My Arranged Marriage

Chapter 9

From Clark's Point of View

I play back our first time together while I sit in my office. I am biting the end of my pen, fantasizing about Zachary.I shake my head when there's a knock on the door, "come in."Stef peeks in, "Mr. Adler, sir, your 10:30 is here and also I let Zachary know that you have a lunch meeting today like you asked."I brush back a strand of my hair, "show them in."I clear my untouched paperwork from desk, slipping it into my needs worked on drawer. I lay a pen with my business name on it on the desk.A man enters and I shake his hand, "hello, I'm Mr. Adler."He shakes my hand back, "I'm Jackson Smith."Ever since Zachary's friend Jackson tried to assault him the name Jackson makes me a little irrationally angry but only for a second at a time.I motion for him to sit and we go over the paperwork.I am in my zone and then my phone rings.I look at it, "I'm sorry I have to answer that. It's my husband."I move over to the window and answer, "hello Zachary."He mumbles at me.I clear my throat, "speak up. I can't hear you."He speaks clearly this time, "can I put the plug in me again?"I turn red, "yes that's okay. I'm in a meeting. I'll talk to you later."I hang up and move back to my desk still red.I didn't know I could still blush like this.I shake my head and return to the paperwork, "where were we?"We finish and then I have the lunch meeting.I find myself back in my office after lunch, thinking about Zachary.There's a knock on the door.I call, "come in."Steff steps in and shuts the door, "Mr. Adler?"I look up at her, "yeah Steff?"She looks like she's been crying.I motion for her to sit down, "sit Steff."I get up and go over to make her a tea.She watches me, "I'm sorry for being like this at work. My husband just stopped by and told me he's with some slut and wants a divorce. Really inconsiderate to tell me at work."I bring us over both a cup of tea, "Steff you don't have to apologize for crying at work. I have been distracted all day and haven't done anything except work through my meetings. As far as the scum bag cheater, fuck him. Take him for everything he has."She takes the tea, "I don't want everything he has. I want my husband. I wanted him to be loyal."I sit in my chair, holding my tea, "well Steff you're a wonderful woman and if he doesn't value you that there are plenty of people who will."She sniffs and I push tissues across the desk to her, "why don't you come out with me and Zachary for dinner? Maybe call Ella in too. It'd be nice to hang out I think."She nods, "I think that would be nice."I call Zachary, "hey, we are going out for dinner, babe."He is panting, "where are we going?"I bite my lip softly, "where would you like to go?"He thinks for a minute, "maybe that place that we went on the night that you asked me to marry you?"I agree, "I'll make us reservations babe."He giggles softly, "babe now then?"I smile, "well I can stop calling you babe if there is something else, you'd like me to call you."He sounds happy, "I like babe. Are you coming home tonight before we go out?"His question sounds hopeful and a little playful.I smile, "I'll come home and we can go out for a little bit later of a dinner. I'll make reservations."He hangs up after he has confirmation that I am coming home.I make the reservations, which takes a little bribing because of the short notice.When I get home, Zachary is covered in paint. He is humming and swaying his hips. He must have not noticed I have come in.I come over to him quietly and slap his ass. He jumps a little.He turns to face me, "Clark, don't sneak up on me like that."I lean down and kiss him, "is this what you were doing earlier when you were panting?"He kisses back slowly, "yes. I was up on the ladder and hurried down to answer the phone."He bites his lip, looking at my suit jacket sleeve that now has a small smear of paint, "I'm sorry about that."I look at it and smile a little, "it's just a jacket, babe. Don't worry about it."He looks into my eyes, "I will buy you another."I grab his chin softly, "come shower with me handsome."He gathers his paint brushes and takes them to be washed. He washes them out in the bathroom sink.I strip down, discarding my clothes in the bin. I brush my hair back.We wash each other. He kisses me slowly while washing out my beard. I wrap my arms around him.I brush his wet hair back from his eyes, "you still have that plug in don't you?"He looks at me sweetly, "yeah."I turn off the water, stepping out. I wrap a towel around my waist and pull a warm towel from the towel warmer for Zachary.I watch as he wraps it around his waist.We make our way to the bedroom, and he gets in the closet. He chooses us both clothes. I watch him as he dries off and gets dressed.He stands in front of the mirror and ties his bow tie. I shake my head, dragging myself from my distraction. I slip on my clothes and Zachary ties my tie for me.He looks up at me and takes my left hand, "I love you."I stare into his eyes, gasping very softly, "Zachary, I love you."He looks teary eyed, "really?"I reach my right hand up and run my fingers over his cheek bone, "yes. I do babe."He sniffs and stands up on his tippy toes to kiss me and I give in willingly.We head out to dinner.