BlueOnce Artemis finishes packing he turns to me where I’m still sitting on the bed looking at our agreement like it might bite me if I touch it again.“I need to talk to my business partner for a while. I’ll be in the office.” He glances my way and opens his mouth like he’s going to say something else but he walks out instead. I can’t understand the guy. His moods change faster than the Seattle weather and I don’t like it, but that’s something to deal with another time. Right now I need to call Diego. Unfortunately, I don’t have his personal number but since the café doesn’t close until nine I still have time to catch him. I pull out my brand-new phone and open the internet browser. In my little experience I’ve learned to use a few apps, but this one is still iffy. I type the small section on top and type in MONICA’S CAFÉ, hoping it will lead me to her website. Thankfully there is only one place under the name and from the pictures I can tell it’s right. I see the section where th
BlueArtemis leaves me again to make a few work calls and I decide to get ready for bed early. I shower and climb into our bed before eight. At some point I feel the bed dip but I ignore it and go back to sleep. My mind works over time while I sleep sending me nightmares of a different kind. Instead of reminders of my past they are glimpses of my future with Artemis. None of them end well. I haven’t been someone who believes dreams are glimpses into the future but these dreams are so posable that could easily be premonitions. When I finally wake up I wait to see if I can feel Artemis cuddling up against me again, but there’s no warmth. I roll onto my other side and see the other side of the bed empty. Did he even go to bed last night? I roll onto my back and sigh loudly. I don’t know how long I lay like that but the sound of my phone going off gets my attention. It’s sitting on the table next to me, so I roll over again to grab it. The screen lights up again and I see it’s a text fro
ArtemisI’m feeling off today. I have never gone into work unfocused more than I have since Blue entered my life. Now my mind is occupied with the word vomit of a confession I made to her last night. When I heard her flirting with someone on the phone I couldn’t help but lay claim to her. Once I told her how I felt I had hoped I would get more of a reaction out of her, but she didn’t give me much. She looked at me like she wasn’t sure if she could trust my words. It confused me and I had to leave the room to get a grip on myself. Working seemed to be a good distraction but it only proved more frustrating. I thought I had a breakthrough but when I ran a simulation there was still one mistake that traveled through everything and stalled the whole thing.This project has tested every part of my sanity, and here I thought I was a skilled coder, but this problem has me questioning that. I’ve considered reaching out to an acquaintance who is an amazing hacker. If anyone can find a weak poin
BlueWhile Artemis is talking on the phone, I take mine out and see a message from Liam. When I open it and see the full message, I know what Artemis’s call is about. Liam has sent his lawyer a revised version of our contract and arranged a meeting. “Let’s make the meeting today since Blue is already here. See you in an hour.” He ends the call and sets his phone face down on his desk. “We’re having a meeting between with our lawyers today. Which I find strange since you couldn’t have possibly found a lawyer that quick and afford one either.”I gape at him but only long enough for my anger to overpower my shock and I snap my mouth shut real quick. “I don’t need to be reminded that I have nothing other than what you generously offer me. I never asked for anything from you so far that you haven’t freely given. Do want these clothes back? Fine but return my stuff so at least I’ll have something that I paid for with my own money. I also have money stashed in there that should help me fee
ArtemisBlue walks in with a man I don’t recognize. He’s tall and good looking, and I hate him the second my eyes lay on him. Is this the man she’d been talking to? “Mr. Rhodes, it’s nice to put a face to the voice. I’m Liam-““I know who you are.” I don’t but I won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing a weakness in my knowledge. “Let’s just get this over with.” “Of course.” He smiles like we’re friends and it only makes my hatred for him grow. This is ridiculous! If I knew this was the lawyer Blue would have brought in I would have willingly spoken with her so that he would never get near her again. “This is my lawyer.” I point to my lawyer and they politely greet one another. “Take a seat.” Once we’re all seated the lawyers get right into the details of both of our contracts. “I think her choice of employment is a reasonable request. Mr. Rhodes should not put such restrictions on his wife.” Blue’s lawyer says. “He is not preventing her from working…”“No? Because that is wha
BlueShocked is the only word I can use to explain what just happened. Artemis had been glaring at Liam since we walked in and I was ready for him to say something assholeish, but he kept it some what civil. Well, civil in Artemis’s book. I didn’t expect him to ask me to write down a whole list of new rules. My old one had been longer and was mostly a jab at Artemis. The list I gave him this time were all the things I really want out of our relationship. I don’t want us to just be roommates who are married. No divorce was one of the things mentioned in Artemis’s contract, which I expected. As crazy as it sounds, I didn’t mind that bit, but if I’m never gong to get married again I want to be part of my husband’s life. Even if I have to make it happen with a contract. It can be pretend if he wants it to be, but I want to feel what marriage can be like even if it’s an act. Plus, Artemis is an enigma that I can’t help but want to learn more about. “Mr. Rhodes should we also discuss the
ArtemisAfter I all but push my lawyer out of my office Blue and I are alone again. There is an awkward tension in the air now that I’m not sure how to break. This, feeling tension between me and someone else, is very new. I may be older in year to Blue but I am as experienced as she is in relationships. It sounds pathetic given my age but this unfamiliar territory and I’ve been fucking things up a lot so far. “Well, that didn’t go as expected.” Blue says finally.I quirk my head and look her over. “You mean you expected another outcome by ambushing me with this meeting?” She drops her head and starts to fidget with her fingers. Shit. I meant it as a tease, but she looks like a scolded child right now. “Blue, I’m sorry. I was messing around. I’m not upset about the lawyer thing. Although I truly hate that bastard lawyer of yours and am considering a hitman to deal with that issue.”“Artemis!” I laugh at the fear and disbelief in her eyes. When she sees my smile, she shakes her he
BlueIn the seconds following Artemis asking if he can kiss me, I realize something. I cannot resist him. Everything about him makes me furious half the time but he’s looking at me now so intensely that my whole body suddenly comes alive. It doesn’t care about putting limits between us. All it wants is him and I feel betrayed! “Blue?” His voice is tight, and his body is stiff like he’s trying really hard not to move. I’m doing that to him. Someone wants me so badly that he has to forcefully hold back from taking what he wants. What we both want if I’m being honest with myself. I mean that kiss we had in front of the press was amazing, but it had been spontaneous. This kiss is going to be different I can already tell. There is a lot more tension between us and I know this is going to be the kiss that will officially change things between us. “Yes?” My voice comes out like a high-pitched squeak making Artemis smile like the smug bastard he is. “Nervous little Blue?” He asks. I roll