Erik nodded. “Yes.”

She shook her head as the tears began to fall.

“You can’t cheat on me. I will already look like an idiot for marrying you.”

“What? So you want me to go without sex?” he asked in shock. “I gotta have sex, Piper. I’m a man.”

“I don’t care. You promise me right now that you will not cheat on me, or I’m not even going to consider this ridiculous proposal. I have my pride and reputation, too, and I will not have you ruin it with your man-whoring.”

Erik paused for a moment. Could he go without sex for several months? He didn’t really have a choice.

Glancing back at Piper, he said, “I promise.”

She choked on a sob and shook her head.

“This is insane,” she whispered.

“It really isn’t,” he said softly.

Still shaking her head, she muttered, “You don’t want this. Why do this to ourselves? There has to be another way.”

Erik shook his head. “There isn’t. This is the only option. I’ll pay you, if that would make it better.”

Offended at his suggestion, Piper angrily responded, “You can’t buy me. I don’t need or want your money.”

“Fine.” Erik threw his hands up in the air. “Please, Piper. I think this will help both of us out.”

“How is this helping me?” she asked, shaking her head. “It will only give me a headache.”

Erik thought for a moment. “Okay, maybe it is only helping me.”

“Yeah, it is,” Piper said, shaking her head. “I need some time to think.”

“We don’t have time,” he said emphatically.

“Why?”

Erik cleared his throat as he met her eyes. “My lawyer and agent are in the car, waiting with the paperwork. Afterward, we have an appointment at the justice of the peace to get this finalized.”

Is this guy serious? Piper was starting to worry and she knew she shouldn’t make any snap decisions. She needed to at least consult Audrey or someone else with a level head who would be able to help her sort through this—she knew her mind could not wrap around this, since some part of her was excited for the opportunity to be married to Erik. Maybe she could show him what he really was missing in not wanting to be with her for the long run. God, she was nuts.

“Are you serious?” she just had to ask. This was too crazy.

“Yes.”

“Oh my God,” she mumbled as she went to the window.

He watched as she looked out and when she saw he wasn’t kidding, her head fell forward in defeat.

“What if I say no?”

Erik swallowed loudly. “Then I’m f**ked.”

She turned slowly and then pinned him with her sad blue eyes.

“I should say no, just to get back at you for how you ended things with me. And knowing that this charade will end no better.”

Erik nodded. What could he say? It will end, this marriage will not be forever, and there won’t be any sex to keep us together. This was purely an arrangement to salvage their reputations and his career.

“I deserve that, but I don’t think you are that type of person.”

“I’m not,” she said as she blinked her eyes, “but Erik, I don’t know about this. It just doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

“Why? What could go wrong?”

Her eyes were so serious as she said, “Feelings could get in the way.”

Erik shook his head.

“Won’t happen. We both know going in that this is fake, no sex, and it will be over in no time. All we have to do is be mature and civilized and this will go easy.”

She looked away, and he knew it was because she felt something for him. She wasn’t worried about him falling for her; she was worried that she would fall for him.

“Piper, I’m not the guy for you. I am a dick, an ass**le, a man-whore, remember?” he said, trying to reassure her. “Living with me for the next couple of months will show you that you don’t want to be married to me. Don’t worry, we will leave with no hard feelings and maybe even be friends at the end of this. Up until this point all we’ve done is fight. Maybe we will work things out and we can be good parents for the baby.”

She looked up at him again and he knew he had her. He wasn’t lying, or trying to manipulate her. He meant every word. He wanted them to be civil and mature. He wanted them to get along for the baby’s sake, because more than likely, he was going to be a shitty father and would need Piper to be a good, devoted mom.

Whispering, she said, “Please don’t make a fool of me, or at least any more than you already have. I have my pride, too.”

Erik nodded. “I promise.”

“Okay,” she said, taking in a deep breath. “Bring in your people; let’s get this started.”

Erik couldn’t control himself; he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly in relief. When he parted from her, she was looking up at him with sad eyes. He sort of felt guilty but at the same time he knew he had to do this.

“Thank you. I promise this will go easy.”

Piper looked away and nodded.

“I only hope it will be easy when you leave.” She left the kitchen and started walking down the hall. “I need to use the bathroom. I’ll be back.”

He hated how sad she looked. She was worried about their future and he would be lying if he said that he wasn’t, too. When he left, it wouldn’t affect her at all. She would be glad to see him go. He had to make sure of that. He had hurt her enough.