The Contract

CHAPTER 9

Marry me... Be my wife... Six months

Roman wasn't sure if she heard him right, his voice seemed like a distant echo, and his unblinking eyes that seemed to ask felt like laser rays

"Excuse me??" she said below a whisper

Erin licked his lips, clearly frustrated

"I need you to marry me..."

Roman coughed up a laugh, then quickly put her hand over her mouth

Why would Erin want to marry her, they didn't even get along, and she was sure as hell she wasn't in love with him but wouldn't mind sleeping with him, he was fine as hell

" Okay, maybe that came out wrong, I and my ex wife had issues prior to the divorce we had a week ago... She's a bit... Extreme... And i heard she's coming this way, which isn't good, and I need her to be convinced that I have moved on with someone else"

Damn

Roman thought

"six months? Married to you?"

Erin rolled his eyes

"it's not like there will be anything extra, plus... Consider it a job... I'll pay you, five zeroes on a cheque"

Roman's eyes went wide

"and you decide what number stands before those zeroes" Erin said with a smug smile, knowing he was winning

Roman's mouth fell open

She stammered for a few seconds thinking of what to say, she clearly needed that money for the hospital bills and all she had to do was marry this guy and fake it so his ex-wife would leave him alone
"Why?" she squeaked
"I need you, you need the money"

Roman nodded slowly, he knew what he was offering  was unavoidable

"Your wedding, my terms" She said, sticking her chin up knowing she still looked small and less intimidating than she intended to look

Erin grinned

"Okay"

Roman quickly went to  her living room and grabbed a pen and notebook then rushed back to the kitchen

She perched herself on a stool and flapped the notebook open on a fresh page

"This is going to be some sort of agreement" she said, writing the heading on the top

"no intimacy, of public display of affection unless necessary" she said as she jotted it down
She earned a nod from Erin
"It's going to be professional and nothing more than that"

Erin rolled his eyes but nodded in agreement

"Okay" she said
"No kissing me unless I allow you to"
"Consent" Erin pursed his lips and nodded

Roman read them again and nodded,

"Done" she chirped and wrote her signature underneath the terms and conditions

She then passed the pen and notebook to Erin

"Your turn"
"I don't need to write down anything, I only have one condition, You are staying in my house"
"The hell I am" Roman snatched her notebook from under his palm and closed it

"If we don't live in the same roof Natasha won't believe we are married, she's really smart, and like I said, she's very extreme,"

"okay" Roman groaned "sign it"

He didn't see the meaning in it all but did as he was told, he signed and returned the notebook

Roman went to put the notebook on the shelf and came back to the kitchen

"I'd better get going then" Erin said

Roman pursed her lips and looked up at him, he had his coat hanging on his shoulder already
She couldn't admit that she wanted to spend a little bit time with him

"have a nice day Roman" he said curtly and walked past her

Roman stood on her spot staring at the sink, where the dirty dishes should be, but they weren't, they were cleaned and neatly placed aside

"The heck" she gasped

She was just out of the kitchen for twenty seconds, how could he have done the dishes that quick
No part of him was even wet

Roman knew her day was so far over, she dragged herself upstairs and decided to read a book
As she laid on her back with the book open in her hands
Her eyelids got heavier and she quickly fell asleep with the book in her hands

Roman was feeling specifically good about this Monday, she didn't know why
She knew she was dressed for a good Monday, she whistled and greeted as she walked past her co-workers with Erin's coffee at hand

"A little overdressed for a coffee girl" Lorna teased as Roman walked by
"Good morning cactus" Roman chirped, waving her hand in dismissal as she walked into the elevator

As she dropped on the fifth floor, she saw the blinds in Erin's office were open, he was particularly early
Roman confidently walked towards his office and knocked then got in

"morning Boss" she said

Erin looked up at her and had to look away to avoid drooling on the perfect figure standing before him

Roman was quite disappointed that Erin showed so little interest, he didn't even respond to her greeting, but then she guess it was back to square one
It was only business
And she needed the money he offered to give, so it would be wise to be nice

She placed the coffee on the table and turned around to leave

"Roman?!"

Roman turned around, hands clasped at the back, Erin was still engrossed on the file he was studying
Not even bothering to look up at her

"Someone is going to come pick you up and take you for the fitting"
"w-wait, what fitting?" she asked

Erin finally looked up with an arched eyebrow

"The wedding dress, we are getting married this evening, I have already scheduled a court wedding, the sooner the better, Natasha is planning to surprise me and I don't want to be unprepared when she does appear..."

The money 

Roman quickly reminded herself and shut her mouth
She was going to do whatever he said, it was a fake wedding after all, and she didn't mind as long as she was getting paid exactly what she needed

" Okay" she said and walked out

Erin let out a breathe in his seat, he wondered how long he'd have to watch her walk away, or walk out of his office and not be able to grab her and have his way with her right there and then on his desk