Possessive Fake Husband

“Any time. And good luck. I really hope you guys keep going and it all works out.”

“Me too. I’m not so confident, but I’m hopeful anyway.”

We chat a little more about her life with Dean, which sounds really good, and hang up. I sit outside for a few minutes before a noise over near the door surprises me. I look over and Josh is standing there, head tilted.

“Hey,” he says.

“Hey.” I stand up. “I thought you were at the office.”

“I was. But I wanted to come home and see you.”

I cock my head. “You said you have something for me.” I grin a little bit. “I like surprise presents, you know.”

“Good.” He grins right back. “Come in here.”

He disappears inside and I follow him into the kitchen. He picks up a small box from the counter and hands it to me.

“I know it’s nothing special,” he says as I open the box. “I was just passing this thrift store and saw it in the window. I don’t know why, but I thought of you, so I bought it on a total whim.”

I take out a necklace and suck in a sharp breath. It’s clearly old, two layers of pearls draped above each other, fastened on the right with a small diamond broach. “Oh my god,” I say.

“You like it?”

I hold it up to the light. The diamonds sparkle and the pearls still have an amazing luster. “It’s beautiful. I can’t take this.”

He laughs. “Come on.”

“It’s too much.”

“It’s not.” He steps closer. “I want you to know that you matter to me.”

“I know I do,” I say, shaking my head. I put it back into the box, trying to be gentle. It has to be at least fifty years old, probably older, just based on the style alone. “We’re helping each other.”

He shakes his head and puts his hand on mine. “No,” he says. “It’s more than just that. I need you to understand, Maggie. It’s about more than just our little game. If we keep going, despite what your aunt said yesterday, I need you to get that.”

I stare into his gorgeous, handsome eyes. “What do you mean?” I ask, my heart beating fast in my chest.

“I mean, I want you, Maggie. I want to do what’s best for you, not just for our little merger. So if you want to walk away from this, I’ll understand. I won’t fight you on it. But just know that I want you as much as I want this merger to go through… maybe even more.”

I bite my lip, staring at him, and a million thoughts cross my mind. I look down at the necklace in the box and I can almost hear my cousin’s words coming back to me again. My aunt will do anything to further her own goals… and I should do the same.

“Let’s keep going,” I whisper.

He frowns. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” I say. I step closer to him, get up on my toes and kiss his lips. His hands move around me, palms against the small of my back. He pulls me tight against him and kisses me deeper. I fall into that kiss and let all the stress, the uncertainty, I let it all pass away.

“Okay,” he whispers as we break apart. “We can do that.”

“Good.” I smile a little. “So, uh. How much was the necklace?”

He smirks. “Don’t be gauche. I thought you were raised better than that?”

“Come on. I’m so curious. A hundred?”

“More.” He kisses me.

“Two?”

“More.”

“Josh!”

He laughs and kisses me again. “Stop asking. You don’t want to know.”

I kiss him, running my fingers through his hair. I’ve never been given a gift like this before, and especially not without some special occasion.

He’s thinking about me. I don’t know why that sends a thrill through my body, but it does. He’s thinking about me enough that he’s buying me presents on a whim. It feels good to be in someone’s thoughts, so good.

And I can’t let that go.

It hits me hard, right in the chest. I can’t let that go.

I want to keep moving forward, despite my aunt, because this all feels so good. And I’m afraid that if we stop, then there’s no reason to stay married.

And I’ll lose him forever.

Maybe it’s a bad reason, but I don’t care. It’s my reason. It’s what I have.

I kiss him one last time. “Go back to work. You have planning to do.”

“I will.” He tilts his head. “But I want you to do something for me.”

“Yeah? What?”

“Go put that necklace on,” he whispers. “And only that necklace.”

“Okay,” I say slowly.

“Then take a picture. Take a bunch. Send them to me.”

“You want me to send you pictures of me wearing nothing but that necklace?”

He nods and kisses my neck. “Do it,” he says.

I blush and just nod my head. He squeezes my hand then turns and leaves the kitchen. “Send them soon,” he says. “Don’t keep me waiting all day.”