into her soft, blue eyes. “You don’t have to pretend you’re not interested in marriage anymore. I’m more than willing to marry you.”
Clarissa’s eyes snapped with blue fire at that statement. “So you thought I’d be so overwhelmed by your proposal that I would just completely change my mind and fall into wedding planning?” She pushed against his chest and stepped back, relieved when he allowed her the additional space. “Or were you just so arrogant that you thought all of my comments about not wanting to get married were a lie, or…” she gasped, “a way to trick you into proposing?” She hated the idea that he thought she was just playing games.
His amusement vanished immediately to be replaced by irritation. This cynical rejection wasn’t the reaction he’d been expecting at all. Max put his hands on his hips and glared right back. “Something along those lines, yes.”
“Well I hate to surprise you...” she started to say.
“Too late for that,” he interrupted.
“But I’m genuinely not interested in marrying. I don’t like marriages in our level of society. I’d rather stay single for the rest of my life than to be tied to a man who doesn’t love me and who is most likely in the relationship for a business reason.”
“You’re being ridiculous!”
“Am I?” she countered, not intimidated by him at all even though he was now towering over her, his glare enough to terrify anyone.
“You are. Every woman wants to get married and have children.”
“As I said to you last week,” she grated out, “I’m not one of those women so stop lumping all women into the same category. How would you like it if I did that to men? Perhaps I could say that any man who hadn’t been married by the time he was thirty two was probably gay? Would that make you feel good?”
Max rolled his eyes. “I think it is probably safe to say that I’m not gay.”
She shook her head in exasperation. “Max, you’re only proving my point!”
Crossing his arms over his chest in a very arrogant manner, he glared down at her. “I want you. You want me just as much. What’s the issue here?”
She couldn’t believe he was simplifying something so complicated. This wasn’t an itch that needed to be scratched. This was a life-long commitment that had repercussions on every aspect of their lives. She’d thought this through and wasn’t going to back down just because he wanted to show off his machismo.
“The issue is, I’m not going to marry!” she practically shouted at him. She took a deep breath trying to calm down. “Look Max. I don’t want to marry. I don’t want to be tied to a man who will most likely move on to the next woman just as easily as he buys a new car. I’ve seen it happen too often.” She paused to look around the room and put a little space between them. “Think about the people at my father’s birthday party two weeks ago. Can you name a single couple who is not on their second, or even third marriage?” she challenged. “And what about those who aren’t divorced yet, are the people in that marriage faithful to each other?”
Max was livid with her comments. “Are you saying I would violate my wedding vows?” he demanded.
Clarissa shook her head. “I don’t know you well enough to be able to say that, Max. What I am saying is that I want a relationship that is based on mutual attraction, respect and emotions. And I definitely want business to stay out of it. Most marriages in our circles are based on what each person can gain from the relationship instead of what each can give.” She looked at him pleadingly. “I just want to have an affair with you and leave the legalities out of the relationship. I honestly don’t want to end up cynical and hurt because I found out I couldn’t hold your attention, or never had it to begin with and I was only a negotiating tool. I’m not compromising on this.
Clarissa’s eyes snapped with blue fire at that statement. “So you thought I’d be so overwhelmed by your proposal that I would just completely change my mind and fall into wedding planning?” She pushed against his chest and stepped back, relieved when he allowed her the additional space. “Or were you just so arrogant that you thought all of my comments about not wanting to get married were a lie, or…” she gasped, “a way to trick you into proposing?” She hated the idea that he thought she was just playing games.
His amusement vanished immediately to be replaced by irritation. This cynical rejection wasn’t the reaction he’d been expecting at all. Max put his hands on his hips and glared right back. “Something along those lines, yes.”
“Well I hate to surprise you...” she started to say.
“Too late for that,” he interrupted.
“But I’m genuinely not interested in marrying. I don’t like marriages in our level of society. I’d rather stay single for the rest of my life than to be tied to a man who doesn’t love me and who is most likely in the relationship for a business reason.”
“You’re being ridiculous!”
“Am I?” she countered, not intimidated by him at all even though he was now towering over her, his glare enough to terrify anyone.
“You are. Every woman wants to get married and have children.”
“As I said to you last week,” she grated out, “I’m not one of those women so stop lumping all women into the same category. How would you like it if I did that to men? Perhaps I could say that any man who hadn’t been married by the time he was thirty two was probably gay? Would that make you feel good?”
Max rolled his eyes. “I think it is probably safe to say that I’m not gay.”
She shook her head in exasperation. “Max, you’re only proving my point!”
Crossing his arms over his chest in a very arrogant manner, he glared down at her. “I want you. You want me just as much. What’s the issue here?”
She couldn’t believe he was simplifying something so complicated. This wasn’t an itch that needed to be scratched. This was a life-long commitment that had repercussions on every aspect of their lives. She’d thought this through and wasn’t going to back down just because he wanted to show off his machismo.
“The issue is, I’m not going to marry!” she practically shouted at him. She took a deep breath trying to calm down. “Look Max. I don’t want to marry. I don’t want to be tied to a man who will most likely move on to the next woman just as easily as he buys a new car. I’ve seen it happen too often.” She paused to look around the room and put a little space between them. “Think about the people at my father’s birthday party two weeks ago. Can you name a single couple who is not on their second, or even third marriage?” she challenged. “And what about those who aren’t divorced yet, are the people in that marriage faithful to each other?”
Max was livid with her comments. “Are you saying I would violate my wedding vows?” he demanded.
Clarissa shook her head. “I don’t know you well enough to be able to say that, Max. What I am saying is that I want a relationship that is based on mutual attraction, respect and emotions. And I definitely want business to stay out of it. Most marriages in our circles are based on what each person can gain from the relationship instead of what each can give.” She looked at him pleadingly. “I just want to have an affair with you and leave the legalities out of the relationship. I honestly don’t want to end up cynical and hurt because I found out I couldn’t hold your attention, or never had it to begin with and I was only a negotiating tool. I’m not compromising on this.
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