Committed (Betrothed 4)

“Tell me about your shitty day.”

His body tensed again. “Damien and I butted heads a bit…”

“You always butt heads. Was he upset when you told him you were leaving?”

He continued to watch Andrew. “He seemed to be fine with it. But then he confronted me about our friendship…and shit hit the fan. We ended on bad terms.”

It’d been so long since they’d stopped being friends that I’d given up on them a long time ago. “Hades, this is your last chance to bury the hatchet. I think it’s time you forgive and forget.”

He ignored me like he hadn’t heard what I said.

“You love him. He loves you. You know that.”

Still, no response.

“Something is going to happen one day, and it’ll be too late. I don’t want you to live with that kind of guilt.”

He turned to me, his eyes cold. “I’ve made my decision. Leave it alone.”

I’d tried to talk him out of it many times, but nothing ever stuck. It was time to move on. “Alright.”

He lay in bed beside me, on his back with his powerful chest directed at the ceiling. There was a gleam of sweat on his skin from the workout he’d just performed making love to me. Now, his chest rose and fell quickly as he recovered from his exertion.

I moved on top of him and kissed his chest everywhere, feeling his hard pecs against my soft lips before I felt the valleys between his abs over his stomach. My kisses continued because I couldn’t get enough of this man. I could have him every minute of the day, and it still wouldn’t be enough.

He moved his fingers through my hair as he watched me. “I thought I was doing a good job, but I guess not. You’re never satisfied.”

I looked up and met his gaze. “I’m not unsatisfied. I’m addicted.”

His eyes darkened like he enjoyed that response. “Move in with me.”

The request was so sudden, I didn’t react right away. “Yeah?”

“This is your home.”

I’d wondered if and when he would ask me to marry him again, but I should be grateful he was offering me this. As long as I got to live with him and see him every day, I was okay with never getting married again—even though I wanted it more than anything. “I want nothing more…”

“And bring your mother.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“She told you to give me that awesome blow job. So, I like her a little more.”

I smiled at his playfulness, loving the fact that he was himself again. “You know, you can have one of those every day.”

“I know…but I get distracted by that perfect pussy of yours.”

“Perfect?” I rubbed my palm across his chest. “I had a baby… I doubt it’s perfect anymore.”

“It’s even better now.” He stared at me with a loving gaze. “Knowing you gave me a son is the biggest turn-on ever.” He continued to run his fingers through my hair.

When I’d thought about the women who’d replaced me during our estrangement, it made me so sick. His admission that there had been others made it worse. But now that I had him back and he loved me, I had to force myself to let those thoughts go. None of them mattered…only I did. “You seem to love me, no matter what.”

His eyes grew intense before a slight smile moved across his lips. “You have no idea how true that is…”

29

Hades

Sofia moved back in to the house.

My closet was full of her clothes again. The top drawer of the dresser was full of her delicate panties and bras. On the bathroom counter were all her hair supplies, makeup, and her favorite perfume.

It felt the way it used to.

Her mother came as part of the deal and returned to her old bedroom downstairs. I could negotiate her removal, but since it was important to Sofia, I let it be. Besides, we always had a trusted babysitter on call.

Now when we had dinner together, we had true privacy. Sofia didn’t have to breastfeed during her meals so her food wouldn’t grow cold. And when we hit the sheets, we never had to be interrupted by a crying baby.

It was like a second honeymoon.

She sat across from me now on the terrace, wearing a long-sleeved sweater with her curled hair pinned back. She slowly ate her food and looked up at me from time to time, letting the silence linger because she didn’t feel the need to fill it with unnecessary conversation. She understood I was the strong and silent type and let me be.

She understood me better than anyone.

I set my fork down even though my food was only half eaten. “I want to ask you to marry me, but there’s something I have to tell you first.”

My statement was so unexpected that she jerked noticeably when she heard what I’d said. Her fork fell and clattered against the plate, making a loud tapping noise. Then she took a deep breath and rubbed her hand across her chest, disconcerted by the abrupt change in tone. “Okay…” She took another deep breath. “But there’s nothing you can say that would stop me from wanting to marry you, so there’s really no point in saying it at all.”