“This means you’re my sweetheart. I don’t share,” he says, locking his gaze on me.
All I want is to be his, even if I shouldn’t, and it’s too fast. “I don’t share either,” I say, holding his gaze.
Dalton grips my thighs, and my eyes fly wide as he thrusts inside me with a powerful snap of his hips. I throw my head back and scream. He barely gets his hand over my mouth before I wake up the whole house. He tries to go slow and drag this out for both of us, but I don't want slow. I clamp down on him, and he lets out a strangled groan, picking up the pace.
Reaching between us, he finds my clit, and I surge forward, causing my nerves to tingle and my muscles to flutter.
I run my eyes over him, wanting to remember every detail of this moment, the water running down his skin, the desire in his eyes, and the sensation of him stretching me.
It isn't long before I fall over the edge, moaning his name. He kisses me, trying to keep me quiet as I clamp down on him, and I swear I see stars as he comes inside me
As I collapse, he carries me back to his bed.
Chapter 7
Dalton
Lifecouldn'tbemoreperfect. Mari is mine, and the kids are doing better than I expected. It's been a week since I had Mari for the first time, and I've never been happier. I'm happy when I have her in my arms.
Today I'm at a jewelry store getting charm bracelets for the girls, something they can add to as they grow. I remember my sister loved her charm bracelet growing up, so I thought it would be a great way for them to connect with their mom.
The lady at the store is helpful if a bit flirty. But that stops when I head over to the engagement ring section. I know Mari is it for me without a shadow of a doubt, and I want her to know how I feel and where I stand. If I can get her to agree to be my wife, all the better, but I have no problem putting my feelings out there and waiting for her to catch up. Because there’s no version of our story where Mari is not my wife someday soon.
I grabbed one of her rings off her dresser so the jeweler could get a size. Hopefully, I’ll slip it back into her room before she realizes it's missing. Once I have her ring ordered and the bracelets wrapped, I head out to my car, only to get a call from my office.
They're panicking because the huge deal about to go through is falling apart. I’ll have to go to the office to fix it, even though I was supposed to have today off, so I call Mari on my way.
"Hey, the girls are wondering if you're going to be home soon. They want to do a movie night," she answers.
I hear giggling in the background, which makes my heart clench because I want to be there. Who would’ve thought I'd rather be home than at the office?
"I just got a call from work. The big deal we've been working on is about to fall through, and I have to go in and see if I can fix it. If we lose this, it's going to put hundreds of people out of jobs," I explain, hoping she'll understand.
"No, that's more important. Go ahead. I'll keep the girls entertained, don't worry. We’ll be here when you get home." I hear a hint of disappointment in her voice, but she hides it well.
"I'll probably be late tonight. Well after they're in bed, so give them a big hug and kiss for me and tell them to come to wake me up before they go to school, please."
"Will do. Be safe, and I'll keep a plate in the refrigerator for you to warm up when you get home so you have something to eat."
"Thank you, sweetheart. I'll see you tonight."
As I drive, I realize this is the first time I’ve missed dinner since the girls arrived and the first time I won't be there to tuck them into bed and read them a bedtime story. I want to be there for that more than I want to be in my office taking care of this emergency.
There was a time when I thrived on the challenge ahead of me, but all I feel now is dread. I hate that I don't have a choice and have to be there, and through the meetings and phone calls of the next few hours, all I can think about is Mari and the kids and how I'd rather be there.
The whole way home, I think about Mari in my bed, of climbing in and holding her because that's all I want to do right now.
When I get home, no lights are on, so I stumble through the house in darkness, trying not to wake anyone. I head to my room and into the bathroom to change my clothes and brush my teeth. I crawl into bed and reach for Mari but find empty space. I groan and have every intention of going to get her from her room, but sleep pulls me under.
Chapter 8
Mari
It'sbeenaweeksince Dalton called and told me about the work emergency. He's been coming home after we're all in bed, and he's up and out the door before I wake the girls for breakfast.
He hasn't come to my room once, and after the first few days, he stopped calling to check on us. The girls have noticed we've been put in the background as much as I try to distract them.
But after the girls go to bed and the house is quiet, I'm alone with my thoughts. That’s when I realize it was the thrill of the chase for Dalton. He wanted me and did what he had to, but now he's had me, he could care less. He’s gone back on the terms his sister laid out. She didn't want this for her girls.