Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“I want him gone,” Reg said. “Enough is enough. I get giving a guy a chance. I even respect it. But this is—”
“I’ll fire him today.” Bill’s look was murderous. “Jeremy, I’m truly sorry. I had no idea he’d do something like this.”
There was a time when Reg was sure Jeremy would have yelled and thrown a fit, but he didn’t do either. Instead he stepped closer to Reg, curling into his side, and said, “It’s okay. We all make mistakes.”
“Look at you,” Reg whispered, pushing Jeremy’s hair off his face.
“What?”
“You’re not mad.”
“Wouldn’t change anything, right?”
Dipping his head down, Reg brushed his lips over Jeremy’s. “That’s right.” He tugged Jeremy’s bottom lip between both of his before slanting their mouths together and taking the kiss deeper. When Jeremy’s heart was racing and his erection was pressing against Reg’s thigh, he realized it was time to stop and go somewhere more private, so he pulled his mouth away.
“We’re going to take off,” he said to Bill and then looked around the room. “Where’s Becky?”
“I told her we needed to talk about something confidential, so she left.”
Reg hadn’t heard that conversation, but then again, he’d been distracted.
“Will it take long?” Jeremy asked, sounding annoyed.
Reg smiled, loving how eager Jeremy was to be alone with him.
“No,” Bill said. “I just need you to sign a couple of papers.”
“Oh, okay.” Jeremy stepped over to Bill’s desk, where he’d laid out the papers and a pen. “What are they?”
“A prenuptial agreement,” Bill said.
Jeremy flinched and looked at Bill in horror. “I didn’t ask you to have a prenup prepared.”
“I realize that, but it’s my job to think of these things.”
“No.” Jeremy shook his head. “I don’t want that.”
Bill sighed. “It’s very standard language, Jeremy.”
Jeremy ignored him and looked at Reg. “This wasn’t my idea, and we’re not going to sign it. Don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried.” At least not about the document. Reg was, however, worried about how distraught Jeremy looked. He walked over to Jeremy and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. “What’s wrong?”
“Reg already signed it,” Bill said.
“What?” Jeremy shouted. “When?” He looked at Reg, pain in his eyes. “Why would you do that?”
Though he had no idea why Jeremy was so upset or what he’d done to cause it, Reg knew he had to make it better. “Yesterday, when you were in the studio and I was waiting in the lobby. Bill came by, talked to me, and I signed it. What’s wrong?”
“And you didn’t think to tell me?”
“You were excited to talk about your new song. Then we had dinner. I wanted to show you that house I found, and we were busy with that until your mother called and—” He took in a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I should have said something, but I didn’t realize it was a big deal. I figured that’s how things are done in your world.”
“That is how things are done in his world,” Bill confirmed. “Which is something you know very well, Jeremy. Your mother’s entered into enough of these things to keep a lawyer employed full-time. There is no reason to get hysterical. Reggie is well provided for in the event of termination and—”
“No!” Jeremy shouted. “No. No. No.” He lunged for the table, grabbed the papers, and started tearing them up.
“Jeremy!” Bill shouted. “Those were the originals with Reg’s signature.”
“Good.” He kept tearing. “They’re gone. It’s over.” He glared at Reg and held out a shaky finger. “You will not sign anything like this again.”
“Okay. I won’t.” Reg nodded quickly. “JJ, come here.” He opened his arms and whimpered in relief when Jeremy came to him. “I don’t know what I did wrong, but I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“I know.” Jeremy buried his face in Reg’s chest. “I shouldn’t have freaked out like that, but do you know what a prenup is for?”
“It’s to protect your assets when the marriage dissolves,” Bill supplied. “And like I’ve said repeatedly, it’s very standard.”
“When the marriage dissolves,” Jeremy repeated, not looking away from Reg. “Our marriage will not dissolve.”
“Of course it won’t,” Bill said, the sarcasm clear from his tone. “In which case the agreement is meaningless. But, in the very unlikely event things don’t work out—”
“I am not signing a prenup,” Jeremy growled as he rounded on Bill. “Reg is not signing a prenup. You work for me, and I am telling you to let it go.”
“Fine, but if you change your mi—”
“I’m not going to change my mind.” Looking at Reg, Jeremy lowered his voice. “Take me home. I don’t want to be here anymore.”
Reg nodded and led Jeremy out of Bill’s office. His mind was reeling, trying to understand exactly what was going on in Jeremy’s head. He’d figure it out later. They’d talk about it. But first, they needed to be alone. Jeremy was shaking apart, and Reg had a clawing need to hold him together.