CHAPTER NINETEEN
Marius
Now that Iknow my Duck can forgive me, I’ve got to make some plans. This can’t be some lame forgiveness tour we go on. No way. My wife deserves the best.
Believe it or not, this is one of the few times I’ve thought of her like that. Most of the time, I think of her as Duck. I did call her my wife the night we got married, but since then, not much.
That’s about to change.
As I drive along the very road that nearly took my youngest brother from me last New Year’s, I think back to that night she and I stopped in at that little chapel in Vegas. I hadn’t planned on asking her to marry me that day, but something about how much fun we had that week made me think Eden should be my wife.
I roll over and open my eyes, but I’m alone in bed. I can’t believe Duck’s up already. What time is it?
So much for me having a hollow leg and handling my liquor. My head is pounding, and I feel like a bus hit me. And then backed up over me again.
What I need is water. Gallons of water.
I swing my legs off the bed and practically throw myself off the mattress to get up. No dizziness. Well, that’s good. Maybe I’m not hungover.
The moment I stand up I know that’s a lie. I’m so fucking hungover. Just standing up makes my head feel like it wants to explode.
Where is the water? Not that I would know the answer to that question. I haven’t had a sip of the damn stuff in the past five days. Perhaps subsisting on room service and whiskey isn’t the best way to live life.
But what a way it is, I think with a smile.
I take a few steps across the room and consider where I can find water to cure the cottonmouth I’m currently sporting. There’s water in the bathroom sink. No, thanks. Bathroom water always tastes awful.
A few more steps lead me out to the living room where I know I saw some bottles of water this week. Where, though? Maybe the bar? That seems as good a place as any to check.
I thankfully find two bottles and proceed to down them like a man who just crawled in from the damn desert. Wide awake, I look around for Eden but don’t see her anywhere. Then again, this suite is pretty big, so she could be here and I just can’t see her.
“Duck!” I call out. “Where are you?”
No response.
Did she leave me? I thought we were having a good time. The four orgasms she had last night would usually mean she’d be here when I woke up. Maybe I needed to give her five.
Just then, the door opens and she comes walking in looking incredible. That’s probably because she hasn’t been drinking all week. Maybe I should try going on the wagon too.
“Where have you been, Duck?”
She holds up two shopping bags and grins. “I didn’t want to wake you up, but I thought since I’ve got a couple more days here and nothing good to wear that I should get some clothes. The boutique on the main floor has the cutest dresses! Here, look!”
I sit down on the sofa as she pulls out a white dress with pale pink flowers along the hem. Or maybe those are hearts. I don’t know. All I do know is she loves it and will look incredible in it since she always looks good no matter what she wears. The second dress is a longer one and black with a huge slit up the side. A little more formal but it’ll still look great.
She sets the bag down without showing me the rest of what she bought. “I won’t bore you with the other things I got. Are you okay? You don’t look right.”
Running my hand over the top of my head, I mumble, “Hung way over. I’ll be okay after a shower, though.”
We fall into a strange silence considering we’ve spent every day having sex for hours on end all week. My excuse for being quiet is I’m hungry. What’s hers?
“Everything okay?” I ask, wondering why she’s still standing so far away.
She lets out a heavy sigh. “Ava texted me.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s new back at the old King place?” I ask, attempting a joke but sort of failing in my condition.
“I don’t know. I’m too bothered by the fact that I had to lie to her.”
