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“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered in a patronizing voice, before laying her head back on his shoulder. “Big, tough, scary guy…”
“Exactly.”
“Who likes to hug,” she whispered mischievously, and he felt a smile touch his lips as he laid his head against hers.
“Yup,” he breathed softly. “This big, scary guy likes to hug his wife – a lot.”
They stood there, not saying anything for quite a few minutes, before she finally spoke again.
“This is going to be okay, isn’t it?” she began, her voice sounding infinitely fragile, causing him to immediately hold her a little closer in a protective manner. “I don’t want to lose someone I am beginning to consider a close friend by making a mistake, and…”
“Madison?” he interrupted, putting his finger under her chin and turning her to look at him. Her dark eyes met his and he felt almost like a spell was falling over him, making him lose focus as a tremor of awareness shuddered deep inside.
“You are seeing the real me,” he breathed tenderly. “This is who I am. I’m the guy that is quiet in the room, the one that volunteers to help, the fellow that wants to be a part of something greater, the friend that wants to write you… and the man that will never forget what it felt like to kiss his wife for the first time.”
Madison’s eyes dropped to his lips, and he nearly groaned in amazement, realizing that she was thinking of their kiss, too.
“If you can put up with all of those bits of me, then yes… you have a friend that is not going anywhere, anytime fast, unless you need me to step back. Then, no matter how much it hurt? I would do that for you.”
“But this was only for a year, right?”
“This is for however long you want it…”
“What about you?”
“This is for however long you want it,” he repeated softly, and brushed his thumb against her lower lip. “A marriage of convenience works so long as it’s convenient. When it stops being that way, then you change the dynamics, I suppose.”
“Oh,” she said and nodded, stepping away from him. “Your flight is early. I should probably let you get to bed.”
Eric felt the withdrawal painfully and nodded.
“That’s probably a good idea,” he said simply. “Goodnight, Madison.”
“Sleep well, Eric.”
11
MADISON
She practically ranfrom the living room to give Eric privacy, and felt so insecure right now that it was alarming. Closing the door on her bedroom, she leaned against it, her heart hammering in her chest. He was saying and doing all the right things to reach her, but sometimes seemed so elusive.
… And he was leaving again.
She was going to have to settle for emails, the rare phone call when an emergency called for it, and who knows when he would be back. Months are going to pass, the year would be gone before she knew it, and they would be no more than mere acquaintances… yet married, for the sake of her being able to fight harder to keep her son.
What kind of man did that?
… A good man.
Her mind racing, she quickly changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed, sitting there in the darkness, listening to Max’s baby monitor that she still used.
Leaning against her headboard, she sat there with her knees close to her chest, thinking and processing all of the day’s events… and lack of.
When she’d married Asher, he couldn’t wait to take her to bed. He had been in such a rush, such a hurry, that what she thought was ‘supposed’ to be signs of a madly intense, loving relationship, and was not in the least bit emotionally satisfying.
The movies made things seem so intense, so passionate, and flamboyant… but none of that touched her, made her world turn upside down, as that single sweet kiss from Eric did.
She had slept with her ex-husband repeatedly over the year they were married… but that innocent kiss was what she thought about when she thought of what she wanted in a relationship.
