Here we go…
“There isn’t one.”
Maeve’s face morphs from confusion to anger in less than a second. “Excuse me? Don’t penthouses have multiple bedrooms?”
“Some do. Some are one bedroom,” I say, guiding her to sit down. “I should’ve warned you, but it slipped my mind until just now, and I apologize for that. But Kat didn’t want anyone taking anything out of context if the paparazzi did some non-ethical digging, and they could make a headline out of something like ‘Logan Matthews and new wife already need separate bedrooms.’”
“That’s a shitty headline.”
“I know,” I say. “But we’re just being cautious. I promise, Love. This has nothing to do with anything except keeping up appearances.”
Her shoulders relax a bit as my words sink in. “You’re probably right. And we’re adults. Right? We can share a bed and have nothing happen.”
I raise an eyebrow. Really? She can just sleep next to me and not be affected whatsoever? Am I the only one who feels this? I know I’ve always been ahead of her when it comes to us, but I thought, or maybe foolishly hoped, that she was coming around. But the way her face is leveled and her tone is even, it’s like we’re back to designer and client.
Which is not where I’m at. Not one bloody bit.
“Maeve, respectfully, I’m going to be sleeping on the sofa.”
“Really? Come on, Logan. We can be?—”
I put my finger to her lips. “Maeve, if I’m in bed with you, I can’t promise that I’ll be a gentleman. Knowing my wife is next to me? The woman I can still feel if I close my eyes and think hard enough? Being in a bed with you and not be able to touch you, or hold you, or kiss you, would be pure torture. I know you’re not ready. I don’t know if you’ll ever be. And that’s fine. But for my sanity, and to respect your boundaries, I’ll be on the sofa. Because I’m just a weak man who wants his wife more than he wants air to breathe.”
I lean in to Maeve and place a soft kiss on her cheek before stepping back. “I’m going to get in the shower so you can have the bathroom for as long as you need to get ready for tonight.”
She nods, her eyes averted from me as I make my way to the shower. Do I regret what I said? No. I needed to vocalize it. But, the wishful thinker in me was hoping for a different reaction.
I flip on the shower and wait until I can see the steam before getting undressed and stepping inside. I let the hot water run down my back as I hang my head underneath the shower head, wondering how the hell I got here. And how Maeve and I went from strangers in an airport to bedmates to husband and wife? Thinking back on every tiny moment and event that led us to here almost feels like a dream.
Except it’s not. This is real. My feelings for her are real. And I can only hope that maybe one day she might feel the same way.
I think about picking my head up and beginning to actually bathe myself when I feel a rush of cold air hit my back. When I turn around I’m shocked to see Maeve—completely naked—stepping into the shower with me.
“Maeve? Are you all right?”
She doesn’t say a word as she steps toward me, cupping my face and bringing me down for the most unexpected kiss of my life.
My wife is kissing me…
The second our lips touch, my arms are around her, bringing her into my chest. I feel the hot water running around us, sluicing off as our lips sync in perfect harmony.
It’s hungry and needy, yet passionate and wanting. Not too hard, and definitely not too soft.
Bloody perfect.
I let my hands move up her body, holding onto her wrists as we slowly pull away, our foreheads still touching.
“I don’t want to be scared anymore,” she says. “I don’t want to be stubborn. I don’t want to miss out on things because I dug my heels so far into the ground that they’re stuck forever.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know,” she says as I push back a piece of wet hair from her face. “But then I feel out of control, which usually freaks me out so bad I reverse it and dig in even harder. I see that now. You’ve made me see that.”
I use my thumbs to push away the water from her eyes, knowing that she’s not done. Which is fine. I’ll stand in here with her all day.
“You’ve made me see a lot, Logan. You’ve made me realize my life doesn’t begin and end with my career. Or with Jayce. That if I lean on someone, that’s not admitting weakness. It’s allowing for help, which lets you experience more. I knew that in the back of my head, but I could never come to the realization of how much I was missing out on because of my control issues.”
“Glad I could be of service.”
