with disbelief.
“I hate to point this out, but you married for something quite different from
love.”
“Yeah.
I did. But that wouldn’t have been my first choice,” she answered quietly.
“I
think you’ll find that our relationship is every bit as successful as these
others, where couples married for ‘love’.”
“We’re
done in three years,” Emma pointed out. “Nobody else I know has a time limit on
their marriage.”
Mason
shrugged. “Maybe they should. Maybe serial monogamy is a better deal than
people think.”
Emma
knew that it was a losing battle to fight this with Mason. She would never
convince him that love existed, or that it formed a strong basis for marriage.
Unless he ever felt it himself, he’d never believe in it. How sad, she thought.
But it was an important truth for her to remember - he wasn’t interested in a
real relationship. And since she didn't have power or money to rival his, the
only thing that he would see her providing in any relationship they formed was
sex. So she needed to be very careful that they steered clear of each other.
Physically, yes, but on her part, emotionally as well.
Mason
was just looking at her, watching the emotions crossing her face and wondering
how she could possibly be as good of a lawyer as she was when she was so easy
to read. He saw the frustration, the sadness, the resignation that their
relationship would never be more than it was. And for just a moment, he felt a
twinge of sadness too. But just a twinge, and just for a moment. While the
thought of a short-term relationship with her had crossed his mind, even from
when he had first laid eyes on her, he realized that he might need to back way
off. He had no interest at all in emotional involvement, and this woman had ‘emotional
involvement’ written all over her.
“I’d
better get back to work,” she said at last. “What time should I be ready on
Saturday?”
“7:00
will be fine. It’s not far.”
Pushing
herself away from the desk, she walked around to her chair. “Anything else, Mason?”
she asked.
“No.”
“Don’t
worry about Saturday night. We’ll pull it off,” she said quietly.
“I’m
not worried, Emma. If anyone can disarm my mother, it’s you.”
Emma
watched him go, her eyes wary. She knew that she had thrown him with her talk
of love. But there was no way that she could or would let him think that she
would ever get involved with anyone if she didn’t love them. And that included
her hot, sexy, and oh-so emotionless husband.
Emma
dressed carefully for the occasion, slipping into a sleeveless, long sage green
dress that fit her figure beautifully. It was conservative in the front, cut
just under her neckline, but it dipped lower in the back and draped softly to
her feet. She had added a pair of taupe-colored sandals with heels, and was carrying
a matching evening bag. Her jewelry was simple – a thin gold chain with a
single pearl hanging from a pendant, and matching earrings. She was just
slipping her earrings in when there was a knock on her door. She opened it and
glanced up at Mason, who looked stunningly handsome in his tuxedo. His frame
filled out the jacket in a way that made her catch her breath.
“Wow.
You look wonderful,” she said softly. “There’s just something about a man in a
black tux...”
He
smiled politely. “Thank you. And you look beautiful.”
“Thanks.
I think that might be more of a compliment if you didn’t sound so surprised,”
she grinned.
“You’re
a lovely woman, Emma.”
The
serious tone of his voice surprised her, but when Emma looked up at Mason, his
expression was neutral.
“Thank
you, Mason. That’s nice of you to say.”
“I’ve
had the car sent around. We’re using a driver this evening since the parking
situation around the venue is less than ideal. Do you need more time?”
“No.
Chaos is crated, and I’m ready whenever you are.”
Mason
looked over at the crate where Chaos was looking
“I hate to point this out, but you married for something quite different from
love.”
“Yeah.
I did. But that wouldn’t have been my first choice,” she answered quietly.
“I
think you’ll find that our relationship is every bit as successful as these
others, where couples married for ‘love’.”
“We’re
done in three years,” Emma pointed out. “Nobody else I know has a time limit on
their marriage.”
Mason
shrugged. “Maybe they should. Maybe serial monogamy is a better deal than
people think.”
Emma
knew that it was a losing battle to fight this with Mason. She would never
convince him that love existed, or that it formed a strong basis for marriage.
Unless he ever felt it himself, he’d never believe in it. How sad, she thought.
But it was an important truth for her to remember - he wasn’t interested in a
real relationship. And since she didn't have power or money to rival his, the
only thing that he would see her providing in any relationship they formed was
sex. So she needed to be very careful that they steered clear of each other.
Physically, yes, but on her part, emotionally as well.
Mason
was just looking at her, watching the emotions crossing her face and wondering
how she could possibly be as good of a lawyer as she was when she was so easy
to read. He saw the frustration, the sadness, the resignation that their
relationship would never be more than it was. And for just a moment, he felt a
twinge of sadness too. But just a twinge, and just for a moment. While the
thought of a short-term relationship with her had crossed his mind, even from
when he had first laid eyes on her, he realized that he might need to back way
off. He had no interest at all in emotional involvement, and this woman had ‘emotional
involvement’ written all over her.
“I’d
better get back to work,” she said at last. “What time should I be ready on
Saturday?”
“7:00
will be fine. It’s not far.”
Pushing
herself away from the desk, she walked around to her chair. “Anything else, Mason?”
she asked.
“No.”
“Don’t
worry about Saturday night. We’ll pull it off,” she said quietly.
“I’m
not worried, Emma. If anyone can disarm my mother, it’s you.”
Emma
watched him go, her eyes wary. She knew that she had thrown him with her talk
of love. But there was no way that she could or would let him think that she
would ever get involved with anyone if she didn’t love them. And that included
her hot, sexy, and oh-so emotionless husband.
Emma
dressed carefully for the occasion, slipping into a sleeveless, long sage green
dress that fit her figure beautifully. It was conservative in the front, cut
just under her neckline, but it dipped lower in the back and draped softly to
her feet. She had added a pair of taupe-colored sandals with heels, and was carrying
a matching evening bag. Her jewelry was simple – a thin gold chain with a
single pearl hanging from a pendant, and matching earrings. She was just
slipping her earrings in when there was a knock on her door. She opened it and
glanced up at Mason, who looked stunningly handsome in his tuxedo. His frame
filled out the jacket in a way that made her catch her breath.
“Wow.
You look wonderful,” she said softly. “There’s just something about a man in a
black tux...”
He
smiled politely. “Thank you. And you look beautiful.”
“Thanks.
I think that might be more of a compliment if you didn’t sound so surprised,”
she grinned.
“You’re
a lovely woman, Emma.”
The
serious tone of his voice surprised her, but when Emma looked up at Mason, his
expression was neutral.
“Thank
you, Mason. That’s nice of you to say.”
“I’ve
had the car sent around. We’re using a driver this evening since the parking
situation around the venue is less than ideal. Do you need more time?”
“No.
Chaos is crated, and I’m ready whenever you are.”
Mason
looked over at the crate where Chaos was looking
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