My Husband Wants An Open Marriage

CHAPTER 019: Hearts Are Mesrk To Be BrokenText property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"Only the best," I say, moving to pull out her chair for her. "And don't act like you're not impressed. You're practically drooling."

She scoffs, taking her seat. "I'm admiring the effort. There's a difference."

I sit across from her. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, princess."

I pour her a glass of champagne. Her eyes linger on me for a moment longer than they should, but I don't mind. It gives me a chance to admire her too. She's dressed simply, like she always is, but the way she's carrying herself right now is different. There's something lighter about her. Maybe it's the ocean air, or maybe it's because, for once, we're not talking about her disaster of a marriage or the fact that we're plotting her husband's entrapment.

"So," I say after a few bites of our meal, leaning back in my chair. "How's the yacht experience treating you so far?"

She finishes chewing, dabbing her lips with a napkin, and then looks at me. "It's alright, I guess, I mean, the view's not bad." Her eyes flick to the skyline, then back to me, and she smirks. "But I've seen better."

I chuckle. "Is that so? Maybe I'll have to up my game, then. What would impress you, Julie? Private jet? Helicopter ride over the city?"

She leans forward, resting her chin in her hand. "You'd have to try a little harder than that. I'm not as easy to impress as you think."

"Oh, I know," I say, my voice low. "That's what makes this so much fun."

She blushes, but she hides it behind a sip of her drink.

"Alright, seriously," she says, her tone shifting. "We've had our fun. We need to talk about the plan."

I blink. "The plan?"

Julie pulls out an iPad from her bag, her fingers swiping across the screen, all business now. "Yeah, you know, the fake relationship? The whole reason we're here?"

My chest tightens, though I'm not sure why. "Right," I say, leaning back. "The plan."

She nods, tapping something on the screen. "We need to get Ryan's attention. Make him jealous. But we can't overdo it, or he'll just brush it off as me being desperate. It has to be subtle. Calculated."

I watch her, barely hearing her words. She's serious now, all in on this ridiculous plan, and it's throwing me off. Just a few minutes ago, we were laughing, flirting, and now she's back to plotting how to win back the man who doesn't deserve her. The shift annoys me, and I don't know why. I shouldn't care.

"And what exactly do you want me to do?" I ask, forcing my voice to stay casual.

She glances at me, the corner of her mouth twitching. "Just be yourself."

I raise an eyebrow. "That's a dangerous advice."

"Not for this," she says. "I need you to be the Luke I met in that bar. Confident, charming, a little bit of a jerk, but in a good way. The kind of guy who makes women question their entire life decisions after one conversation."

CHAPTER 019: Hearts Are Meant To Be Broken

I let out a short laugh. "Sounds like you've got me all figured out."

She shrugs. "I've been studying."

My gaze lingers on her a second too long, and I feel that strange pull again. "And what about you?" I ask quietly. "What's your role in all this?"

Julie's fingers pause on the iPad, and for a brief moment, she seems to hesitate. But then she looks up, her expression unreadable. "I'll do whatever it takes to get Ryan to notice. Even if it means going the extra

mile."

And there it is. The reminder that this is all just pretend. A game. A way to get her husband back. I should be fine with that. Hell, I am fine with that. It's what I signed up for, isn't it?

But as I watch her, so determined, so focused on someone who isn't me, something inside me shifts. I don't want to be part of her game anymore. I want to be more than that. I want her to stop thinking about Ryan and start thinking about me. "Alright," I say, leaning forward, we'll play by your rules. But just know..."

She looks up. "Know what?".

"If we're faking this, I'm going to make damn sure it feels real."

CHAPTER 020. My Wife