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I held my ground.
The old me—the me before class—would have caved and likely apologized. Maybe I upset her? Maybe I said the wrong thing and hurt her feelings? I’d sacrifice anything to keep the peace. Including my dignity. When I looked back on the me of the pre-class era, I was embarrassed. That guy was a damn doormat. No wonder my ex cheated on me. My behavior told her I had little or no respect for myself. Why the hell should she?
Using my boss’s signature move, I tilted my head in question and simply said, “Explain.”
My wife’s face twisted like she just sucked a lemon. “What is with this posse and that stupid saying?”
“What’s stupid about it? It expresses that I’m curious about what you just said in one simple word.” I shrugged and waited for her to go on.
We were both silent for a bit, and she huffed a heavy breath. “You can’t really be that dense, but I will explain it to you anyway.” She hitched a thumb over her shoulder, referencing a space in time rather than the room. “You ramped me up back there and then left me hanging. What’s that about?”
She struck this sexy little pose with one hip jutted out and her dainty, feminine hand propped atop it. Her face was still blank as the free letter tile in Scrabble, though. Based on her body language, she wanted answers. For someone so small in stature, she was a fierce creature.
“I told you what I want. And I think if you were honest with yourself, you would admit you want it too.” I tried to mirror her inanimate features and waited for her response.
“No, what I want is you to give my priiii-vetttt property back and then leave.” She enunciated the two syllables as if teaching a new word to a toddler.
“When you agree to my terms. One year. One year of genuine effort.”
“Now you’re changing it!” For a brief millisecond, her frustration surfaced in knitted eyebrows. But when she paused to inhale and gather momentum for her next accusation or declaration or exclamation—Christ, whatever it was going to be—the outward sign of her feelings was gone.
Yeah, she is definitely trying to work me over.
Clever girl—had to give her that.
“Not necessarily. More like expounding on the original.” I tapped off my comment with a quick wink, and I heard her suck in a breath. My grin was back because it felt so good knowing I was getting to her. And in the best kind of ways.
We were going to have so much fun together, I just knew it. Over time, I’d get better at predicting her actions and reactions and would be able to head them off before there was ever an issue. She was smarter than a lot of women I’d dated recently. Or hell, that I even knew. So the challenge would be a little greater, but the reward so much sweeter. I wanted to calm this feisty, lively little storm more than I could remember wanting anything else.
“I’ll tell you what, wife,” I began.
Before she’d started this mask game she was currently playing, I watched her react every time I called her that. The battle going on in her mind over that one banal title was fascinating. And entertaining. And so endearing all at the same time. It was exactly why the storm comparison kept popping up. She was tumultuous and unpredictable, yet powerful and essential at the same time.
No wonder Elijah came up with the bomb nickname. Of course, I barely knew Agatha. I knew Hannah and the other sisters even less. But based on what I was familiar with, these five women were formidable forces for sure. What they brought to your life was up to you completely. Chaos, destruction, and upheaval, or a lush, peaceful landscape where you could live and thrive in their presence. Your choice to make.
“Stop calling me that. I’ve said that how many times now?” Then she muttered to herself, but clearly loud enough for me to hear, “Shit, maybe you are that dense?”
“Not going to get me going that way either, Storm. You’ll have to do better if you want to scare me off,” I said through a growing smile. “But for now, I’m going to call for a ride and take off. Please spend the evening packing so you’re ready when I stop by after work tomorrow.”
I held her journal down at her eye level so she clearly saw I still had it. “I’m going to take this with me,” I stated matter-of-factly. “An insurance policy of sorts.”
“No. Please.” She grabbed my forearm with impressive strength. She didn’t hide her bone-deep fear and early-stage panic at the notion. “Carmen, no. Please don’t take it with you. How will I know you won’t read it?”
And believe it or not, in those few moments, I had thought this through. “This is our first lesson in trust. I’m sure you would agree that a good relationship is built on a foundation of trust and communication, yes?”
She pegged me with an impassive stare once more, and I had to remind myself this was some sort of game she was playing and not let it frustrate me. I’d just witnessed genuine and intense emotion on her angelic face, so I knew she was in control of what she was doing. However, I also knew a solid relationship was built on good, two-way conversation. Her paralyzed mime routine was already wearing on my nerves.
“Answer me, please. There’s no need to be rude because you don’t like what’s going on.” When delivered, the words sounded as though I were speaking to a preschooler, and it wasn’t my original intent. But when I saw her chest rise with her heavy inhalation, I knew she was preparing to launch one of her acidic rebuttals my way. The previous moment’s regret disappeared instantly.
Additionally, I was completely distracted with the way that deep breath pushed out her fabulous tits against the thin cotton T-shirt she wore.
Fuck me, I could not wait to get this woman horizontal again.
“Up here, husband,” she bit while angrily pointing toward her face. I was totally busted for staring at her chest, but what about it? I was only human.
I grinned shamelessly when I met her bright-blue eyes. “You’re magnificent, woman. Do you have a clue about how fucking beautiful you are?”
She shrugged. Wait. Shrugged? Then said, “Yeah. I’ve heard it all a million times, Carmen. It loses its impact, you know?” She deployed the head tilt this time and looked sexier than ever.
