Page 70 of Temporary Vows

“Come on in.” I wave a hand toward the door.

She follows me, falling in step at my side, and I catch a hint of vanilla in her scent.

I lead her inside, then we continue through the foyer. Elodie takes in the walls, the ceiling, the dark wood paneling, and I can't tell if she's impressed or unsettled. It’s probably a bit of both.

The house is its usual quiet at this hour. Albert should be the only member of staff left around. He likes to check in with me before he heads home.

We enter the living room. I take off my jacket and toss it over the arm chair.

"Sit." I gesture toward the sofa.

She does, crossing one ankle over the other, drawing my gaze to her legs. She’s wearing a skirt beneath her coat that stops mid-thigh.

Tearing my gaze away, I move toward the drinks cabinet.

She watches me the whole way. I grab the scotch and pour two glasses, filling them halfway, then head back to her, holding hers out for her to take.

"Drink." It’s not a question. She knows, so she takes it and knocks it back in one swig.

"Thank you." She swallows and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.

I lower myself in the chair opposite her and take a sip.

I'm not a nervous person. I've sat across from men who wanted me dead and kept my pulse at resting. Unlike her, I can do the same thing now.

"So, let’s hear it." I lean forward and take another sip. "You look like you have a lot of questions."

She sets the glass on the coffee table and lifts her chin, a spark of courage entering her eyes. "I'd like to accept the offer. But I have some terms of my own."

Okay. This is going well so far. She wants to accept. But Elodie Harper isn’t exactly in a position to be making demands, especially of me. Nevertheless, I’ll hear her out. There will be things she thought about that I won’t have. I just hope none of them have anything to do with Jack. "What are your terms?"

Her shoulders set, her jaw firms, and her hands still.

"I have three. The first is about my career," she starts. "I want to be able to pursue it with no interference. I've always wanted to be a teacher, and I'm close to the height of my career right now. In a few years, I could be head of the department if I stay on track. I don't want to give that up. Of course, um… having children would be an exception. I’d take breaks then, but I want to always work."

I’m impressed she’s thought about so much, even down to the children.

"I see no problem with that." I mean it. “I would never come between you and your career.”

Relief is evident on her face. “That’s great.”

"What else?”

She narrows her eyes. "What exactly did you mean by living separate lives?"

I don't answer immediately. I drain the rest of my drink and set the glass down. “It means we live under one roof as man and wife, but we can see other people.”

She stiffens. The whole idea must be completely against her, but she’s still looking at me like she’s interested.

“What happens if we find someone we want to be with?”

I lift my chin toward her. “You meanyou, little lamb.”

“Or you.”

“No. That’s not likely to happen to me, so let’s talk about you. If you find someone, we'll figure it out.”

“Just like that?”