Page 26 of Claimed By my Fake Husband

Her brows dip low, her expression darkening. "What?"

Dammit. Now I've made her nervous. "No, nothing you did. I just... I wasn't supposed to do that."

Tess snorts, rolling her eyes at herself. "Well, yeah. I'm pretty sure sex wasn't in the services contract I signed."

She's not wrong. But that's not what I meant, and if she's going to understand, I need to actually say it.

Fuck.

"No, I—ugh, sorry, this is weird to say out loud. I don't sleep with people. It's a rule. After some things happened in my past, I promised myself I'd keep every relationship strictly platonic."

Tess's eyes go wide, and my stomach drops. God, she's going to think I'm some kind of freak.

"Wait, what?" She pushes herself up to sit, brows furrowing. "Do you mean you had, like... a vow of celibacy?"

I hate this. I never thought I'd have to have this conversation, and it's already one of my least favorite ones ever.

"Self-imposed, but in a manner of speaking, yes. Sex complicates things. I needed to stay focused on the job."

"But," Tess narrows her eyes, glancing down at the bed and back up at me, "you decided to do it with me?"

If she'd said it any other way, the question might have stung. But her voice is full of genuine shock. Why me?

I lean over onto my elbow, looking up at her—those soft gray eyes, that full mouth—and nod.

"Yeah. I chose you. I've never even been tempted to break that promise before. Not until you."

Her eyes shimmer, and she sniffles, shaking her head. "Dammit, sorry. That's just... wow. But I get it, I think. I've never been interested in sex with anyone else. I actually thought I might be asexual. Guess I was just waiting for you."

Her words light me up like a struck match. I'm practically floating.

I was her first. The first lucky bastard to taste her, touch her, love her.

Because as much as that was fucking, it was more than that, too. I'm feeling something for Tess—something I never thought I'd find.

"Look, Tess, there's something between us. We both see it. But I want you to know I'm not looking to control your life. I know the 'tradwife' vibe of this whole neighborhood isn't you, and that's not what I want either."

"I swear, Logan, I couldn't pretend even if you asked. I've been independent since I was a kid. My parents are great, but they're content with quiet lives, no waves. I've never been that person."

I chuckle, nodding. "Trust me, I can tell. But we do need to talk about your late-night excursion. I want you to do your job. I do. But risks, Tess. You need to take them with your eyes open."

She sags back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling. After a moment, she sighs and nods, something unreadable crossing her face.

"You know," she says, tipping her head toward me, "I don't think about it like that. It's not that I see the risk and choose it anyway. It's more like... I can't imagine a world where anyone cares enough about me to bother. To attack me. To want me."

I want to argue, to shoot that down right away. But I don't. She's opening up, and I can tell it costs her.

"I'm a weird bean, Logan. Always was the loner kid with her nose in a book instead of talking to people. Easier to study them, track their patterns, catch the bad ones. I don't really have friends—just coworkers, acquaintances. I've never understood the rules of 'proper' society. I just see people hurting other people, breaking the rules that are supposed to protect us, and I have to do something."

There's a lot to unpack there, and a lot I recognize in myself. "I get it. Won't surprise you that I'm not exactly drowning in friendships either. My job is solitary. Maybe that's what works for us. We stay objective, get the job done. Even with your risk-blindness thrown in."

Tess laughs, rolling onto her side to face me, and something in her expression says more than words could. She's relaxed. Not on edge, not wound tight.

Just lying there. Smiling.

"Fair assessment. I can work on it. I think I'd like to, actually. If it comes with the chance of seeing where this goes." She glances down, shaking her head at herself. "I'm no dating expert, but... I think there's something here besides the fucking. God, that sounds bad. But yeah. Want to see what happens after the trial?"

I laugh—really laugh, loud and long overdue. "I agree, and I do. Fair warning, though, I've got baggage too. Military stuff, and since we're doing the heart-to-heart thing... some of this protectiveness comes from—fuck, this is hard."