The CEO's Contractual Wife

Olivia

I lay in the darkness, acutely aware of his presence beside me. Despite the enormous bed, I could feel the heat radiating from his body. I shifted, trying to get comfortable.

“Can’t sleep?” his voice came through the darkness.

“Just adjusting,” I replied. “It’s a new bed.”

“And a new husband,” he added, a smile in his voice.

“That too.”

Would it help if I moved to one of the guest rooms?”

The offer surprised me. “No, that’s… It’s fine. We’re adults. We can share a bed.”

Just because we can doesn’t mean we should,” he said. “I meant what I said on the plane. I can be patient.”

rolled onto my side to face him, though I could barely make out his silhouette in the dark. “Why did you really bring me here, Alexander? The whole island to ourselves, this massive bedroom… it feels like you expected more than sleep.”

I hoped,” he admitted. “But I didn’t expect. There’s a difference.”

What exactly did you hope for?”

felt him shift closer, his voice dropping lower. “I hoped you might realize how compatible we could be. In all ways.”

My heart pounded as his hand found mine under the covers. “This is moving very fast.”

‘We’re already married,” he pointed out. “Hard to move faster than that.”

I laughed despite myself. “You know what I mean.”

His thumb traced circles on my palm, sending shivers up my arm. “I do. And I’ll respect whatever pace you set. But I won’t pretend I don’t want you.”

need time to adjust to all this. The wedding, the

said, squeezing my hand once before releasing it. “Get some

whispered, grateful

“For what?”

“Not pushing.”

his smile. “I told you, I can be patient. Especially when the reward

compliment warmed me as I closed my eyes, exhaustion finally

the massive windows and the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs

1/3

Chapter 90

where I was,

remembered: honeymoon. Island.

bed empty, the sheets

to the windows and gasped at the view. In daylight, the panorama was even more spectacular; endless blue ocean meeting an equally blue sky, with lush greenery framing the

changed into shorts and a t–shirt from the carefully stocked closet and

main terrace, shirtless in board shorts, drinking coffee while reviewing something

said, his voice

not to stare at his chest, the defined muscles catching the morning sunlight. “Better than expected. The bed is

of being a Carter,” he said with a

‘God, yes. Please.”

poured me a cup from the silver

in the chair beside him. The coffee was

soon,” Alexander said, leaning back in his chair. “I told the chef to prepare a little of everything. Wasn’t sure what you’d be in the mood

Of course, Alexander Carter would have a chef, even

Paris but specializes in incorporating local ingredients.” Alexander sipped his coffee.

cue, a man in crisp white appeared at the terrace entrance. “Breakfast

stood, offering me his hand. “Shall

me to a different section of the terrace where