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TWENTY-TWO
THEO
I never paid much attention to a woman’s routines and habits, but when it comes to Hadley, I’m fascinated. When we finally made it home, I carried her straight into the shower and fucked her again, letting our bodies slip and slide against each other. Her permission to use and mark her is the sexiest gift I’ve ever been given, and now, as I watch her get ready for bed, I admire the red marks blooming on her skin.
I put them there, a declaration to the world that she belongs to me.
She turns toward me, a smile on her lips. “You’re quite the voyeur.”
“I’m interested in everything you do,” I admit.
She rolls her eyes. “I don’t do anything differently from most women.”
But she is different than most women, and what sets her apart from everyone else is that I’m pulled toward her. It’s not magnetic; it’s something stronger, like perhaps there is some invisible cord connecting me to her. It’s something I’ve never experienced before, not even with the woman I married.
She swipes a cotton ball over her face, down the column of her throat before tossing it into the trash can next to the sink. Then, she picks up a bottle and pumps its contents into her hand before applying it to her skin. I’m held captive, watching her complete each task. There is nothing erotic or sensual about this moment, and yet, she looks beautiful under the soft glow of the bathroom lights, wearing one of my plain white T-shirts and a fresh pair of panties.
When she finishes, she releases her hair from its temporary knot and shakes it out, letting the strands fall haphazardly around her face. She turns off the light before stepping into the bedroom, her expression passive until her eyes meet mine.
“Why are you looking at me like that,” she asks with an impish smile.
“Because you’re gorgeous,” I tell her plainly. She slips into bed beside me and before she can even get herself settled, I reach for her, pulling her close. “You’re still mine?”
“Yes,” she says with a sigh.
I press a kiss to the side of her head. This is not something I normally do with a woman. Cuddle. My space is my space, and I don’t want anyone in it. I’ve always been this way, but with Hadley, I want her close. I want to touch her, smell the fresh scent of soap on her skin, and hear every sound she makes.
Fuck. I’m falling hard for this girl, and there’s nothing I can do to keep it from happening.
“What are we going to do in the morning,” she asks, her voice soft and sleepy.
“Eat breakfast.”
She chuckles, the sound reverberating against my skin. “I’m being serious. What are we going to tell Colton and Piper?”
“Honestly, I have no idea.”
Once again, I’m in unchartered territory. I have no idea how I’m going to tell my kids Hadley is no longer their nanny because she’s my girlfriend. Hell, how do I even explain the concept of boyfriend and girlfriend to them?
I do know my relationship with Hadley will be hard to hide from them, especially in a one-bedroom condo. All it took was one week to hook me, and now, the thought of spending a night alone seems like misery. I refuse to do it.
But I don’t want to hurt my kids, either. They still love their mother and I’ve spent a great deal of time, effort, and money to shield them from the ugly business of Serena’s arrest and subsequent incarceration. I don’t want them to know their mother is nothing more than a fraud; I want them to only know her as their mom. I worry about them resenting me for moving on, about them hating Hadley for stepping into Serena’s place.
“We’ll figure it out,” she murmurs, pressing her body closer to mine.
“Of course, we will,” I assure her, though I’m positive she doesn’t hear me because her eyes are closed and her body is still, a small smile still on her lips. I settle in beside her knowing I’m the one who put it there and hoping I can keep it there forever.
* * *
There’sa hand in my face, slapping me. Not hard, but enough to disturb me.
“Wake up.” As if on command, my eyes pop open hearing Hadley’s voice. “Theo. Your phone is ringing. This is the third time. It must be important.”
A few grumbled curses escape my lips as I sit up and reach toward the bedside table for my phone. Washington State Department of Corrections.Shit. It’s Serena’s day to call the kids. I totally forgot.
“Hello,” I answer.
“Where have you been?” Serena demands.
