AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He’s the best.” I gave a happy sigh, some of the burden lifting from my shoulders. “And now forty kids are going to get dogs of their own. Can you just imagine!”
“I’m so proud of you,” Mark said in a low voice, and I forgot to be mad at him for a moment.
“Thanks.”
He leaned in to kiss me, but I turned and gave him my cheek.
Instead of being mad, he huffed his laughter against my skin, then held my chin and stole the kiss he wanted.
“More wine?” Hannah asked as the maid came up behind me with the bottle.
I examined my almost empty glass, then nodded. “Please.”
After the day I’d had—speaking with insurance adjusters, and the police, and a hundred different people—I was stressed. Thankfully, Hannah had hung out with me while I dealt with all the bullshit that came with my house burning down. It was a big, fat, complicated mess, and I was so grateful I had Hannah to help steer me through it. Well, Hannah and Delores. My virtual PA was the bomb, contacting my clients who waited for pieces and explaining the situation for me as well as canceling and refunding orders.
I’d be out of commission until I could get a new studio set up.
Just the thought of all my work destroyed made my throat tight, and I forced myself to take a few big gulps of wine. Yes, dealing with problems by trying to drink them away was never a good idea, but I needed a break from my constant worries. It seemed like the only time I wasn’t stressing out about my situation was when I was asleep or having sex with Mark. And I have to admit, having my world rocked by Mark was far more pleasant than sleeping.
“I’m stuffed,” Hannah groaned as she held Leo’s hand. “I need a couch to lie down on.”
The way Leo gazed at his wife with such adoration made my belly warm. “Want to go hang out in the sunroom?”
“Sure.” She glanced over at me. “Do you like board games?”
“I love all games.”
“Awesome! Joy doesn’t, and Leo cheats, so I hardly ever get to play anymore.”
“I do not cheat,” Leo grumbled as we all stood.
“You totally do,” Hannah snarked as we followed them through the house.
When we reached the big, long room I let out a little gasp. “Wow.”
It was like standing in a giant bubble attached to the side of the house. The walls were solid glass, not a seam anywhere, and they curved up to the house at our back. It was almost like being on a big patio covered by a forcefield. Amazed, I took a step closer to the window walls, then ran my fingers lightly over the surface, trying to find a seam.
“This is remarkable,” I murmured as I squatted down, trying to figure out how it was all put together.
“Thanks,” Leo said as he joined me, looking out into the vast backyard, and the valley beyond.
Leo’s house was situated on the top of the biggest hill, and it’s view of the nighttime desert scape was breathtaking.
“How is this made?”
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”
For a second I had a mini-heart attack as I thought for sure he meant it, then he winked, and I let out a weak laugh.
“Stop being a psycho,” Hannah said as she joined us, then grabbed my hand. “Come on, you can pick out what we get to play. Since Mark is totally in luuuvvvv with you, we can make him play, too. Normally, he blows me off, but all you have to do is bat those gorgeous long lashes of yours in his direction, and he’ll fold.”
“Brat,” Mark said with a grin. “Don’t listen to her, Layla. She forces me to play all the time.”
I laughed as she dragged me over to a set of cabinets built into the wall next to a big white U-shaped couch and low, brownstone coffee table.
Flinging open the doors, she said, “What do you feel like playing? Something classic? Something new?”
Staring at the shelf after shelf filled with boxes, I shook my head in awe. “Wow.”
Mark joined us, placing his hands on my hips as he said over my shoulder, “Awesome, isn’t it?”
“I knew you secretly liked to play games with me!” Hannah said triumphantly. “Layla, when I was pregnant with Tiffany, Leo was super overprotective. I know, hard to imagine. Anyways, being locked up in the castle like some damsel in distress—”
Leo snorted as he handed me a fresh glass of white wine. “You weren’t exactly chained to the wall.”
Taking a drink from her own glass, Hannah glowered at her husband over the rim. “Please, you would have left me chained to the bed, if you thought you could get away with it.”
“As I recall,” Leo said with a purr in his voice. “You’ve begged me to chain you to our bed many, many times.”
