The Six Month Contract

Say Yes

My phone goes off, like it has the hundred other times in the past twenty four hours.

Mum and dad expect me to fix this...like always.

Right now I have nothing. Absolutely nothing to keep this going. Nothing to protect us or even keep us safe.

This place, this residence park, my home. I'd have to say goodbye to all of it and only one person was standing between all of this. Rocky Hamilton.

I could say yes. That much I knew. But I couldn't sell myself. I was better than that.

Why Rocky needed a six month marriage contract was beyond me. Who would only want to be married for six months?

My throat tightens as my phone chimes. Please call us, it reads. A text from my parents.

Looking out the window, I watch the stallion brush its head against the grass. I'm about to lose this view and all the beauty that comes with it.

I'd have to move to the city and be stuck with my family, who although I love, are just way too much for me to deal with twenty four seven.

Picking my phone up, I send the one text I'll regret but I don't have a choice. We need to talk.

In less than a minute a reply comes through. My office, nine sharp tomorrow.

It can't be taken back now. I have done what I have done. Tomorrow I will be seeing Rocky again.

I don't know what I'll do and how I'll do it but I know that I am about to make a decision which will change my life forever.

I tuck my brown hair behind my ear and watch the waves fall across my lap as I take a seat by the window.

-------------

"Mr Hamilton has asked for you," his assistant tells me.

I tap my feet against the ground. Taking a deep breath, I wipe my sweaty hands on the chair.

"It's like a bandaid," I mutter under my breath. "Just do it quickly."

Standing up, I let Rocky's assistant guide me to his office. She hovers by the door for a second before turning and leaving me on my own.

Adjusting my navy blue pencil skirt, I place my hand on the door and swing it open.

"Good to see you actually showed up," Rocky says with his back towards me.

I hate it. The attitude. The cockiness. I hate it all. This guy has nothing going for him besides his looks.

Clearing my throat I take a few steps forward, enough to not be standing by the door but still be quite close that I could run if something went wrong.

Rocky turns to face me and whatever confidence I had seems to vanish. This is a terrible idea.

"Nervous?"

I shake my head. "No."

"You seem it," he says smirking in my direction.

"Can we talk?"

Rocky makes his way to me. "Isn't that what we're doing," he says, his fingers brushing against my arm.

I take a step back. "I mean about saving my family business."

He leans in, his breath now against my ear. "Marry me," he says. "That's all you got to do."

"I want to negotiate a few things," I whisper so quietly I'm sure he doesn't hear.

"What things?"

"Nothing will happen between us," I say taking a step back from him to further demonstrate my point.

He smiles. "That wouldn't be a fair deal," he says.

His hands wrap around my hips and he presses me against the door. "If you're my wife and I want to kiss you," he whispers against the side of my lip. "Then I will kiss you," he says brushing his lips against the edge of mine.

I freeze not knowing how to react to that.

"And like a normal husband and wife, other things are bound to happen...physical things."

I swallow. "I...I just...think...we need to rethink a few things."

I feel him laugh gently into my ear. "I quite like the current deal. So what do you say."

I'm about to lose everything I worked hard for.
My parents are about to lose everything they worked for.

"Fine," I whisper. "Six months."

Rocky smiles pulling back from me. "Well then," he says making his way to his desk.

Watching him pull a bright green folder out from the drawer, he places it on his desk and a pen on top. "Sign it."

I skim it no longer caring about what's on it. It's not like I could lose more than my family business.

Without wasting any more time, I sign the documents. Rocky's gaze is on me and I don't need to look at him to know that.

I place the pen by the folder and step back.

A smirk appears on Rocky's lips as he grabs the folder and closes it. He places it in the second draw of his desk and walks over to me.

My throat tightens and I don't want to know why.

His hands wrap around my waist and he smiles. "I guess I get to call you my wife now."

I freeze.

"I'll expect you to move into my place tonight," he says kissing the side of my neck. "See you then," Rocky says as he leaves his office.

I'm tempted then and there to rip the contract. He's left me alone in his office and I could easily destroy the document but part of me knows that I am not that kind of person.