Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22109 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22109 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
The woman named Ashley continues, “I understand. You need to take her home, but I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.”
“Forget it, Ashley. I have never and will never fuck with you, so you might as well get over that shit.”
This time, Gray goes the other way and walks off with me still tucked under his arm. He seems mad, and I don’t say anything. I mean, what can I say?
We get to the bike, and wordlessly, I get on behind him and wrap my arms around him. I’m probably holding on to him a little tighter, but it’s okay because I have a reason to. The whole way back to the apartment, my mind is whirling with jealousy. I keep trying to put a different name on it, but when it all comes down to it, it’s jealousy. Plain and simple.
When he parks in front of the apartment, I thank him and make my way to the front door. I’m struggling to find the key when Gray stops next to me. He holds the light from his phone up, and it helps me find the key in the bottom of my purse. I force a smile onto my face. “Thanks, Gray.”
I get the door unlocked and all but bust inside, ready to get myself behind closed doors before I make a fool of myself. “Thanks again,” I say and am about to push the door closed when he puts his hand up to stop it.
“Are you okay?”
“Mmm-hmm,” I answer him. I’m biting back the words I want to say but obviously not hard enough. “I figure you need to get back to Ashley.” And damn, I even stretched out her name and said it in the snarkiest way possible.
Gray’s eyes widen, and then he smiles at me. He knows I’m jealous, and he’s smirking about it. I go to shut the door, and he stops it again. “Do you care if I come in?”
I inhale and let it out slowly. “It’s your apartment, you can do whatever you want.”
The smile drops from his face. “Don’t say that. This is your apartment. If you don’t want me to come in, you just have to say so.”
Damn it. He’s been nothing but nice to me, and I’m acting like a bitch just because some woman was throwing herself at him. I mean, can I blame the girl really?
I open the door all the way and stand back. “Come in, Gray. Please.”
He walks over the threshold, and I shut the door behind him. I take extra care in locking the door and putting my purse on the hook, trying to get my thoughts together. I smile when I turn to look at him. He’s watching my every move and asks, “Did you want to talk to me?”
I shrug. “About what?”
He goes over and sits on the couch, patting the cushion next to him. “Sit down. Let’s talk.”
I walk slowly toward the couch and sit down next to him. The smell of his woodsy, leathery, masculine scent fills my nose. “What do you want to talk about?”
He’s slow to answer as if he’s weighing his words. “Well, I just want to apologize for what Ashley said, and if she made you feel—”
I stop him. I definitely don’t want to talk about how Ashley made me feel. “Look, Gray, you don’t owe me any kind of explanation. We’re married but on paper only. I know that. Whatever you do...”
He turns in his seat and stops when his knee touches me. “I know this isn’t the most typical marriage, but there’s something I should probably let you in on.”
I lift my chin at him, preparing myself for what he’s about to say to me. Is he going to say he doesn’t need to deal with my jealousy? “What is it?”
He covers my hand with his. “I just want you to know that even though you said we’re only married on paper, I take our vows seriously. While we’re married, I won’t be with other women. Hell, I won’t even look at them. I would never betray you, and so whatever you’re thinking may happen with Ashley and me, stop. Nothing is going on there.”
I tilt my head. “Gray, you’ve sacrificed so much... you don’t owe—”
He stops me. “Don’t say it. Don’t say I don’t owe you anything. This isn’t about that. This is about the fact we’re married. You’re my wife, and as long as you’re my wife, you are the only woman I’ll be spending my time with.”
He barely gets the words all out and I’m reaching for him. I lean in and press my lips to his. I meant it to be a simple kiss, but instead of pulling back, I put my hands on his shoulders and deepen it. He doesn’t hesitate and puts his hands on my back, pulling me toward him. The kiss is everything, and it’s not until we eventually pull apart that I realize I’m sitting on his lap and his manhood is hard underneath me.