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It’s like a compulsion, and it happens several times a day. Her scent is addicting, and I can’t get enough of it. I always breathe deep around her, trying to imprint the smell of her on my senses so I never lose it.
I don’t want to want her. That part hasn’t changed. But I feel obsessed all the same.
The sounds from across the wall have died down, and I pull myself away, disgusted. I need to clean up. I need to get my shit together.
I don’t know what hold Penelope has on me, but I have to resist it. I went into this promising myself and her that this would never be more than a business arrangement. A means to an end. I’ve worked too hard to lose Vantage and everything Dominic, Xavier, and myself have built just because the board doesn’t think we can get along.
I can play nice for the sake of that, but I can’t afford to fall for my wife. This whole situation is temporary. Just like everythingin life. The minute I let her in, get comfortable with her being around and being close, is when she’ll be snatched away in one way or another. That’s how it always goes.
I let out a breath and start stripping out of my clothes, heading for the shower. All I have to do is remind myself of why I’m doing this, and it should be fine.
Right?
Chapter 22
Penelope
In the morning, the air feels like it’s crackling with tension.
I put a pot of coffee on and go to make some toast, and Xavier walks in, whistling. He has his usual smile on his face, but there’s a sparkle in his eyes that’s definitely new and definitely directed at me.
It makes my cheeks flush immediately, and I dip my head, tucking hair behind my ear.
“Good morning, Wife,” Xavier says, the word rolling off his tongue in a warm tone. “Did you sleep well?”
He lifts an eyebrow, as if I won’t know what he’s asking about.
“I did,” I answer, a smile spreading over my face.
“No bad dreams?”
I shake my head. “No, I think I was too tired to dream.”
“Oh?” he asks. “And what tired you out so thoroughly?” He bats his eyelashes at me, going for played up innocence, and I laugh.
“You know exactly what.”
“Maybe I just want to hear you say it.” He leans in closer to me, and we share a heated glance.
My heart trips into beating overtime, and I have a flashback to the night before. Xavier’s voice coaxing me to come twice, praise and dirty talk falling from his mouth so easily.
Across the room, I can feel Dominic’s eyes on us. He’s watching with a heated expression in his gaze, and when I glance at him, the look seems to smolder.
Xavier leans over me, grabbing a cup down from the cabinet so he can pour himself a cup of coffee. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” he says, smile going more warm and less teasing. “It’s what you deserve, really.”
“I did,” I assure him. “I’ve also been feeling a nesting instinct lately. I spent some time making things in my room more comfortable and set up how I like it.”
Xavier reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. He extracts a black card with no writing on the front and hands it over to me. “Take this,” he says. “And get whatever you want to make it more comfortable.”
My eyes widen, and I half hesitate before taking the card. It probably has a limit higher than anything I will ever see in this lifetime, and Xavier just handed it over to me so casually. Like it was nothing. Or like it was second nature.
My cheeks flush, and I lick my lips, staring down at the counter. “Thank you,” I mumble. “So, um… this probably means that my heat is going to come pretty soon.”
And god, what an awkward way to bring that up. It’s not something I’ve had to deal with for a while, but since we all share a house, and we’re married, and with all the stuff that happened last night…
It just seems like I should bring it up.
Tristan walks in right on the heels of me saying that, expressionless as always. But his voice is cool and detached when he says. “We’ll make sure you have everything you needfor it. Since our agreement was that none of us will be touching you.”