She sits on the edge of the bed and bounces experimentally. Her tits bounce too, and holy fucking hell, I don’t know how I’m going to survive the next few days of celibacy with her, let alone a year.
“This mattress is incredible,” she sighs, laying backwards on the duvet.
All I can think about is how much I’d like to pin her to that mattress, spread her legs, and consummate this marriage.
She’s going to leave in a year, I remind myself.You’re going to let her go. Don’t make it harder than it has to be.
I planned it this way, after all. Clean exit, no one gets hurt, no one loses anything they can’t recover from.
I look at her smiling on that bed and I’m already not sure that’s true.
“I’ll sleep on the floor,” I say.
“You absolutely will not sleep on the floor.” She pats the bed beside her. “It’s a king size.” She gives me a smile. “I know you’re a big guy, but I think you’ll fit.”
My cock jumps, suddenly all in on this line of discussion.
“You wanna unpack now?” I ask gruffly.
Unpacking doesn’t take long. I catch a glimpse of lacy, silky things Lila takes from her suitcase and puts in a drawer and make myself look away.
The sight of those lacy white panties last night took about five years off my life. That little bow, right above her ass crack? Fuckingdiabolical.
I wanted to undo that little bow with my teeth. I’ve been thinking about doing it for twelve hours straight.
“What’s the plan now?” Lila asks.
Before I can answer, my phone buzzes with a text message. Lila’s phone does the same.
It’s the Rhodes family group chat. Me, Tanner, Walker and Sadie, Rafe, and Josie, along with Dad. And now Dad added Lila too. Sadie’s just texted us a picture of Jonah grinning, his arms wrapped around Lucky, whose tongue is lolled out happily.
Sadie
You’re going to have some trouble getting your dog back. JoJo’s in love.
Walker and Sadie agreed to dogsit Lucky while we’re on our honeymoon, much to their son’s joy. Evidently the arrangement is working out for everyone.
Before I can text back a thank you, another text comes. This one from Dad.
Dad
Wedding photographer sent this. Happy honeymoon, newlyweds!
Another picture follows.
It’s me, kissing Lila at the altar. The picture turned out pretty damn incredible. Front and center, Lila and I are kissing deeply, locked in a passionate embrace. The mountains and sky radiate that amethyst glow all around us, but it’s her and I that I can’t look away from. We look like a true couple. Like a husband and wife in love on their wedding day.
Lila and I look up from our phones at the same time, staring at each other.
“It’s a really good picture,” Lila says quietly.
That’s an understatement. It’s the kind of picture you frame and keep on your nightstand the rest of your life.
“We should take a lot more pictures on this honeymoon,” I tell her. “For proof.”
“For proof,” she repeats softly.
Chapter 20
