Page 34 of The CEO

“And I told you, I don’t believe in divorce, so we would raise this child together. If you find someone else to marry, after the fact, you’ll have to decide what you really want. I will never give up my child. I’m not Sally.”

He clenched his jaw, then relaxed it. “I won’t ever want to marry someone else. I know you’re not Sally. You’re not Valerie either. I don’t believe you’ll ever cheat on me.” Adam ran a finger down her cheek and gave her a wan smile. “You don’t want me for my money and that makes me happy.”

No. I don’t want you for your money, but I want you very much. I want your love.

“Why did you really marry me, Bree?”

If only you knew how much I love you and have for the last two years, you would never have married me.

She pulled her head away from him and looked away. “I wanted a child. You know that I told you so. And you were my only way to get it.”

Adam shook his head and crossed his arms, showing off his muscled biceps. “You could have adopted. There are lots of children to adopt.”

Bree bit her lower lip before she spoke. “I suppose I could have, and perhaps we still will.”

He lifted his brows and widened his eyes. “Why should we adopt when we can have children of our own?”

“You know why. I’m not having sex with you again. It was a mistake, and I believe you took advantage of me.”

Adam waved his arm in dismissal. “Oh, don’t go there. You know you enjoyed what we did. You didn’t care at that moment whether I loved you or not. You were just as glad as I was not to be alone.” He paced away and back again. Stopping in front of her, he reached out .

She stepped back.

“You know as well as I do that you don’t want to sleep alone.” He reached out and cupped her cheek. “I just want to hold you. Nothing else will happen. I promise and when have you ever known me not to keep a promise?”

“Never. You always keep your promises.”

“This isn’t any different—no that’s not true. This is more important because I’m making the promise to you, and I will keep it…even if it kills me.”

A laugh burst forth from Bree. “Oh, sorry. I don’t know why that is funny, but something about the way you said it struck my funny bone.” She stopped and wiped her eyes, errant tears lurking there. “I believe you, Adam. I want to trust you and, for the most part, I do. It’s me I don’t trust. Me that I have to guard against.”

“You’re right, because if you come to me all warm and cuddly and want to make love, I will be happy to accommodate you.”

She looked down. “I know, and I’ll be happy about it in the moment and feeling stupid about it afterwards.”

He took her left hand in his and worried her wedding ring with his thumb. “You should never feel stupid after we make love. Never. We’re married now, Bree. I’m not sure what the future holds for us, but I hope it’s more children. Youdoremember how we get more children, don’t you?”

She rolled her eyes so far back in her head she should have fallen backwards with the movement. “I know how to make children; I just didn’t see it as a future for us.” She headed down to the kitchen.

Adam followed her, apparently eschewing clothes. “Honey, I didn’t either, but we can make the future what we want.”

“Not without love. I can’t do it. I know you don’t understand, but I need what I need, and that’s to be loved, wholly and completely.”

Adam dropped her hand. “You know I can’t do that. I refuse to let myself get into that situation again.”

She sat on one of the barstools at the kitchen’s island. “I know. I was there when that…witch…did what she did. You don’t have to feel that was all on you. She never loved you. She loved your money. It’s a good thing you had the prenup, or she would have taken you to the cleaners. There’s something else I should tell you.” She wrung her hands. “Brad said I should mind my own business, but I wish I hadn’t taken his advice.”

His eyebrows furrowing, he sat next to her and took her hand again. “What? You can tell me anything, Bree.”

“Okay. I knew Valerie was having an affair with Simon, even before you married. I’m sorry, I should have told you, but Brad said it wasn’t our business.”

Adam dropped her hand. “You knew. I thought you were my friend.”

“Dang it, I am your friend. I…I hoped she was ending it with Simon when I heard you were getting married. I didn’t find out she hadn’t until after the wedding, and by then it was too late. Besides, you were besotted with her. Would you even have believed me?”

His shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. “You’re right, I wouldn’t have. I would have thought it was some weird form of jealousy.”

She reached over to touch his arm.