Page 27 of Croc Food

“Really, we come from two different worlds—” I began, but Chad was already clutching my hands in panic, tightening his grip on my waist.

“No! Absolutely not.”

He tenderly kissed my wrists, bit the skin there gently.

“Please,” he said, looking up at me, and there were still tears shimmering in his eyes, trailing down his high cheekbones.

Damn, but the man was gorgeous.

However, I had no intention of weakening. Petty? Maybe.

But why should I give him access to all of my whole self unless I was sure he was going to appreciate it?

Chad buried his face in my lap and hugged my thighs fiercely.

“Tell me what I can do to prove it! I’ll do anything. Anything.”

“Maybe it’s time to see what else is out there,” I said coolly.

“Never!” he gaped at me in horror. “When I tell you you’re the only woman on earth for me! I had no plans for marriage whatsoever when I met you. I fell in love with you at first sight.”

“Zach. . .” I said delicately, even though that shellacked-head freak had zero appeal for me.

“Hell no! Bitsy, please! You’re torturing me.”

Wow. Chad was jealous.

I would have never imagined a confident man like my husband would be sitting here worrying about the attentions of some other dude.

Back in college I’d always thought I was so lucky to catch the eye of Chadley Parker-Bowles.

I mean yeah, some girls did go for Zach. But everyone knew Chad was the real prize.

There was something about the way he walked, with that tall, loose-limbed stance. Zach was the kind of guy who had to bluster and wave his arms around to get attention. Chad got the same amount of attention just by having his hands in his pockets and leaning against a building.

It truly had never been fair how gorgeous and unattainable this man was, so to see him green with jealousy over some doofus like Zach absolutely flabbergasted me.

Well, if he was jealous, good.

“Please,” he said again, “Fuck all that dumb shit I said. I’m your humble servant. I’m scrubbing the decks and you’re the Pirate Queen.”

Usually I suggested all the roleplays, so this was hot as hell.

Luckily I could hear my dad and brothers stomping up the front porch, and whatever roadkill they had picked up this time was surely going to squash any romantic vibes.

Because I wasn’t wavering. . . was I. . .

CHAPTER 13

Chad

Without raising her voice once, Bitsy had made it very clear how selfish I’d been and how much I’d taken her for granted.

“I am so sorry I said any of that to you, and that I let the stress from work get to me,” I told her the next morning as we walked out to the newest lawn ornament I’d just had delivered, a massive satin coach driven by a skeleton team with a beheaded zombie hanging out the window. “None of that was true and none of that is how I really feel. Please, let me make it up to you.”

I gestured toward the absolute monstrosity.

“I just want to convince you I fucked up and I’m sorry.”