Dirty Obsession (Dirty 1)
Page 209
The truth isn’t always needed to make a relationship work. Sometimes, a lie is needed to keep two people on even ground. Asher needs the lie to be true even if he suspects himself that it is false. He needs me to have done something unforgivable. Even though I didn’t actually cheat on him with Chance, I did do something unforgivable. I lied.
I made Asher believe that I’d betrayed him. Cheated on him. I put images in his head that I know he will never be able to erase. But he needs to believe the lie. So, I will keep on lying about it. Just this once.
He stole to find love. I lied to keep it. But I have no doubts that our love will last because the one thing I don’t have to worry about is that we will each do anything and everything to keep it.
Six Months Later
I’ve been patient. Trying to give her a normal relationship. Trying not to rush us, like our relationship was rushed in the past, but it has been the hardest goddamn thing I have ever done. Waiting. I hate waiting.
But it has been six months since she said she was willing to give us a second chance. Five months since she moved into my shack. Four months since we thought she was pregnant. Three months since I won my latest competition and actually started earning money again. Two months since we sold her condo. And one month since we found out we are expecting twins. Twins.
She doesn’t want me to propose or for us to get married until after the babies are born, but I am not going to let that happen. I want the world to know that she is mine. That these babies are mine before they are born.
If it were up to me, we would have been married months ago. But I know she wanted to do things right this time. I’m not waiting nine months though until the babies are born. I’m proposing tonight, and then whether she likes it or not, we are getting married within the next couple of months.
“You’re wearing that to go to dinner?” I ask, looking at Sloane sitting on the couch, wearing shorts and a tank top with her bikini straps sticking out of the top of her tank.
“Yes. You were the one who taught me to always be ready to go into the ocean. I’m not going to swim in my sundress, like what happened last time.”
I frown, but she doesn’t look up from her magazine that she is flipping through. I don’t know how I’m going to get her into a dress. I don’t think the restaurant I’m taking her to would approve of shorts.
“But I love you in that pink dress you wear. You could wear your bikini under it, and that way, I could do dirty stuff to you while we are seated at the table.”
Sloane sighs. “Fine, you win. I’ll change.” She gets up from the couch and walks over to the small closet she made in the corner. She pulls out the dress, starts to undress, and then puts it on.
“Thank you,” I say, kissing her on the cheek. Sloane picks up her magazine again.
“Look at these cribs. They are made for twins, but they’re smaller. It would be perfect over in this corner,” she says.
My eyes pop open. “We are not living here once the babies are born. We don’t have enough space! They need their own rooms. Babies come with stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. We need to start looking for a new place. I would have said your condo would work, but of course, we sold that. But maybe this is the perfect opportunity. We could get a four- or five-bedroom house with a nice yard.”
Sloane laughs. “Five bedrooms? We don’t have any family that visits us. Why do we need five bedrooms?”
“When we have more kids.”
She laughs again. “I think the two on the way are more than enough for now. And we don’t need to move. We have plenty of space for them here.”
I rub the back of my neck and take a deep breath. I will argue with her about getting a new place later. For now, I just want this night to go perfectly.
I glance at my watch. “You ready?”
She nods and smiles. I hold out my ar
m, and she takes it with a raised eyebrow, not used to me being so gentlemanly. She glances at my attire for the first time. I’m not wearing a suit. I figured that would be a little too obvious, but I am wearing khakis and a button-down shirt.
“You look nice,” she says.
“And you look beautiful, as always.” I chastely kiss her on the lips. I don’t want us to get too carried away, like we have in the past, and not make it out of here.
I lead her out of the shack, and she stops in shock when she sees the limo I arranged for.
“Why are we going somewhere in a limo?”
I grin. “Because we have been dating for six months, and I want to celebrate without worrying about getting arrested for driving a nice car. Plus, we can do dirty things on the way back.”
“Not on the way there?”
“No. I want to make sure my girls are well fed.”