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“What is this? An interview?”
“I answered your questions, you answer mine. Quid pro quo.”
“Yeah, sure, Hannibal.”
“Hmm?”
“Well…”
“Well what?”
“It hurt.”
“Sorry?”
“It hurt! Why are you smiling?”
“Nothing. Seems to me he didn’t know what he was doing.”
“It was our first time. And why are we discussing this stuff? It’s embarrassing.”
“I’d like to know the reason you won’t have sex with me.”
“Why do I have to have sex with you?”
“You’re my wife. Should there be any other reason?” Sven fidgeted again. “Okay, this position is killing me. My legs have fallen asleep. We should get out.”
“No way. I don’t like thunder.”
“My room is soundproofed. You should be able to rest in there.”
“Is this a trick to get me into your bed?”
“Not a trick, but I do want to get you into my bed. For a totally different reason.”
Annalise didn’t budge when Sven tugged her arm.
“Come on. I won’t do anything to you. Just rest. I’ve been up since four and I’m tired. I have a busy day tomorrow, and so do you. Besides, a husband and wife should share a bed. It’s only natural.”
What Sven said made sense. She was tired as well but too wound up to relax. Annalise let him coax her out from under the bed and steer her into his room. Like he said, it was soundproofed. The king-size bed stood in the middle flanked by identical nightstands. Sven pulled back the cover on the bed, revealing the cozy white-sheeted mattress to curl on.
“Ladies first,” he said. “I need a quick shower and to brush my teeth.”
She got in and pulled the cover up to her nose. Luckily Sebastian was very thorough with his cleaning. It was spotless under her bed. Otherwise she’d need to take another shower too.
Annalise was drowsy by the time Sven joined her. Like he’d promised, he didn’t try anything funny. The man only contentedly sighed and spooned himself next to her. The warmth of the bed and his fresh scent soothed her frazzled mind. Three seconds later, she was in dreamland.
From that night on, Annalise found herself sharing a bed with her pro forma husband. It had something to do with Sven saying he hated sleeping alone, and as much as she wanted to lie to herself, the truth was Sven’s company in bed brought unexpected comfort. For the first time in her life, she discovered that she didn’t have to shoulder everything in the world alone. There was Sven to share the burden. To share laughter and everything that mattered.
As the days went by, Annalise got more accustomed to having Sven as part of her life. Morning breakfast together. Helping him choose a tie to wear. Going out for lunch, or even a simple mundane thing like small talk. She became more and more dependent on him, and she deemed that problematic.
“You’ll be disappointed if you start harboring expectations,” said Cécile during one of their lunches. Whenever Sven was too busy with the job at his own firm, Cécile always insisted on having a lunch with her. For some reason, Cécile was always able to coerce her into discussing her relationship with Sven. “Sven is Sven, and no woman on earth has ever figured out what’s going on in his head.”
As much as she didn’t want to listen to Cécile and despite Sven’s warning, Cécile sometimes spoke the unadulterated truth.
Annalise discovered the trail of his past lovers. All beautiful, educated, smart with dazzling personalities, and yet they all failed to capture the heart of the enigmatic man named Sven Torvik. Annalise feared if she let Sven into her life too much, she’d be devastated when he left. The one-year marriage contract ticked by faster and faster. She realized now that she dreaded it coming to an end..
Lately, she also noted the change in herself. Out of nowhere, she’d get flustered if she stood too close to him. She got upset easily if Sven hadn’t replied to her texts, and she’d smile like an idiot each time Sven’s special ring tone chimed quietly. Bedtime that used to be a time of comfort became an emotional battle zone. She would like to have Sven do more than cuddling her, but then again, he was a man of his word. Annalise was furious with herself for not being able to untangle what she really wanted from the current situation. Even Sven noticed her changes.
