“What about your Uncle Robert?” Tanisha asks with a wondering smile. “Did you forget about him?”
Barry and Lang both look up at me swiftly, then at each other.
“He’s funny?” Lang finally offers, shrugging helplessly.
“Marketing genius,” I intone, raising an eyebrow and looking at him over my glasses. “The next time someone asks you about your uncle, that’s what you say.”
“What kind of market?” Barry frowns in confusion. “I thought he worked for Aunt Bronte at the gym?”
Tanisha bites her lips, her rich brown eyes bright with suppressed laughter.
“He’s very smart,” I assure her defensively. “Finn’s Ring owes most of its business to his hustle.”
“I’ve met him,” she reminds me. “And I agree.”
“Fine. Now that we’ve got that settled.” I set the lotion back down on the table and scoop up a fingerful for myself, mimicking Lang and pushing up my shirt to rub some into my elbows. “I might as well smell as pretty and look as shiny as the rest of you.”
Barry and Tanisha laugh while Lang smirks, and I feel a little less like a grumpy old man. She’s easy to be with. I’ve never dated a woman who was so comfortable to be around. Definitely never been married to one.
If I didn’t want to fuck her so badly, this might be a smoother transition for everyone.
But I do. God only knows how much.
I’m enjoying a moment with my children and my new wife, and as I rub her scent into my skin, all I can think about is that glimpse of leg. Which leads me to think about all the other things I’d like to be rubbing. And how every time I’ve woken up over the last few days, it’s almost felt as if she was rubbing that sweet ass up against my dick.
“Dad, are you listening?” Barry is tugging at my sweatpants, his voice raised in concern.
Damn. “No, son. I was thinking too loud to hear you. What did I miss?”
“Tani said it’s time to eat.”
Tanisha, I correct in my head, loving the sound of
it. But she wanted the boys to be comfortable around her, to call her Tani so they wouldn’t “ma’am her to death.”
“It is?”
Instead of confirming, Barry abandons me to chase after his brother toward the kitchen. I inhale deeply and realize why. I was so caught up in her scent, I missed this one. And it’s almost as heavenly. Spicy and rich.
How did I not know she could cook?
The first few nights we ordered in because we were busy unpacking and adjusting to being around each other. Then I was working at home, so I threw something together before she had the chance. She never said a word.
You thought she only knew how to order delivery or hire a chef?
Maybe. Like I said, her money pricked at my pride. I’m working on it.
I still have a lot to learn about my bride.
I join them, listening to her talk to Lang about their upcoming vacation as he holds up the empty bowls that she’s filling from two large pots on the stove. My stomach growls. When did she have the time?
I drop my gaze to the curve of her ass. She’s such a little thing, her head barely hitting my chest, but she’s got a good handful there. I want to step up behind her, pretend to look over her shoulder and into that pot so I can get close enough to press myself against her. Let her feel what she’s doing to me. Let her know the kind of ache I’ll be dealing with through dinner because of her.
Slow down.
Making this work is too important for me to screw things up by jumping the gun. What if I scare her off? What if she gets bored and leaves? It wouldn’t be the first time I’d lost a wife that way.
She’d never do that. She’d honor the agreement and stay the year.