by Sadie Grubor
"I want to leave." She headed toward the door.
Quickly, I jumped to stand in front of her.
"I don’t think so, fiancée." I stressed her new label.
She punched me in the stomach. The wind rush out of my body and I gasped for air. Hunched over in pain, she yelled.
“You’re a complete selfish, spoiled asshole!" She stomped up the stairs, disappearing into her room with a slam of the door.
Catching my breath, I stalked up the stairs and burst through her door.
"What the hell! You have seriously never heard of privacy, have you?" she screamed.
"I can’t believe you hit me!"
It was her turn to smirk. "Don’t treat me like I belong to you because, no matter what I agreed to, I am not a possession!" She moved to stand directly in front of me.
I scowled down at her.
"Don’t give me that look! You deserved everything you got, jerk. Now get out of my room!" She shoved my chest.
"No," I growled. "Not until you understand that there will be no outside arrangements with other men." Planting my feet, I refused to leave.
"Fine Aidan, what the fuck ever." Then she added "But the moment you run to some other woman or give in to someone’s interest, then it is fair game for me! What you can do, I get to do too." She smiled in her own victory.
"That’s fine." I smiled large. "My wife will be all I’ll need." Wrapping my arms around her waist, she growled and shoved me away.
"Oh, I don’t think so. You and your hand will have plenty of alone time." She smiled. "I’ll even make sure to get extra lotion when I fetch the groceries, dear hubby," she grinned with malice. "Unless you prefer lube?" She titled her head in an innocent manor before she batted her eyelashes.
"I think you forget that we will be having a child together, dear wife," I reminded. "That will involve physical interaction." I mimicked her head tilt and batting of eyes.
"Hmmm…well I think that is where invitro fertilization comes to play," she smiled.
"Hmm, but we have to consummate the marriage, my love, so trust me that once I make you scream my name, you will be begging for it again and again." I stepped closer. Arousal began to urge me on.
She took a step back, made a face like she was going to throw up. I furrowed my brow.
"Oh God, I’m going to be sick. Does that really work on women? Is that your pick up line?" Lilli’s fake illness turned to mirth.
"I only speak the truth," I shrugged. "Plus, I don’t have to pick any women up now that I’ll be married." Smiling, I walked out of her room.
Leaving her to cool off, I went back downstairs. In the kitchen, I pulled one of the menus out of a drawer and placed a delivery order. The local restaurant didn’t deliver but I had ways to convince people to do what I wanted.
Hoping the forty-five minutes apart calmed her down enough, so we could talk this out, I went upstairs to tell Lilli dinner arrived.
Turning the knob of her closed door, I found it locked. Huffing, I knocked a little too hard.
"What?" Her voice carried through the door.
"I ordered some food," I yelled at the closed door. "Open the door."
"No thanks," she shouted.
I sighed and ran my hand through my hair.
"Lilli, please open the door." I stood waiting. When it didn’t seem she was going to open up, I turned to go downstairs. Then the door opened. I spun back around.
"Hey," I said.
"Hey," she mumbled.
"I ordered delivery, please come down and eat. I think we should talk some more." She was lost in thought for a moment and then nodded before following me down the stairs.
"Do you really eat this much?" She looked around at the twenty different containers placed out on the counter.
I rubbed the back of my head.
"I...uh...wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got a bunch of different things." She looked to me with a shocked expression.
"You ordered all of this because you didn’t know what I liked?" I nodded. "You are crazy, aren’t you?" she laughed.
I was glad to hear her laugh after our heavy argument.
"Um, take what you want. Do you want a beer?" I opened the refrigerator.
"Uh…no, I’ll just drink water," She began looking through cabinets. "Do you own glasses?"
Reaching over her head, I opened a cabinet with all the cups.
"Thanks," she said quietly.
We grabbed some food and sat down in the living room. After eating in silence for about fifteen minutes, I placed my food down on the table.
"Look, I don’t want to argue all the time and I don’t want any misunderstandings of our arrangement either." She sipped at the water and then placed her stuff on the coffee table too.
"I agree. I think we should talk and there should be some rules or guidelines established."
I raised my eyebrow. "Rules and guidelines?"
"Yep," her face serious, "For example: privacy and personal space," she raised her brow.
I smiled.
"You don’t get to just barge into my room. You knock and wait for response."
I nodded, agreeing because soon enough we would be sharing a bedroom. I would have any right to walk in if I wanted to.
"That includes bathrooms." She added. I nodded a little more hesitantly. This means no accidental walk-ins while she was showering. Damn!
"My turn," I grinned.
She nodded for me to go.
"No outside relationships with people. I do not want to risk losing everything. I’m trying to gain and keep."
She nodded reluctantly.
"So, we need to talk about the physical aspect of this arrangement."
She stiffened.
Damn did she really not want to be physical with me at all? Didn’t she feel that pull between us?
She cleared her throat.
"Aidan, I don’t see how a physical relationship is going to work." She sighed. "I already feel like an overpriced whore and that just confirms—"
"You’re not a whore," I shouted, but then got control of my temper. "We have an arrangement for marriage. I’m not paying you to have sex with me. But, part of that agreement is to have a child, so physical aspects will come into play. Also, when we are out in public I don’t want to look like we aren’t married, so hand holding, kissing, hugging, touching each other has to be gotten used to."
She went to say something but closed her mouth. I continued.
"Lilli," I sighed out. "I know I cannot go four years without a physical relationship, if I don’t have to. Honestly, I don’t feel I need to."
I watched her sigh heavily and pick up her food. She started eating again without saying a word.
"Well?"
"I’m not going to just sleep with you because we have an arrangement. You need a kid. Well we will talk about it and figure it out when that time comes." She sighed again. "I am not going to just allow you to pull me around like a caveman and put your lips, hands or anything else all over me when you feel like it." She pinned me with her eyes.
"Okay, but you’ll have to deal with touching in public," I threw out there, again.
"Fine, touching, not groping." She countered.
A nod of my head confirmed our deal.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Monday arrived quickly the next day and I was up and out the door without one hint that Lilli was awake. I left keys to the apartment, a credit card and a note.
The day at work was going along fine until around lunch time when my Uncle Henry burst into the office.
"Is it true? You did it?" His face was part anticipation and part hope.
"If you mean did I get engaged, then yes, it’s true," I sat back in my chair as he approached the desk. A smile spread across his face.
"Aidan, my boy, you are…oh hell…you know what you are," he chuckled. "Congratulations on the engagement! When is the wedding, this weekend?"
"No, Viola wants to have a more formal wedding." I shrugged. "So
she is planning something for next month. I’m sure you will receive your invitation in a few days. You know Vi," Then a thought struck me. "Besides Uncle, James wedding is next weekend."
"Oh I know, but hell my boy, you shouldn’t wait. Seal the deal and get an heir." He advised. He must have seen my expression change at the mention of heir. "Is she already with child?" The look in his eye told me he would be impressed if she was.
And who says with child?
"Uh…no," I furrowed my brow. "I just have to do a little more ‘convincing’ with the heir part of the conditions, but…"
"You mean you are getting married to a woman who isn’t going to give you a child? Aidan are you...?"
"I didn’t say that, I just need to do a little more convincing with her. She needs a little more time to get used to the idea, that’s all." I shrugged again.
"Aidan! To marry is great, but in order to keep this company we need an heir. You need to start working on that immediately!" He was panicking.
"Henry," I stood behind my desk. "I am well aware of the conditions and I am not taking a chance. I will have an heir conceived within the time necessary but I can’t force her to…"
"Like hell you can’t," he argued.
"I may be, and do, a lot of things, but that is not one of them," I spat.
"Are you at least going to go to a doctor before you get married, to ensure you are both healthy and able to conceive a child?"
He was referring to Lilli more so than me and it bothered me, but to be honest he did have a point. I would have to make arrangements for the both of us. If I get a clean bill of health, maybe I would have a better chance of convincing Lilli to sex and conceiving.
"Yes, we’ll be going to a doctor but that’s none of your concern."
"Well, I at least hope you will be going to the family doctor." He stood tall and proud.
"Of course," I sighed.
"Well, then…I hope for all of our sakes you produce a child soon." His badgering started to wear on me. "Good day, Aidan," he nodded and left the office.
Collapsing into my chair, I exhaled.
"Fuck." I picked up the phone and placed a call to the doctor’s office.
Finally, I was able to leave the office around nine o’clock. When I arrived home it was dark and quiet in the apartment. That’s when I remembered Lilli was at work. Getting a beer from the fridge, I then made my way over to the couch. Grabbing the TV remote, I got comfortable and settled in for some ESPN highlights.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Hey, Aidan…hey, wake up," First came a nudge, then a shove to my side. "Aidan!" Now two hands pushed at me. Christ those hands feel good.
Stretching, I grabbed the hands and rolled over. When a heavy weight landed on top of me, I jerked awake. With the movement, the weight disappeared. A thud resounded in the room.
"Jeesh, Aidan!"
That was Lilli’s voice.
"Oh shit, Lilli," I said groggily. "I’m sorry." Reaching down to help her up, she was already starting to stand.
"Remind me to never wake you up." She laughed and picked something up off the floor.
"Sorry," I rubbed my eyes. "I must’ve fallen asleep."
"Really? I thought you were just practicing your snoring technique," she giggled.
"I don’t snore."
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that, loser." She walked away with a large smile on her face.
"I don’t snore," I yelled.
"Okay, whatever you say," She giggled again.
I stood up and turned off the TV, heading upstairs myself.
"Did you tell them you were done working there?" I asked right before she was about to enter her room. She froze in her doorway. "Lilli?"
"Yeah?" She deflected.
"I’ll take that as a no," I sighed. "You need to tell them."
"I know," she said.
As she entered her room, I caught a glimpse of the creamy skin exposed by her barely there bar attire. Something primal boiled inside me, demanding for me to lock her in that room until she agreed to fully clothe herself in public. Instead, I went to my own room and lay in my own bed, thoughts of a scantily clad Lilli running through my head.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next morning Lilli was still sleeping and I was heading to work. I left a note telling her about the doctor’s appointments I had set up and when she needed to be there.
The next week went by quickly and without too much of grandfather’s will craziness. I had only one visit from my Uncle, which went about as well as the first visit. Then there was James and his adamant need for guy’s night before getting married.
Thursday night we met at my place. James arrived at my apartment just as I’d gotten home from work. We waited for the rest to show up.
"So where’s the fiancée?" James chuckled.
"She would be at work, dear cousin." I tossed him a beer.
"When’s the big day? I’m sure Viola is making sure there’s a wedding." He smiled, twisting the cap off his beer.
"Still waiting to find that out myself," I laughed just as there was a buzz at my door.
"Oz," I exclaimed, opening the door. "Good you could make it on such short notice." I patted his back as he walked in the door.
As I was closing the door, it was shoved back toward me.
"Not so fast fucker!" Dixon stood with his big thick arm propped against the door. "So, did she kick your ass?" He chuckled walking through the door.
"What?" I shut the door.
"Lilli. Did she kick your ass? Come on, I know she did something. This is my best friend we’re talking about." He plopped onto the sofa and put his feet on the coffee table.
"She threw a tantrum in front of the building," I shrugged.
He raised his eyebrow.
"Okay and she may have damaged my lip and punched me in the gut, but those were for another reason."
Dixon couldn’t hold back. Holding his stomach, he doubled over laughing. James and Oscar didn’t even try not to laugh. They joined right in.
"Okay assholes, who else are we waiting on and where the hell are we going?" I slouched down in a leather chair.
"Marcus and Jeremy should be here soon," James replied.
"I’ve got everything set up for our first stop of the evening," Dixon boisterously chuckled.
"And where would that be, pray tell?" Oscar asked between sips of his beer.
"The Bunny Tail." Dixon wiggled his brow.
I shook my head and laughed. Of course Dixon would take us straight to the strip club. This night should prove to be interesting. After Marcus and Jeremy arrived, we were on our way.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lilli
After Aidan’s message about the doctor appointment, I was a little irritated. But then I read his explanation that it’s a safety precaution for both of us. I decided to think of it as a decent gesture on his part.
I would prefer my own doctor but, clearly, I was supposed to go to the Iverson family doctor now. I sat in the waiting room for my name to be called.
"Lillian Snow," a small nurse appeared in a light blue scrub outfit.
Standing, I followed her to the small beige room. The all too familiar table with stirrups, overhead light, metal tray and inspirational posters decorated the room.
"Get undressed and put this on," she patted the light blue hospital gown lying on the exam table. "I’ll be back in a few minutes." She closed the door at her exit. I changed into the gown and waited for her return.
She returned and went through all the standards; temperature, blood pressure, questions, etc.
"You know, my friend mentioned something about a birth control pill where you only have a period every three months or something?" She nodded. "I would be interested in that."
"I’ll make a note and then you and the doctor can discuss it." She smiled before excusing herself, leaving me to wait on the doctor.
The doctor and nurse arrived later, conducting the whole exam. We discussed the pill and he wrot
e me the prescription, informing me that he could call it in to a pharmacy and it would be delivered. He guaranteed my privacy, which confused me. He realized this and explained.
"You are engaged to Mr. Iverson, correct?" I took a breath and nodded. "Well, I’m their family doctor because I can ensure your privacy will be upheld. I have confidence in the pharmacy I’m sending it to."
"I appreciate that but I can just pick it up today on my way to work." I really didn’t see the need for privacy in regards to my birth control pills.
He furrowed his brow.
"Um…well, which pharmacy is it, I could see if they will take the prescription from us and have it ready for you."
I nodded.
“Thanks.” I replied, giving him the name of a pharmacy close to work.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After a couple of days with the new pill, I was feeling a little off. Nausea, headache and light bleeding were just a couple of the side effects bringing about my bad mood tonight. Celia didn’t remember having such a severe reaction when she started the same pill.
Celia and I were really busy tonight. There seemed to be an obscene amount of people for a Thursday night. We’d been working our asses off when a loud group made their presence known.
"I’ll deal with them," Celia groaned. "It’s my turn and you are in no mood tonight."
"Nah, I’ll get them," Taking a deep breath in effort to clear my bad mood, I moved toward the end of the bar. "It’s the least I can do since I’m leaving you in a week."
"Don’t remind me." She pouted.
"Hey there sweetheart, can we get a round over here!" A tall guy with dark, spikey hair yelled.
Grabbing a bottle of Jack Daniels, I moved to stand before them. Sitting the bottle down, I grabbed shot glasses and lined them up.
"So, how is it I’ve been here before, quite a few times, but have never seen you?" He blatantly appraised my body.
"I don’t know." With a fake smile, I poured the whiskey. Closing my eyes, I gave myself a mental pep talk. Do not smash the bottle over his head. Do not smash the bottle over his head.
"Hmmm…" When he hummed, I opened my eyes. He was leaning over the bar looking straight down my top.
The crash of the JD bottle onto the top of the bar pulled his attention from my cleavage. His eyes then shot up to my face. A shameless grin spread across the smug bastard’s face.
