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Chapter 16
Quintessa
awakened by the breeze comingthrough the windows, I sit up, realizing Essex isn’t here. I yawn and stretch my arms above my head, remembering how Essex had done just that last night – stretched my arms above my head. I feel the aftermath of what he’s done to my body. Every part of me is sore, yet I wouldn’t mind having more of him, even after last night and three o’clock this morning when I woke up to him hovering over me. I couldn’t say a word and he was already kissing me, filling me, taking me just as he did hours before. And then I fell asleep in his arms.
We’ve been like this all week – whenever our eyes made contact, we were all over each other, making love all over this house and once in his office. Mom was right. A good soaking is necessary when you have a man who wants you as much as Essex wants me. I’ve been poked, stretched, twisted, bended and manhandled in ways I didn’t know existed, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I enjoy every minute of every day with my husband and I’m sure I’ll enjoy our actual honeymoon in Fiji just as much.
Today is the day for the employee appreciation gala. I’m sure Essex is downstairs telling the party planners and caterers how he wants everything set up. Which reminds me – I haven’t had a chance to talk to him about the protocol for work just yet.
I get up, shower and realize I don’t have the dress I’m wearing to the gala over here. I’ve been so caught up under his spell, I haven’t moved much of my things over here yet. He says I don’t need to move anything, especially the furniture. But I still need my clothes. After I dry off, I put on a pair of sweats. I pull a gray tee over my head and gather my hair into a ponytail before jogging downstairs in search of my husband.
I find him sitting in the kitchen talking to who I assume is one of the chefs. He looks up, sees me and it’s like he’s hit with a spell. He instantly looks at me from head to toe then connects his eyes to mine again.
“Good morning,” I say.
“Good morning, Quintessa.”
He turns to the chef and says, “Excuse us, please.”
When the chef leaves the room, Essex gets up, pulls me into his arms and fills my mouth with his tongue, kissing me into oblivion.
“Mmm,” he hums. “I can never get enough of you. I should put you up on this counter right now and have my way with you.”
“Ess, stop,” I say, my legs wobbly as his lips move around my neck. “I need to talk to you.”
“About what?” he asks, his eyes roaming the entirety of my face now, landing on my lips.
“The employee gala. No one knows we’re together.”
He flashes a sly smile. “Ms. Davison may have a clue after she heard you screaming in my office on Wednesday.”
“That was your fault.”
He smiles wickedly. “I’ll take the blame for that.”
“Well, I don’t know if she knows or not, but I think we should be discreet about it for now.”
“Why would we do that?”
“We’renew, and I don’t want to explain our relationship to anyone just yet. I want to take the time to get used to us as a couple first before people know about us. And our history. Andyourhistory.”
“I don’t care about that, and you shouldn’t either, Tessie. We didn’t go through everything we went through to wind up slaves to other people’s opinions. I used to live my life that way when I didn’t know any better. I don’t do that anymore.”
“I completely understand where you’re coming from. I’m just asking you to give me some time, Essex. A little time, not a lot. Can you do that for me?”
He frowns. I know I’m asking for a lot and I know Essex is usually unyielding when he’s determined, but he’s been different since we married. Nicer. So, I try anyway.
“Okay, whatever you want,” he says, “But just know I don’t want this.”
“Thank you! Oh, and one more thing…I know I said I would quit after the gala, but I changed my mind. I would like to continue working.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Essex—”
“You’re my wife now, Quintessa. I don’t want my wife working for me when I have enough financially to put the world at your feet.” He places his arms around me until his hands touch the counter, caging me so I can’t do a thing but stand here and listen to him. “The answer is no.”
“Essex, you’re being unreasonable.”
