“Which you need,” she argues, “so you can rest. You need rest to heal.”
“They make me loopy.” I drag my bottom lip between my teeth and shake my head. “No more.”
“Arch—”
“I said no more.” Bringing my hand away from her leg and instead pinching her chin between my thumb and finger, I draw her closer until her sweet breath is on my tongue. “I don’t want the cotton brain bullshit anymore. I don’t like it. So that’s my decision.”
“Archer,” she tries again. “You need—”
“And not only as mywife,” I emphasize the title I love so much, “but as my doctor, you have to respect my choice.” I move forward and press a kiss to her flattened lips. “Even if you don’t like it.”
“Fine.” She shakes her head and looks across to her laptop. “But I’ll tell you why I’m agreeing so easily.”
“Because I asked so nicely?”
“No,” she drawls. “Because you tried to tell Fletch and Aubree about the vigilante killer today.”
Beneath her supple body, mine tenses. “What?”
“Yeah.” Bringing her gaze back my way, she tilts her head. “Inside the elevator, the truthful cube of whatever and whatever, you were entirely too ready to rat me out. Oh,” she deepens her voice as though to imitate me. “I love you, Minnnnka, even if you’ve killed people.”
“Shut up.” I set my hand on her neck and control where she looks. “I did not.”
“You absolutely did! It wasn’t that long ago, was it, that I called you a filthy snitch because of how easily you narc on your lovers?”
“I didn’t go to bed with that other chick!” I laugh. “She was a target, and I was working undercover. But you…” I try to think through the fog. Try to remember. “I didn’t seriously say that, did I?”
She nods. “Swear on a cute little puppy’s grave. You were just gonna toss me to the cops, like I don’t matter. You were practically bragging, like the things I do turn you on.”
“I mean… they do,” I mumble. “A little bit. And you definitely matter.” Leaning in, I drag a kiss over her plump lips. “And why the hell is the puppy dead?”
“Hmm?”
“You said you swear on a…” I shake my head. “Nevermind. I seriously said that shit?”
“Verbatim. So then I had to get physical with you and bring you to bed. Dropped you down, then I told the cops you were stoned and not thinking clearly.”
“And bythecops, you mean Fletch?” I snigger. “What did he say?”
She settles on a relaxed shrug. “He brushed it off. Said you always get weird when you’re not sober—which reminds me,” she adds cheerfully, “I’ve yet to actually get drunk with you. Terrible decision-making on my part; to marry you before I know what kind of drunk you are.”
“That’s because I never drink till I’m stupidanymore.” Sliding my hand beneath her hoodie and up to her ribs, I find no bra and a whole lot of skin. “I can’t take care of you when you’re drunk if I’m drunk too. Besides, turns out I can’t be trusted to keep my mouth shut.” Pulling her closer, I brush a kiss over her lips. Another to her neck. “That’s the kind of shit a teenager would do.”
“But not you?” Humming in the back of her throat, Minka leans on me, but she takes care not to put pressure on my shoulder. “You’re too serious for that stuff now?”
“I’ve got responsibilities.” I slide my tongue across her neck and grin when she moans. “People who depend on me.” I bite, so when she grinds down on my lap, I’m rewarded with her hot core on my satin-covered cock. “A wife.”
“You say that word a lot.” Pulling away, she sits tall and arches her back so deliciously taut, she creates dimples above her ass. “Wife.” She tests it out on her tongue. “Wife.Wife.”
“Mywife,” I murmur, just to see the way her eyes flicker when I say it. “To honor and obey.”
She scoffs. “I never said I would obey you.”
Done with our conversation, she pushes to her knees, then to her feet, so the couch jostles me and sends spears of pain through my back and shoulder.
Stepping to the side, she carefully lowers again when an involuntary hiss escapes my lips.
“I’m sorry.” She slows her movements. Snagging the blanket and tugging it into her lap, she crosses her legs so her knee rests against my thigh, then she covers us both and accepts my arm across her shoulders when I lift it and offer.