CHAPTER 0012 Meadow's POV : The flight back to Seattle was quiet . The silence was unsettling . Infuriating . Alaric hadn't so much as glanced at me ever since we got in the jet . We were seated across from each other , but he was just focused on his laptop in front of him . Work , I suppose , but how could he act like he hadn't just made me cum with his fingers while maintaining eye contact all the way ? Because I couldn't . It was all I could think about . I'd never been touched that way by anyone before , which was completely absurd . Yes , I was a twenty- three year old woman who was in a relationship with a man for two entire years and we never did anything except kiss . I did give Tyler a blow job once though , but he'd stopped me halfway and said I was really bad at it . And yeah , he never touched me . And I didn't think anything of it because he said that he wanted to wait until we were married . Now that I thought of it , there had been so many red flags but I didn't pay heed . I was so stupidly in love that- " Don't ruin that pretty face with a frown , " Alaric said , his deep voice pulling me out of my thoughts . I raised my head to look at him , arching my brow when I realized that he'd set his laptop aside . " What's on your mind ? " " Nothing , " I replied too quickly . " Nothing ? " he echoed , leaning back in his seat . " I find that hard to believe . " My lips pulled tight . " Yeah , but I don't really want to talk about it , so why don't you just focus on your laptop or whatever you were doing ? " I didn't mean to snap at him , I swear . But it'd been a rough weekend for me . A really rough one . And then came a man who had vowed to take care of me but just made me come and went back to ignoring me . " Ah , I see ," he muttered , his lips twitching as he leaned forward . " You're upset with me . " " I'm not- " " Don't try to deny it . " His tone was curt as he cut me off . 314 CHAPTER 0012 +15 BONUS I heaved a sigh , looking away from him . My teeth bit down on my bottom lip as I contemplated telling him what was actually going on in my mind . And then I did . " It's just ... it's been a rough couple of days , you know ? " I shrugged . " I found out that my fiance whom I dated for two whole years wasn't even mine to begin with . That my sister hates me so much that she had to ... " I shook my head , the memories of them in the hotel room slamming into me . Hard . Tyler driving into her from under , Juniper moaning like a crazed woman , kissing him in front of me- Juniper had hurt me in more ways than I could count . Her hatred for me ran so deep , and all for a reason that I had no control over . She literally vowed to ruin my life because she wanted to see me break . " And then I meet you on the same night and I'm supposed to just ... marry a stranger because I want my virginity taken ? " Alaric didn't flinch . Not even a blink . He just sat there , watching me like I was a wild thing unraveling in front of him . Because I was . I rubbed my palms against my thighs , breathing out a shaky laugh . " I mean , who does that ? Who trades one life - altering mistake for another ? " I lowered my voice . " Who gets fingered in the backseat of a car and then boards a jet like nothing happened ? " " You did , " Alaric said calmly . I scowled . " That was rhetorical . " His lips curled only slightly . " You asked . I answered . " I wondered what he looked like when he smiled . Like a real , genuine smile with teeth . Not a smirk , or a lip twitch or a half smile . I hated how unbothered and composed he looked . Meanwhile , I was over here spiraling and aching and replaying every second of that moment in the SUV like it was tattooed behind my eyelids . " Seriously , though ... I don't get it . " My voice softened . " I don't think I'll ever understand why you'd want to marry a girl just because she can touch you . What if I was ... you know ... a killer or something ? " He let out a sharp breath , amusement swirling in his eyes . And I was so lost in those ink blue orbs that I didn't even realise I'd been staring until Alaric cleared his throat . " Clearly , you have a lot of questions that you won't stop asking " He paused , running a hand through his dark hair . " Fine . Ask me a question . But keep in mind that you have just one shot , and then no other 2/4 CHAPTER 0012 +15 BONUS questions until I get back from work and you decide whether you want to sign the contract or not . " I froze . " Contract ? What contract ? " His mouth twitched . " That was your one question , Meadow . " I crossed my arms in front of my chest , scowling at him . There had been something else I really wanted to know , but if he wanted me to follow his asshole rules , I would . " Whatever , Alaric . What contract are you talking about ? " His brows pulled together as he frowned . " You didn't think the only thing you'd be getting out of this marriage is the loss of your virginity and a couple of sex lessons , did you ? " Heat creeped up my neck . Alaric leaned in even more . " Marriage is a commitment , Meadow . And getting married to a stranger is an even bigger commitment . You'll be moving into my house , you'll be tied to my name , and you'll be under my protection . That comes with rules . And those rules need to be signed , in ink , " he paused . " With full consent . Sober consent , " he added , narrowing his eyes at me . I opened my mouth . Then shut it . Then I opened it again . Honestly ? I never even thought this far . " No one said anything about moving into your house , " I finally managed . Alaric's expression didn't change . " Where did you think you'd be going ? " I blinked . " Uh , my apartment ? " God , Meadow . You are so fucking dumb . Why did I think I'd be able to go back to the same apartment where Tyler lived ? " No , " Alaric said simply , like it was a full sentence . " From the moment I put that ring on your finger , you became my responsibility . You don't live alone . You don't pay rent . You don't worry about your groceries or security or whatever fucking idiot from your past might try to crawl back into your life . " His voice went deeper . " You live where I live . Because you're my wife . " I swallowed hard , feeling my chest tighten . " You're very ... uh ... bossy . " His mouth twitched again . " I prefer decisive . " Of course he did . " And this contract , " I pressed , unable to wrap my head around it , and aware of the fact that I was crossing the line of his so - called one - question limit . " Does it include , like , a list of what I can and can't do ? Do you 3/4 CHAPTER 0012 +15 BONUS expect me to cook ? Clean ? Bear children ? " I was kidding , of course . Well , only serious about the bearing children part . Alaric was a damn billionaire . I wasn't going to do a damn thing in that house . But Alaric's eyes flashed with something I couldn't read . " You'll see the contract for yourself soon , " he said , suddenly sitting back and grabbing his laptop again like we hadn't just been talking about the most life - altering legal agreement of my existence . " Mel has already prepared the guest suite for you . " " Mel ? " I echoed . " Guest suite ? " He gave me one final glance . " Until you decide what you want to be , that's what you are . My guest. " And just like that , he was done talking . And ... just like that , I came to a conclusion . Alaric Ashford was going to be the death of me . Title: Cohabitating Lover by CrushReel In the romantic tale "Cohabitating Lover," Corinne, a runaway bride still donned in her wedding attire, and Andre find themselves mistakenly tangled in a leasing office mix-up. Despite initial reluctance, they become unexpected roommates after a series of arguments lead to an unconventional living arrangement. Exploring themes of love, transformation, and the magnetic pull of opposites, this modern romance unfolds against the backdrop of a luxurious mansion and a high-powered office setting. As Corinne and Andre navigate their differences and shared living space, their individual glow-ups and personal growth intertwine in a heartwarming display of vulnerability and resilience. This sweet romance novel stands out for its portrayal of characters grappling with unexpected circumstances while discovering the true meaning of companionship. With a blend of CEO dynamics, modern settings, and the allure of opposites attracting, "Cohabitating Lover" offers readers a refreshing take on love and self-discovery. Escape into this ongoing story available to read at CrushReel for a captivating journey through the complexities of relationships and personal evolution.