“Because you think she’s hot. Maybe you’re jealous.” Maggie couldn’t come up with another plausible explanation for his odd behavior.
He laughed, though it didn’t sound genuine at all. “Seriously, sweetheart? Why would I be jealous when I’ve got the most beautiful, kind, loving woman in the world, who is way hotter than her best friend any day of the week, and especially when she’s naked and thoroughly rumpled in my bed? Right where I want you.” He leaned in and kissed her again, this time pushing her back onto the sheets and covering her with his body.
“I thought you had a problem that couldn’t wait.”
“They’ll have to get by without me for now. My girl always comes first.”
She rocked her hips against his. “Is that a promise?”
He chuckled, sliding his hand down her belly and between her legs. “I’ll prove it to you.”
He did. Twice.
But when she came out of the bathroom, dressed and ready to leave, he was right back on his phone texting, this time with his back to the window. Maybe it didn’t mean anything, but if the problem was so urgent, why not get on the phone and handle it? What was so important that it had to be dealt with on a Saturday morning?
Why did it feel like making love this morning was a distraction from the texts and how he felt about Rose and Gray seeing each other?
She wanted to chalk it up to stress and nerves and wedding jitters.
But she found herself letting a lot of things go recently because he distracted her with an abundance of affection and pretty words that soothed her. In the beginning of their relationship,his attention seemed so nice and sweet and loving. But after a while, especially after he asked her to marry him, it changed in her mind to something that seemed almost calculated.
She blew that off because she knew he loved her. So much so that he couldn’t wait to marry her. And her heart sometimes felt so full it might burst with how happy he made her when he was so considerate.
Like this morning.
Making love always made her feel the connection she had with him. In bed, everything felt right. Out of it, they were good friends.
Everything seemed the way it should be. The way she’d hoped it would be when she got married.
But even in her bliss she felt a sliver of disconnection growing between them that unsettled her.
He said and did everything right. Yes, he supported her in every way. He backed her up when she needed it. He offered helpful suggestions when she got into a jam. He never offered an opinion she didn’t agree with.
They never argued about anything.
And then they met Gray and Rose at the bar last night and something subtle came over Marc.
She’d finally gotten them all together and it had been so much fun watching the sparks fly between Rose and Gray—the way they had when she’d first met Marc. She really hoped something wonderful came of it. Rose deserved a man like Gray, who’d be supportive and treat her the way she deserved to be treated.
Rose and Gray had found common ground on many things last night, which made Maggie realize that she and Marc had only ever veered from total agreement about getting a cat or dog.
It seemed trivial. They were lucky to have such a carefree and happy relationship.
One like her parents shared for decades.
She was making something out of nothing.
I don’t think Gray is good for Rose.
None of Marc’s reservations made much sense. If things didn’t work out down the line, Maggie believed Rose and Gray would behave like grown-ups whenever they saw each other. Because they would eventually. Maybe even often.
At first she thought Marc was kidding, but the niggling feeling that there was more to it came back to her.
Now that the blush of lovemaking had faded, and thanks to two glasses of water her hangover had stopped pounding away in her head along with her heartbeat, she remembered the way Marc had been so focused on Rose last night.
She wished she could put her finger on what seemed off about Marc and why, because she didn’t want to believe there really was something going on that she should be concerned about.
“Hey, babe, you heading out?” Marc said, distracted by another incoming text.