“How do I look, Jack?” she asked.
I couldn’t see her or her eyes, so I kept my gaze straight ahead on the white wall with the red poster.
“Like death warmed over,” I said.
I could hear the smile in her voice when she responded a few seconds later. “I can always count on you for compliments, can’t I?”
“That’s why I’m here, isn’t it?”
I wasn’t clear on how long we sat there like that, me breathing in her scent, but after a few minutes passed, my dick started stirring in my pants. It wasn’t the first time it had happened around her and I was sure it wouldn’t be the last either, but the timing was wrong, as it always was when it came to her. I didn’t know if her eyes were open or not, but to be safe, I rested my left arm across my lap in the hopes of hiding the rapidly growing hardness I knew was noticeable through my pants.
When her hand came on top of mine, adding more weight to what was already a painful situation for me, I groaned and closed my eyes. I was aware of every inch of her that was pressing against my body, and I couldn’t fucking do anything in that room.
She turned my watch enough so she could see the time then started playing with my wedding ring, just like I’d played with hers plenty of times.
“You never took it off,” Rose whispered.
I closed my eyes and tried my best to ignore what I was feeling. No, I never took it off. Didn’t want to take it off.
“I’m feeling a little better. We should leave,” she said after a few minutes.
When she was around, I felt like I had no control over myself. So, leaving worked just fine for me—if she really felt fine, that is. “Are you sure?” I felt her head move up and down on my chest in a nod, because her rubbing her face and scent all over me was exactly what I needed so I could think about nothing but her when I was back at the office. “I’ll drop you at Around the Corner then I need to go to the office.”
“Jack?”
“Hmm.” Finally, she lifted her head and looked up at me. With her warmth gone, I felt colder. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I gave myself permission to touch her, in the name of helping her. I pushed back her hair that would not stay in place behind her ear. “Listening.”
“This wasn’t the deal.”
My forehead creased. “What deal?”
“Our marriage deal,” she said slowly.
Right. My brilliant idea. “What about it?”
“I’m aware that this isn’t what you signed up for. Let’s not fool ourselves—this is probably what they think it is. Two doctors, one of them a fancy ENT specialist, think this is most likely CSF, so I don’t know how or when I’ll be able to accompany you to your work events and dinners, but at least if the coffee shop tanks you’ll get the property faster and you won’t have to do the free rent—”
“Let’s not worry about that now. I can get away with not attending by saying my wife is having health issues, and we’ll pick it up from where we left off once you get better.” I didn’t plan on going to any dinners, but she didn’t need to know that.
She looked away from me. “Okay. I just know I’m breaking the rules, and if there is anything else I can do to make up for it, you can just—”
I stood up and, with my back to her, quickly rearranged myself to hide my uncomfortable erection. I faced her and met her confused gaze as I offered my hand. She took it after a short pause.
“We didn’t set any rules, Rose. If necessary, we’ll make them along the way. Let’s just focus on your health for now. I wouldn’t take you anywhere like this even if you wanted me to.”
She got up with my help then stared at me with her piercing eyes, a smile breaking out on her face, which didn’t help what I had going on in my pants at all. I frowned harder.
“I think you’re nothing but bluster sometimes, and I also think I might have gotten the better end of the deal by marrying you.”
I arched an eyebrow at her as I opened the door to the hallway.
“Come on, Jack Hawthorne, help me end my day with a high. Let me count to six. Show me that smile. You can do it—I know you can. It’s in you.”
I couldn’t have held back my laughter even if I’d tried. Then she just kept staring up at me as we started walking. She had this crooked but beautiful and expectant smile on her face as she tried to keep up with my steps. That was what I’d wanted from day one, wasn’t it? To be on the receiving end of that smile?
I would fight for her when the time came. I would fight with everything I got. “Stop grinning and walk faster. I can’t wait around for you the entire day—you’re making me late to work.”
When we exited the building, Raymond was waiting for us. It took us almost an hour to get her to work, and when we finally made it, I walked her up to the door.
“Looks like we have a full house,” she commented, staring inside before turning back to me. “So…I already made you late. You should leave.”
I had my hands in my pockets, my best protection against reaching for her. I nodded. “Yes. I need to leave.”
We didn’t move.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, trying to stay longer.
She winced and took a deep breath. “Still a little nauseous, to be honest, but better. The headache feels like it’s a permanent thing now.” She gently touched her nose. “This stopped for the time being.”
“When we know for sure tomorrow, you’ll feel better. Eat something as soon as you get inside.”
“I’ll do that.”
When the door opened behind her and two customers walked out, we had to move to the side, to the right of all the flowers she had put up. Her eyes caught on them as well.
“They look good, don’t they? I wanted people to take photos in front of it and post on social media so it can be its own advertising.”
“That’s smart.”
She smiled shyly, and even that looked beautiful on her. She hugged her coat tighter to herself. “It’s going to snow soon. It’s getting colder. I want to change out the roses for a winter theme with big beautiful wreaths on every window, and something for the entrance too. It would look gorgeous for winter and Christmas, but if I end up having surgery—”
“There are easier ways to ask for my help. You don’t have to resort to histrionics.”
She chuckled, and finally some warmth returned to her eyes.
“Okay. Will you help me? I’d like to do it with you again. Maybe that could be like a little tradition too. Not for show, for us.”
“I will.”
I looked over her shoulder and saw her two employees watching us with concerned faces. They were probably anxious to hear what had happened.
I gestured inside with my head. “Sally and your other employee are watching us.”
“Owen. His name is Owen.”
As if I didn’t already know.
She looked back and sent them a quick wave with a smile.
“So you have to work from your office today, huh?”
Did she want me to stay? If she asked, I would.
I checked my watch. “I rescheduled yesterday’s meetings for today, so I need to get back to them.”