Page 106 of Irresistibly Wicked

“Are you taking Lettie with you?” Maverick asked.

“No,” Blaine said. “I offered, but I let Reese decide. She struggled with the decision, but I’m happy with her choice. I love Lettie, but I’m glad I’ll get to have Reese all to myself and spoil the hell out of her.”

“You spoil both of them every day,” Maverick said.

“Like you don’t spoil Chloe and Marybelle?” Tobias pointed out.

Zander listened to their banter, and finally he got it, because nothing made him happier than doing things for Shauna. He was all about her pleasure, but it was so much bigger than that. He never realized making someone coffee every morning just the way she liked it, or sneaking notes into the duffel bag she took to work or leaving them on her windshield with wildflowers could make him feel so good.

“Hey, bro.” Maverick stepped into Zander’s line of sight, pulling him from his thoughts.

“What?” Zander snapped.

“Chill. You were daydreaming or something. I said your name three times.” Maverick pointed his trowel into the dining room. “What is that? In the corner.”

They all looked at the shiny pole leaning against the dining room wall.

“It sure doesn’t look like a scratching post for Kitty,” Tobias said.

“It’s a pole for Shauna, and you’re going to help me put it up.”

“Are you kidding?” Blaine asked.

“Guess we know how she’s paying him back for that loan,” Zeke said.

“Shut the hell up,” Zander said, stifling a laugh. “She takes classes. It’s exercise.”

Tobias smirked. “Is that what the kids are calling it now? Exercise?”

Blaine’s expression hardened. “Dude, is there something you’re not telling us about you and Shauna? We’ve all seen how close you’ve gotten. We assume you’re hooking up, but is this still temporary, or have things gotten serious between you two?”

Fuck.

“And don’t tell us you’re not sleeping with her, because we’re not that stupid,” Maverick said.

“I’ve got no reason to lie about that,” Zander said. “Shauna is the coolest woman I’ve ever met. I like spending time with her, and I love having her in my bed every night. But we’re still temporary. It was never supposed to be anything else. We’re just having a good time. You know I’m not built for long term. I’ll get bored eventually, and she’s got a life to go back to and a guy who’s going through rehab because she’s his world.” He fucking hated saying any of that out loud, but he needed to hear it as much as they did. Most of the time when he was with Shauna, it was too easy to forget Brian even existed.

“How’s that going? How’s he doing in rehab?” Blaine asked.

Zander shrugged. “I can only assume it’s going okay since he’s still there.”

“And the whole inheritance thing?” Maverick asked. “Has that attorney checked up on you two? When does she get the money?”

“She told him we got married, but the attorney hasn’t done shit as far as I know. She’s going to request the money after the Fourth. We thought it would look suspicious if she requested it right after the sixty days were up. But if all goes well, she should have the money by the time Brian comes home next month.”

“Isn’t that when your arrangement ends?” Zeke asked.

Zander’s jaw clenched. He hated talking about this. “Yeah.”

“Then why put up a pole for such a short time?” Zeke asked.

“I’m just being a supportive husband. Don’t you think she deserves that? She’s doing all of this for Brian. She’s like me. She never wanted to get married. It wasn’t even on her radar.”

“I get being supportive,” Blaine said skeptically. “But it’s going to cost you a pretty penny to replace the floors and patch the ceiling when you tear it out.”

He didn’t care what it cost, and he’d had enough of this conversation. He cocked an arrogant grin. “Who says I’m getting rid of it? We don’t need a marriage certificate for her to come back and give me private performances.”

The guys erupted in laughter and joked about how Zander would never change, leaving him to wonder how he could feel like he’d already changed so much that he’d never be the same again, when nobody else saw it.