“Oh God,” she wails, dropping her face to her hands. “This is about that night. Of course it is! It meant nothing—"
“I know it meant nothing,” I say. “That’s my point, baby. The thought of it being more than nothing…turns me on.”
When she pulls her face out of her hands, she looks back up at me with her mouth hanging open and her eyes soft and wet from approaching tears. “Really?”
“Really. Izzy, I wouldneverask you to do something you don’t want to do. If you say no, then I’ll never ask again for as long as I live.”
“No,” she snaps without hesitation, and the air in my lungs flies out in a disappointed whoosh.
That’s the end of that, then.
It takes me a moment to close my jaw and round the table to pull her into my arms. She collapses easily against my chest as I kiss the top of her head.
“I’m so sorry, baby. That was stupid of me to ask. I know. I just…I can’t help what turns me on.”
“It’s okay,” she mumbles against my neck. “I only want you, Hunter. You’re theonlyone I’ve ever wanted.” When she lifts her chin and gazes up into my eyes, I lean down and press my lips to hers.
“I don’t deserve you,” I reply, and I feel like a monster for what I just admitted. “Izzy, if I ever made you feel one time in our marriage like I didn’t want you, I’m a fool, and I didn’t mean to.”
“Then, why would you want this?”
The last twenty-four hours I’ve been asking myself that same exact thing, and I wish I could understand the psychology behind why I want this, but none of it makes any sense. It’s not a way of thinking…it’s a way of feeling.
Running my thumb along her jawline, I tilt her head up toward me again. Those emerald green eyes are even brighter when she’s on the verge of tears, and as beautiful as it is, I hate her tears. Seeing Isabel cry feels like a knife to my heart. She waits with those tear-soaked irises aimed at me, and I owe her as much of an answer as I can find.
“If anything, Red, it’s because Idowant you. My whole life has been a struggle, but lately, it’s been so easy. Loving you is easy. Being with you issoeasy. My job is easy. My friendship with Drake is easy. I miss the fight. I want to fight for you again. And I think seeing you with someone else would wake up that fight in me.”
She gives me a contemplative expression. “There has to be another way,” she replies.
And I kiss her again. “I’m sure there is.”
“I mean…what if it makes you crazy with jealousy? What if you can never forget it and it ruins our entire marriage? What if—"
I quiet her worries with another kiss. “Red, forget about it. I won’t ask about it again.”
“Hunter, I can’t risk losing you.”
“I know, baby. But nothing in the world would ruin our marriage, understand? Nothing.”
The feel of her warm body in my arms brings me enough comfort to ease up the anxiety I felt a moment ago.
“Are you going to talk to him?” she mumbles after a moment.
“I probably should.”
“Go,” she replies, pulling out of my arms.
“No, we have plans today,” I reply. “You wanted a mimosa flight.”
“There is time later for mimosas, Hunter. Go talk to him before he books aflighthome.”
“Are you sure?”
She leans up on her tiptoes and presses her lips to mine. “Yes. I’m going to shower. Don’t drink too much. We still have to tour the club tonight.”
“I love you,” I murmur against her kiss.
“I know you do. Now go,” she says, pushing me toward the door. Pocketing my cell phone and grabbing the hotel key off the table, I glance back at her before disappearing through the door in search of my best friend…to apologize for basically asking him to fuck my wife.