Page 47 of Betrothed To Love

“No. I’m going to have this wine,” she says while holding up the bottle. After preparing both of our plates, she brings them over to the dining table. I grab her glass of wine and the bottle and join her. “Thanks for bringing this. I don’t think I thanked you.”

“And you don’t have to thank me. Simple, expected, and deserved things don’t need appreciation, not by me at least. I do those things for the people in my life; that includes you now, and as my wife, you’re at the top of the list with Niya. You can thank me if I do something spectacular.”

“Then thank you for the orgasms,” she says and we both smile.

“Nah. They are expected and deserved. What kind of man would I be if I don’t⁠—”

“Fold me like a pretzel, knock my head into the headboard, have me tooted in the kitchen? You choose because you did all three and I’m saying thank you over and over,” she gushes.

“Shit. Gas me up then,” I quip.

As we eat, we discuss the easy stuff first: dinner with her girls on Friday and our huge dinner with family and friends next Saturday. The dinner with her girls is going to be a house dinner with drinks and her girls grilling me. The one at the winery is formal.

“Me, you, and Niya should be color coordinated,” she says. “What’s her favorite color?”

“Hot pink and I’m not wearing hot pink,” I tell her.

“Well, it can be another color. I’m going to look for something Sunday. Maybe,” she begins, but hesitates for a minute. “Maybe you and Niya can join me so we can spend some time and find something to wear together?” she says, and of course I smile.

“Yeah, that works. We can come over here; there’s more options.”

“Okay, we can go to The Falls and do an early dinner together. I don’t want to have her out too late.”

“I appreciate that.” More than she knows. Considering my baby girl is everything. “That’s the next week planned, but what about after that?”

“Living together,” she utters, then sighs. “I wish that was easy. I’ve thought about it. In order to remain eligible for my seat on the bench, the majority of my residence has to be here. I don’t want to disrupt Niya’s school, so after the formal dinner, I’ll stay with you during the week—Monday through Thursday—and commute. I’ll come back Thursday night and stay until Monday. Then, back to you Monday nights. It’s crazy, but if you’re cool with it, I can handle the back and forth until January.”

“But what about after January?” I ask and I see the questions dancing in her stretched eyes. “I meant what I said about us being locked.” My hand reaches across the small table to grab hers. “My family loves you already. My baby girl says you can draw on her wall. Our conversations just flow and I can talk the law with you. I like you, and after you just put that sweet pussy on me, I’m on you and I’m not letting up. Even our bodies reacted to each other like we’re supposed to be together. I know you felt that shit too. For me, January will be just another month with us together, not the end of us. It’s cool; you’re not there yet. Give me time; on everything in me, I’m going to convince you of that too and January won’t mean shit to you either.”

Her eyes peer into mine as I talk, and while she doesn’t respond with words, her body language speaks volumes. There’s a slight smile on her pretty face. Her hand squeezes mine and her head shakes slowly, contemplatively. She hears me and it’s obvious she believes me, even if she won’t say anything. Deep down, she knows she felt that connection between us and she feels it now because I do.

FIFTEEN

In true Giselle fashion, she handled everything for tonight’s FNF with Quintus. Because she’s been so busy hiring new escorts, we haven’t had much time to catch up, so I arrived early. While the caterers and planners finish preparing the food and setting up her solarium for our Caribbean spread, she and I are in the theater room catching up and sampling tonight’s themed drinks, Rum Punch and Bahama Mamas.

“You could have told me the theme. I would have worn a cute floral dress or something,” I tell her.

“Girl, this linen romper is everything.”

“It’s black though. I swear if you change into something floral.”

“Girl, stop. I’m wearing this and you look cute as hell. This high waist and off the shoulder with those heels. Yes. Plus, you got the thighs all out. I love it but is hubby okay with that?” she asks with a smirk.

“If you must know, he loves my thighs.”

“I bet he does. I saw that glow as soon as you walked through the door. Marriage looks really good on you.”

“You sound like Alex,” I tell her. “She said the same thing at Elegance & Ash.”

“Well, if the stiletto fits, strut in it like a queen,” she says, smiling before taking a sip from her drink and I just laugh. “Is he ready for them tonight?” she asks, excluding herself. When meeting new people, Giselle is more of an observer than a questioner. Kyrah and Alex will dominate the conversation.

“I think he is. I’ve warned him that it’s going to be an interrogation, polite and friendly, but still an interrogation.”

“They’re definitely going to drill his ass but it’s all because we love you. It’s going to be fun. But how are you two for real? Are things okay? Have you even decided what you’re going to do about your living situation?”

“Things are actually better than I imagined. I married a stranger, and just this fast, I like him. It’s hard not to. Yeah, things are good,” I say, remembering our incredible night together. Quintus and I barely slept four hours and I enjoyed every moment and every single second we weren’t sleeping. There is no question, our connection is strong and our attraction is undeniable. I’ve been thinking about him and us since he left yesterday morning. “Because he has Niya, I’m going to do the main commuting. I’ll be with him Monday nights to Thursday morning. We’ll be a two-home household.”

“Is his space big enough for you?” she asks and I laugh to myself because I don’t know anything about his home. I haven’t asked, not once. I’m truly just assuming it is.