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I reach for her hand, pulling it into my lap, unable to resist the physical warmth it provides "No It’s because I would have felt like I was cheating on you You deserved e to suck it intoher hand away, Sophie rises to her feet "You can’t say things like that" There’s anger in her eyes and I’hts and eh her head So I won’t try Sheto e to pull her close "I can’t lose you," I whisper "Not when I feel likepiece You were the cheese toshe reaze is pinned onthe tiht "I can’t do this, Colton I was developing real feelings for you"

Was? I know I’ is I shake the thought away, once again trying to convince e down et her to agree to the tern off on the divorce…"

"Wait You’re the one holding up the divorce?" Anger flashes in Sophie’s nore in her is unmistakable It’s like I’ve inadvertently tripped some wire and a bomb is about to detonate I take a hesitant step back

"Yes"

"But…I don’t understand…"

Fuck How do I explain this without further upsetting her?

"If I divorce her, she wins She’ll take half of everything, plus I’ll be ordered to pay her spousal support" It’s not about theup my millions will put my investment into the Africa project at risk It ame, hook, line and sinker Stella one, Colt zero But worse than that, the funding for the school, hospital and all the projects I had planned would be stopped dead in their tracks as al battle I won’t let my personal fuckup be the cause of soevery bit of le dollar to keep Stella in Manolo Blahniks while children go hungry Fuck no

"You…" Her eyes widen and then slam closed "You didn’t have a pre-nup, and now your male pride is too damn stubborn to take the hit financially" She blinks up at ht about the pre-nup, I was a fucking fool Twenty-four years old e tied the knot and thought I was in love But she’s wrong about the rest "This has nothing to do withhas been to wait her out, and co the divorce I won’t haveso stare and her rigid posture forceto end well After surviving Stella, I need a woood in the world I thought Sophie would be that wo breath and struggle to clear my head

Sophie oes to the farthat looks onto the courtyard below I cross the roo in the scent of her hair "Soph…" I

Spinning her to faceher porcelain cheek

"Don’t cry" I brush the dampness aith my thumb "You’re all I want The rest, Stella, the paperwork, I’ll figure it out I just need time And I need your faith in me" I don’t knohy that’s suddenly so important, but it is Her eyes drift closed and she doesn’t protest It’s a start

I’ve never groveled like this before, but I’ve also never felt quite as strongly about a woe to touch her, I runher s down to lower ainst her lips "You’re h lunch, but now that we’re alone, the beast is deet her to listen, and now the last thing I want to do is talk I’

Her ently kiss her full botto her sweet mouth with tender kisses

Her hands fist into push o froe that I haven’t lost her sends a thrill racing through ue pushes past her parted lips and caresses hers Godda erection in my pants remembers all too well

The need to taste her, to consu that there’s a bed in the next roo with possibilities I wantshe has to offer, but I force n of displeasure Her look is pure wanton lust