Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65116 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65116 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“No.” I turned around and removed my tie and collared shirt. My foul mood couldn’t chase away the arousal I felt in that moment. My drunk wife was asking for sex, and I was happy to deliver. I took off my slacks and shoes then peeled off my boxers.
When I turned around, she was asleep.
Flat on her back with her hair a mess across the pillows, she’d fallen into a deep sleep almost instantly. Her lips were parted, and she gave a quiet snore because she was so tired.
I approached the bed and swallowed my disappointment. It would be easy for me to wake her up, but disturbing her seemed innately wrong. Even when she was a mess on the bed, she was still angelically beautiful. I grabbed each ankle and got her sparkly heels off before I pulled down the covers and tucked her in.
I took care of her just the way she took care of me.
That night, I’d been so embarrassed by my stupid behavior. I never allowed myself to be weak, to be in a position when I couldn’t take care of myself. I could barely walk, but my wife was by my side the entire time.
Now I did the same for her.
Marriage wasn’t just about fidelity and honesty. It was about being there for each other equally… I was starting to learn that.
I turned off the lights and got into bed beside her.
She wasn’t usually a snorer, but she started to snore like a water buffalo.
I lay in bed with my arm propped under my head as I stared at the ceiling. The party had been a success, and I’d found more partnerships than I’d expected to gain. But seeing my father there had thrown off my entire mood. He was the black cloud in my sky, the tick of a bomb about to explode. He was a nuisance that wouldn’t go away, a person determined to ruin the brighter moments of my life. Maybe all of that was about to change.
Or maybe it was about to get worse.
15
Arwen
The second I opened my eyes, I knew I was hungover. I wanted to pull the sheets over my head and ignore the sunlight poking through the curtains. The only reason I wanted to wake up was to pop a couple of pills and swallow them with a glass of water.
How much champagne did I drink last night?
When a knock sounded on the door, Maverick opened it, exchanged brief words with Abigail, and then returned to the bed. “Get up.”
“No…”
“You have to face the day sometime.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Abigail brought breakfast, including your favorite jam.”
My eyes opened. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” The weight of the bed tray dipped into the mattress beside me. “Now, get up and eat.”
I finally pulled the sheets down and cringed at the sunlight. “Why are all the blinds open…?”
“Because it’s noon.”
“You want me to go blind? When you were too drunk to function, I kept this place as dark as a planetarium.”
He stayed on the bed for a second as if he wanted to resist my request, but then he caved and walked to all the curtains and closed them.
“Much better.” I picked up a piece of toast and smeared jam across the bread.
He sat up in bed beside me, dressed in sweatpants without a shirt. His hair was styled like he’d already taken a shower and started his day. A cup of coffee was on the nightstand beside him, so he sipped it as he watched me eat. “Headache?”
“Three.”
“Three headaches?” he asked in bewilderment.
“Yes…it feels like three headaches.”
He grabbed the bottle off his nightstand and dropped a few pills into his hand. He placed them on the bed tray. “That should get you moving.”
I swallowed them dry then kept eating. There were also scrambled eggs and a couple of pancakes, but I only took a few bites because I wasn’t that hungry. I focused on the freshly baked toast and the jam that came from Abigail’s secret recipe. “Did you have a good time last night?”
He held the mug between his hands on his lap. “As good of a time as I could have.”
“I liked it, and not just because I didn’t have to sing.”
“And my father didn’t disgruntle you at all?” He brought his mug to his lips and took another drink.
“No. Did he disgruntle you?” I’d kept drinking throughout the night and never asked if Maverick had confronted his father. Caspian may be a dangerous man, but my instinct told me not to be afraid of him. He may be a terrible father, but he wouldn’t kill his son’s wife…even if he wanted to. He had the perfect opportunity in that bar, but he didn’t take it. He put his son first…because he loved him.
“We said a few things…then he walked away.”
“And what was said?”