The CEO's Contractual Wife

Olivia

Claire reached over and squeezed my hand.

“Liv, nobody’s saying you should rush into anything,” she said gently. “But what happens when you’re both in the moment and can’t keep your hands off each other? Have you thought about that?”

I hadn’t. Well, I had, but not in ways I wanted to admit to my friends.

“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, I mumbled.

“That bridge might be a lot closer than you think,” Ariana said with a knowing smile. “Chemistry like that doesn’t stay bottled up forever.”

I took another sip of wine, avoiding their eyes. The truth was, I’d already had several moments with Alexander where my resolve had nearly crumbled. His scent, his touch, the way his voice dropped when we were alone…

“Can we please talk about something else?” I pleaded. “Anything else?”

“Fine,” Emilia conceded. “But just remember, Ryan the Rat doesn’t deserve another second of your mental energy. That bastard lost all rights to influence your future when he decided to screw Sophia at her own party.”

“On her dresser,” Claire added with disgust.

“While you were downstairs waiting for drinks,” Ariana finished.

I winced at the memory. “Thanks for the reminder.”

“We’re just saying,” Emilia continued, “don’t let what that jerk did hold you back from something potentially amazing.”

“Or someone potentially amazing,” Claire added with a wink.

“Alexander Carter is my boss,” I reminded them, conveniently leaving out the small detail about our contractual

arrangement.

“Who you’re dating,” Ariana pointed out. “Which makes the whole situation ten times hotter.”

I felt my cheeks flush. “You guys are impossible.”

“We’re your friends,” Emilia corrected. “And we want you to be happy.”

get laid,” Claire

spluttered, nearly choking

what, almost a few weeks since you caught Ryan? That’s practically a

measure our happiness by our

happiness and good sex aren’t

me from having to respond.

of wine.

1/3

Chapter 67

beginnings.” Emilia raised her glass. “And leaving cheating

I felt a wave of affection for these women. Despite their relentless teasing, they

can’t talk about Alexander, what should

the subject change. “It’s

details about her new role, and I relaxed into my seat, letting the conversation flow around me. For a blessed twenty minutes,

Until Emilia’s phone buzzed.

gasped, staring

we all asked in

at him as we exited some restaurant. His hand rested possessively on my lower back, and

was this taken?” Ariana asked, squinting

sighed. “We had

at Spago and didn’t tell us?” Claire looked

wasn’t a big

you’re dating one of the most powerful men in Los Angeles.

taking things

eyes are saying in this picture,” Ariana observed, zooming in. “He

the phone away. “Can we please

sighed dramatically. “But only

“Thank you.”

because I know you’ll tell

rolled my

she grinned. “Now,

Emilia flagged down our waitress, I felt my phone buzz in my purse. Probably Alexander, checking in as he often did during my

forward conspiratorially, “now that we’ve agreed not to talk about your steamy CEO situation, can we at least