“Shop, entertain, go to lunch. Whatever women do while I work.”
“Wow, you know, that doesn’t sound sexist at all.”
“I’m trying to make your life easier,” he said.
“Then sign the papers and don’t threaten me with my son. That would make my life easier.”
“Not happening.”
“Wow, you know what, you really just don’t get it, do you? You don’t see that I don’t love you, or want to be with you anymore. You’re lost in your own thoughts and feelings, which is all you’ll ever be lost in because you don’t give anyone else a chance.” She shook her head. “I don’t have time for this. I’ve got work to do.”
She had to be far away from him.
These days she usually spent her time sewing or reading a book. Doing something relaxing. This weekend, she was going to have to spend it working.
“Where are you going?”
“To make sure my yard isn’t housing any jungle animals.” From the confused look on his face, she couldn’t help but smile. “I’m going to mow the lawn, but I wouldn’t want to get your pretty nails all muddy with a bit of hard work.”
Chapter Six
Wolfe didn’t mind hard work. He put in twenty-plus hour days when he needed to, slept in his office, and didn’t have much of a social life, all in the name of business. It’s what he did, and how he worked.
He folded up his sleeves. Some gardening wasn’t going to get the better of him, but when he walked outside, he saw the lawn was a tad overgrown. She already had out the lawn mower and was setting it up. Even though she was pissed at him now, he wasn’t going to let her hurt herself.
Rushing forward, he took over.
“I can handle mowing the lawn. Go and do whatever it is you need to do.”
“I can do this. I don’t need your help.”
“You’re getting it regardless. You want to keep pushing, I can prove to you just how much I can do.” He wasn’t just a guy who knew how to manage behind the desk. Mowing a lawn was something he did when he was younger. The gardener back home with his parents would let him mow the lawn as it helped him to think. Any troubles he had, he was able to see to them with the help of the constant back and forth motion.
“Fine.”
She stepped away from him, and he couldn’t resist admiring her ass.
If Rachel thought she was making his life difficult, she was sadly mistaken. He happened to like her sass, and it was turning him on.
Dealing with the mower, he began to work across the small yard. He started first by taking the thick off. By the time he’d done the first mowing, he was sweaty, and he removed his shirt, revealing the ink he’d gotten done as a kid. There was also a nice piece of ink down the inside of his arm, which Rachel hadn’t been able to see yet. He caught sight of her gaze as he revealed his body to her.
He didn’t make a big show of it, or point out her ogling. The last thing he wanted to do was make her hate him more, but play on her attraction to him.
She wanted him, even if she didn’t realize it yet. He was a not-so-patient person, but with Rachel, the moment he conquered her, the rewards would be so sweet. Five years ago, she’d been so … easy. Not for sex. She’d remained a virgin until their wedding night, but all it had taken was the right kind of words spoken to her, and she’d been putty in his hand. He didn’t mind for the most part. At the time of trying to win her over, he’d needed speed as he wanted her spot on the board. Her grandparents always passed it down to family members when they reached a certain age, and Mary, Alice, and Rachel only had to become eighteen to get it.
Her spot had passed down to him as part of her wedding gift to him. He’d manipulated her, so she’d sign it over to him, and well, he got what he wanted.
Now though, he didn’t want the divorce. His lawyer had been sent a copy of the papers. Rachel had known deep down he wouldn’t take the potential for divorce very well, and she’d gotten her family lawyer to pass them along to his. Now, he knew the full extent of the offer she was giving him.
She was offering shared custody of Benjamin. Their arrangement wouldn’t change. He’d get his position on the board, and he’d pay for their son’s education. That was it. The full extent of the agreement she was offering him. It was really generous. Even his lawyer believed he should take it.
There was only one tiny detail wrong with it. Rachel had asked for his complete agreement he wouldn’t meddle or cause trouble for any future love interest she might have, or children.