* * *
Last night, neither of us slept very much. The week of not having touched meant we both had multiple needs. I woke when my phone rang, but I silenced it then cleaned myself up and dressed before calling the Norouzis back.
I agreed to our plans, sure that Britney wanted to see her friends again, and hurried back to her. As I opened the door, she sat up in bed, yawning.
I sat near her and said, “Good morning, darling.”
She rubbed her eyes. “Morning already?”
My staff pinged my phone, and I glanced at it then said, “Yes, and your friends are probably downstairs already.”
She jumped out of bed and dashed to the bathroom. “I never sleep that deep.”
I watched her as she turned on the shower and saw her nipples harden in the slight chill of the morning—or from last night’s activities. “You had an exceptional night,” I said.
She laughed and nodded. “Now, that is a true statement.”
As she headed to the bathroom to clean up, I called out, “So get ready, and I’ll see you downstairs, darling.”
“Lovely,” she said in a slight British accent.
I laughed. I was clearly rubbing off on her.
I had no idea if she was in love with me or not yet, but I was absolutely hooked.
Leaving her alone, I found our friends in the sitting room near the foyer. Miley, the attorney, jumped up and said, “Your house is gorgeous, but where is Britney?”
I wasn’t sure she trusted me, but then I remembered Charlie and Hope had had a rocky start, and neither quite trusted each other right away. I pressed a hand to my heart and said, “Taking a quick shower, but she’ll be down shortly.”
Kelly, sitting next to Xerses, asked, “Can we show ourselves around, or are we required to take the tour?” The job she’d started recently in real estate agreed with her as she was immediately professional.
I stood at the open door and waved. “No, please go wherever you want. Breakfast will be served once Britney arrives.”
Kelly took Hope, Avril, Miley, and Isabel with her, leaving the men.
I took a seat and poured myself a tea as Charlie asked, “How is married life treating you?”
My friends were the closest thing I had to family. I nodded and smiled. “Good.”
“You seem more relaxed today,” Kir noted. He was much calmer recently as well.
“I am apprehensive of seeing my parents today after all these years.”
The taste was exactly how I remembered the brew. No bags or organic leaves that I’d picked up for years came close to matching the dark flavor of my staff’s private stash. I mentally noted to take some back with us.
Xerses said, “Of course, but at least you have Britney as backup and finally fessed up to being hopelessly in love.”
I tensed and froze, hoping I wasn’t being obvious, but then my staff came in to make an announcement.
I quickly asked, “Who’s here?”
“Roxanne Norouzi, sir,” the new butler said.
A moment later, the mother of everyone in the room except me came in, wearing a blue traveling suit. She hugged everyone including me.
“I assumed you weren’t coming as you never responded,” I said.
She took a seat next to me and said, “You were like a son for years, and my new assistant didn’t see your message right away. When I did, I wanted to come and support you. Parvis has a meeting, but he’ll join us for an impromptu family dinner here to celebrate your wedding.”
