Page 88 of The Bad Husband

Later, I tuck myself under the covers, naked, convinced that he won’t show up tonight.

The irony of it all.

15

LILA

I have a nice dream.

I’m lying on a beach. The water is hot. The sand is soft like butter. The edge of a dainty wave tickles my skin.

My first thought is that I fell asleep in the sun.

I wish I could wake up, but I can’t.

The water slides over my back, and I swat at it in my dream.

Then I hear Damon’s voice behind me.

“What did I tell you, Lila Skye?”

My dream gets whisked away as I push up with a gasp.

Standing next to the bed, Damon looks at me, his hands on his hips, his eyes tilted down.

“Did you just tickle me?” I ask, rubbing a hand over my sleepy eyes.

“Yes, I did.”

I look out the patio doors.

The sky is still dark, yet a splash of red and yellow grows at the horizon.

It must be early.

“What did you tickle me with?”

“Why do you want to know?’

“It felt like water.”

His eyes shift to the bottle of water on the nightstand.

I instantly bring my hand to my back. My skin is wet. Smiling I fall back into the pillow, my back turned to him, my rear exposed.

“You’re mean.”

“What did I tell you, Lila?”

His buckle clicks.

Smiling, I pull the covers up over my ass and speak.

He pulls them down to my thighs.

“You didn’t tell me when you’d come. I waited for you.”

The belt snakes through the loops before falling to the floor.