Reluctant Consent Read Online Free PDF Page B

opened and Denise pulled herself upright, dropped her arm, forced her chin
up, and stepped out.  
      She shouldn’t have been surprised to
find Andrew waiting for her, but she wished he hadn’t.   She could have used the short walk to
the office door to add a little more steel to her spine.  
         He took her elbow and
brought her to a stop with gentle pressure.   She yanked away from him instinctively, but she did stop her
progress.
            Andrew leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead.   “Good morning, Denise.”   He smiled down at her.   “I’m going to take your arm again.”
             Denise breathed out through her nose, stuck her tongue in her cheek and
refrained from slamming her elbow into his gut.   Andrew cupped his hand around her elbow – probably
because he sensed what she wanted to do with it – and steered them into an
office.   A young woman sprang up
and rushed in front of her desk to greet them before zipping back towards the
door she protected.
         She rapped once, and
then pushed the door open.   “Mr.
Cross and his fiancé.”   Stepping
back, the woman gestured them into the room.  
         “My name is Denise Marrow.   Not ‘His fiancé’.”   Denise stated.  
           It was 2011 so the young woman rolled
her eyes as she returned to her desk. Wonder
if she’ll get a spanking?          
         Andrew grinned.   He dropped Denise’s elbow and crossed
the room, one hand at the small of her back -- herding me like a sheep - - the other shot out to shake the man’s
hand.
         “Denise Marrow,”
Andrew said.   “Charles Kincaid, my
lawyer.”
         Ignoring Kincaid’s
outstretched hand, Denise nodded curtly and plunked herself in a chair.
               “Allow me to
apologize for my fiancé,” Andrew said.   “This is a big step for us.”
           Denise
considered belting him with her bag for apologizing for her.   Probably a bad idea.   Her stomach wrapped itself in a series
of even more complicated knots.
           She knew
herself to be, by nature, charming and gracious. She enjoyed putting people at
ease. Now she had been deliberately rude to this man, and not for anything he
had done.   Not like her usual
self.   And now she was keeping her
mouth shut after being insulted.   Also not like her.   Welcome to my freaking future.   Passive aggression and sulking will be
my recourse.
          She tossed Mr.
Kincaid her most sincere high voltage smile and leaned across his desk, hand
outstretched.   “I am sorry, Mr. Kincaid.   I’m not angry at you.   I’m angry with ‘Mr. Meet My
Fiancé’. You’ll understand under the circumstances I can’t honestly say I’m
pleased to meet you.”
          Kincaid
couldn’t get his eyes down to his desk fast enough. “Well I am happy to meet
you, Ms. Marrow.   Congratulations
on your betrothal.”
         Andrew sat relaxed,
non-reacting in his chair.   “Denise
knows I want a prenuptial agreement, Charles.”
         Andrew turned to
Denise.   “However, this agreement
isn’t about money, Denise.”
         “No?” Denise raised
an eyebrow.  
         “If you want a
prenuptial agreement for financial matters I’d like you to contact your lawyer.
Ask her to work with Charles on it. I’ll sign anything you want. We’re here for
a different reason.”
         Andrew looked at her
and she promptly rolled her eyes. If Kincaid’s receptionist got to roll her
eyes at clients she damn well got to roll them at future husbands.   “Please don’t keep me in suspense.” She
kept her tone completely neutral tone still managing to insinuate how close to dozing
off she actually was.
        Andrew looked at Charles
who cleared his throat and reached for a file.   “I understand Denise that you and Andrew are entering into
what is commonly referred to as a Domestic Discipline Marriage.”   The lawyer