BY THE BOUND : I FALL

CHAPTER 4

You got mad because I interrupted your tennis match.”

“Ahh, I’m competitive. Sorry. I loathe losing, so I can get really rude if people disturb my concentration.”

“Good to know.”

“Taking notes for our marriage?”

“Definitely.”

Clifford shook his head. “This is really strange. Nobody from my friends is engaged yet, or even thinking about it.”

“I can’t say the same. It’s common in our world for people to be promised as kids or teens.”

“That’s what I hear.”

I could hear a hint of disapproval in his tone and it made me want to defend our way of living, but I held back. I didn’t want an argument on this day. “But we’re not officially engaged yet. We need to have an engagement party and an official announcement.”

“My father wants to wait until we’re both become mature.”

Vegas  had mentioned it. It was uncommon in our world to wait this long, especially if one party was as high profile as me.

“They make it out to be some kind of star-crossed lovers thing. Apparently, that’s what will sell this bond to the doubters,” Clifford continued.

“Who can resist true love against all odds?”

Clifford’s lips curled.

“You don’t believe in true love?”

“I only believe in things I can see.”

“ your parents don’t love each other?”

Clifford smiled in a disarming way. “Do your brother?”

I smiled in turn and looked around the room. Pete and vegas most definitely loved each other. Sharing family secrets was way too personal for us at this point. Though, I wasn’t sure I’d ever trust Clifford enough to divulge any secrets of importance to him. “I guess this is good for parties and for having girls over without being interrupted.”

Clifford tilted his head, watching me closely. “Jealous?”

I chuckled. “Not one bit.”

It was true. It didn’t feel as if Clifford were mine and I didn’t feel the desire to claim him as mine. That would probably come once we were married. Now the word jealousy only brought up one name: Nop.

He nodded but didn’t stop the staring. He seemed to want to figure me out. It would take him years to do so if I allowed it.

“Are you a virgin?”

I couldn’t believe he asked that. “What?” In our circles, it was offensive to ask a girl or boy something like that and to implicate that he might not be a virgin.

“Just curious. It’s none of my business anyway.”

“No?” I asked curiously, sauntering over to him. “Shouldn’t you guard me until our wedding night so I stay untouched?”

“Hell no,” Clifford exclaimed, looking honestly put off. “Waiting until marriage, where’s the fun?” He scanned me once more, lingering on my long legs. Today I’d picked an outfit I had designed myself and then let one of our maids who was a talented seamstress sew it for me. It was a cutesy blazer with flowy gossamer sleeves and a narrow waist with a silk and matching shorts that looked like a skirt. My legs looked particularly long in it and my high white shoe only helped.

“Ahh, you want to sample the goods in advance.”

“I want to sample plenty of goods, believe me, not just yours.”