Computer Geek Ch. 08

"Why don't you marry one of the gold-diggers you were telling me about?"

"I don't want any of them. I want a wife I can tolerate. I want you."

"Why me?" He hadn't even mentioned love and she feared he never would. How could she ever accept a one-sided relationship where she had all the feelings and he had all the control?

"At first I only wanted you because you seemed more occupied with computers than with money. I wanted someone different after being surrounded by women only wanting me for my money. But, after a while I realised you were kind of sexy and I wanted you in my bed as well. And then you overwhelmed me with your response and made the experience more pleasurable than I expected."

"You fucked me out of duty?" She felt vomit coming into her throat.

"I thought I had to, but then you made me crave you to the point of torture."

"So, all this," she flung out her hands in order to stress the point. "All the flowers, the presents, the dates, the skilful seductions in your office, all that were just means to an end, to induce me to marry you before the deadline?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for the rush. If I had more time I would have courted you properly."

He placed the ring on the coffee table and sat down in the chair beside her.

Kate felt her entire world collapse around her. Everything she had believed in had been a hoax. A stupid game to make her bow to his wishes and hand him the fortune that he wanted.

"So why tell me now? Why not continue the charade and lull me into believing you love me?"

"I care for you, never doubt that. And I wanted to be completely honest with you before we got married."

"But you don't love me?" she asked although she feared the answer to her question.

He paused a little, probably knowing that his answer was the crucial point of their conversation.

"No, I don't. Not yet," he finally admitted. "But I think we're a good match and I like having sex with you. You're just like me: a computer geek. Besides, there's no reason why this shouldn't turn into a love match given time," he said consolingly.

"If you only planned to stay married for a short time, you might as well go for one of the Barbie dolls," Kate challenged. "You seem to want a cold marriage."

"Not at all. I want to marry someone I like, and that I can stay married to for the rest of my life. Someone that likes a good rumble in the sack, and that can accept me spending a lot of time in front of a computer instead of attending parties and listening to people brag about their wealth. I think you'll be the perfect woman for me."

"What if I want some different kind of relationship?"

"Try me. I'm desperate, as I said. You can dictate whatever condition that you like as long as you will marry me."

"Whatever condition I want?"

"Sure, you just try me. A can agree to loads of pocket money, expensive presents and travels wherever you want to go, sex three times a day..." He smiled smugly at his last suggestion. "You just name them."

"You said that the stipulation demanded a love marriage. How do you plan to solve that?"

"We just have to convince my grandfather's old solicitor. No problem at all. We simply have to act our part for half an hour and the deal is done."

"I'm not sure I'm as good an actor as you are," she replied truthfully.

He looked slightly embarrassed as he caught her meaning. He placed his hand on hers.

"I will help you. I'll play the lovesick swine and you can settle for the blushing bride," he teased her.

She pushed his hand away, before moving farther away from him, trying to gain as much distance as she could between them.

"Did I insult you?" he wondered. "If so, I'm sorry."

She shook her head, trying to keep her tears from falling. She had to maintain her control for just a little longer. Her entire body tensed as she contemplated her possibilities.

"Just let me think for a while," Kate said as she turned away from him and walked over to the window.

She could hear Scott move to the other side of the room, giving her the space she had requested. What should she do? Her first thought was to throw him out of her apartment and her life. How could she have been so stupid as to think that he had feelings for her? But he'd seemed so sincere, so taken by her, and his almost constant hard on had convinced her that he wanted her.

Yes, he did want her. He couldn't fake his arousal. But why did he only want her body? She had never experienced that before. Usually the men only wanted her for her money, not her body. Maybe she should simply take him up on his offer and get herself a skilful bed partner for a few years' time? She was tired of being alone.

But could she live with him knowing he didn't love her back? He deserved a bit of suffering for fooling her, but at least he had the decency to tell her before she flung herself into marrying him. She would give him credit for that.

She only had two options: Either she could refuse him, but that meant she would never see him again. Or, she could marry him on her own conditions and see where it would lead them. So, either act the coward and choose the safe route, or flung herself headfirst into the unknown. She had always played safe and where had that left her? She straightened her stance and turned to meet her future.

"I will marry you," she declared as soon as she managed to control her voice enough.

"That's great. You're making me the happiest of men," he smiled at her.

"But...," she continued in a perfectly controlled voice. "Only on my conditions."

She looked straight at him, treating their relationship as if it was a business proposition. For many years, she had been a witness as to how her father used to run the board meetings, and she tried to adopt his skills as she made what could easily become the most important proposition of her life.

"Fire away," he flung out as he gave her a broad grin, before bending toward her as if he wanted to kiss her. She held her hand up, stopping him in his path.

"First, the marriage will last for a year only and if I decide I don't want to stay after that you'll give me a divorce."

"Sounds reasonable. It's a deal."

"Not so fast. My second condition is that there will be no sexual intercourse."

His eyes fired instantly.

"You can't be serious!"

"And the touching and fondling will be limited to what's needed to persuade the lawyer."

"Are you out of your mind? You like my touch, I know you do. Why not enjoy it while you can?"

"You can't have it all. My third condition is that you'll allow me to meet other men."

"What? No way! Why go somewhere else when I can give you all the pleasure that you want?"

"These are my conditions. Now, take it or leave it," she challenged as she wrapped her arms around her middle, awaiting his response.

The gauntlet had been thrown. Now it was up to him.

"How do you expect a marriage like that to last?" he said in a calm voice.

"I don't. That's what the first condition is covering."

"What if your feelings change along the way?"

"They won't," she assured him.

She already loved him, but staying with him in a loveless marriage was not an option. If he didn't love her after a year, she was better off alone. Now, all she had to do was to hide her feelings from him for that year and then she would be free. But at least she would have given it a try.

"What about my feelings?" Scott asked slowly.

"Do you have any at all?"

"Touché. I suppose I deserved that one."

There were a few minutes of complete silence as they both seemed to contemplate the situation. Kate walked over to her chair and sat down again. Scott followed and sat down opposite to her by the coffee table.

"Why won't you let me touch you?" he finally asked.

"I don't trust you anymore."

"But, you won't get anything out of the deal. Just let me give you what I can give."

"I don't want a male whore," she said truthfully.

"Is that how you see me?" His voice sounded harder than before, as if he tried his best to control his temper.

"What else would you call it? You're selling your body to a woman you do not love."

"I offered a companionship with lots of fun, conversation and sweaty sex. If I wanted to sell my body I would settle for a gold-digger."

"You can still change your mind about that," she offered. "I've just stated my conditions. It's up to you if you can live with them or not."

Scott rose suddenly and bent forward so that his face was only a few centimetres away from hers. She sank further back into the chair and he followed.

"Oh, I can handle it all right. The question is...," he said silkily. "Can you?"

Her breath caught in her throat and she stared up at him, suddenly worried what he would do to her. She had insulted him in every aspect she could think of, wanting him to feel a little of the hurt that was tormenting her body and mind. Had she gone too far?

"There's no reason to fear me," he smiled at her. "I never hurt women. I accept your conditions. We'll be married as soon as I can arrange it."

"Good," she said throatily, before she licked her dried lips. His eyes heated and glazed over with arousal.

"At least let me give you some money. You'll get nothing from the marriage if not."

"No. I don't want anything from you."

"Are you sure about that?" he asked as he gave her chest a thorough look.

She was breathing deeply because of his proximity and he seemed to rejoice at the revelation that he still had some power over her. She pushed him away and fled to stand in front of the window again.

"Stay away from me," she demanded.

"Too late. You forgot to include that in your conditions."

"I said that the touching should be kept at a minimum."

"I haven't touched you. You touched me. Besides, we're not married so the conditions are not valid yet," he proclaimed as he stalked toward her.

"Not even married and already you're breaking your promises. I want a written contract."

"And who would you choose as witnesses, eh? The rest of the world is supposed to think it's a marriage based on love."

"No, you said that only the lawyer had to be persuaded."

"You don't think he would listen to the people around us?"

"You can't do this to me."

"Oh, I can, and I will. I will make you so hot and bothered you'll be begging me to fuck you within a week," he stated arrogantly.

"I wouldn't bet on it," she returned as she stood as tall as she could and looked him straight in the eye.

"I know you and I know your body. I could give me so many orgasms you wouldn't be able to walk straight."

"Don't trouble yourself. My third condition will take care of that."

"You think another man can give you what I can?"

"All men have a cock. I'm sure there are plenty of other men that can use it to pleasure a woman. It's just a matter of testing to locate the right one." She could see that Scott was getting angrier as her suggestion sunk in. "Don't worry, I'll be discreet," she pronounced coldly as she awaited his reply.

Instead he put his words into action and grabbed her by her waist and pulled her toward him as he plundered her mouth. She stopped breathing at the unexpected assault and tried to push him away before her feelings overwhelmed her. Just as sudden he let her go. His breathing was erratic and his face was flustered. She had seldom seen him so out of control before.

"Don't tell me you won't regret losing what we have," he said heatedly, before he turned on his heels and walked away from her. "I'll arrange for the wedding within a week," he said before he closed the door behind him.

Oh, she would regret it. She already did. But her pride wouldn't allow her to give her body to a man that didn't love her. She felt the tears she had tried so hard to restrain begin to flow freely. Walking over to the front door, she locked it tight. If she was going to have a good cry she wouldn't leave him a chance to come back and watch. Her ego had taken enough damage for one day.

Why didn't he love her? She had felt so convinced that he wanted more than just her body. And so he did. He wanted her name as well, but only to gain more money. As if she hadn't experienced that so many times before. The only difference was that he wanted his own money and not hers, but the thought was of little consolation.

He was just another man thinking more about the money than the woman beside him. It seemed to be the bane of her existence. She hated money. And she hated Scott, or tried to. She feared it was of no use to convince herself. He had taken her love and thrown it in her face, as if it wasn't worth anything. That final thought opened up for a stream of tears and she flung herself on her bed while she cried her heart out.

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