That’s no way to talk to someone—especially your future girlfriend.”

Emma perked up at Evelyn’s words, knowing now that she had support from his family members.

“Future girlfriend?” Nathan repeated with a scoff. He raised his left hand, showing off the ring on his finger. “I’m married!”

The silence that followed his declaration was heavy and speculative. Aubrey was the first to react, rushing over to grab his hand and inspect the ring in the light.

“What the…” she murmured, her wide eyes darting up to his face, filled with unspoken questions. “Is this some kind of prank?”

“You were just on a date with Emma!” Evelyn exclaimed. “When did you have time to get married?”

She pushed back her chair, nearly tripping as she stood and hurried over to examine the ring. “Is this... pure gold?”

“It’s a gold and sapphire ring,” Aubrey whispered in awe, her fingers brushing over it. She cast a sideways glance at Emma. “Emma could never beat that.”

Almost simultaneously, Evelyn and Aubrey turned toward Emma, who had risen from her seat.

“You told me you were single,” Emma hissed, her face red with disbelief.

Nathan pulled his hand back and nodded. “That was before. I got married this morning.”