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“I booked the La Sur Del Mar spa for you this afternoon for a massage and facial and whatever else you need. The entire staff is at your command.”

With her hand at her heart, her head shook, and she turned to face me. “Oh, Rex, that’s too much.” I boxed her in with my hands on the bathroom vanity behind her.

“You absolutely deserve this treat. Besides, after the last time you came home from the spa and you gushed about Serge’s hands all over you, loosening up your gorgeous muscles and body—and afterward about the incredible sexyou and I had that night—are you saying you don’t want another massage?”

“Hm. Good point. He really did dig deep into my knots.” A corner of her lips curled up, and she winked at me.

I didn’t bother holding back a growl at the vision of his hands on her. “And I pay him damn well to keep the massage PG and not get anywhere near certain parts of you. He’s to loosen you up, not give you any happy ending whatsoever. That’smyjob.”

“I guess a little pampering would be nice. And when I get back, I’ll be all relaxed and ready foryou.” The smile full of golden sunshine that I’d come to love on my Chelsea returned.

“I’ll be ready and waiting.” My cock inflated to the size of a huge ego mushroom shaped head, knowing no amount of Serge’s hands could compete.

Chelsea threw her arms around me for one last squeeze. “What will you do while I’m gone?”

“I thought I’d get a start on writing wedding vows.”

“Really? You’re the greatest, my love,” she purred.

“About time you give me all the praise I’m due.” I grinned, giving her rump a swat as she sashayed away to clean up.

Big ugly crying session over? Yes.

One relieved and soon relaxed wife-to-be because I was better at navigating this relationship stuff than I thought? Double yes.

Finding all the right words I wanted to say to the love of my life in our vows? Not easy—I didn’t think words yetexisted that could describe the depths of my love for this woman. My phone chirped, taking my focus off that topic for a moment.

“Brooks? What’s up?” I answered. Some heavy breathing came through the line…or crying?

“I fucked up. Help me, Rex,” he blubbered on with some drunken nonsense I couldn’t understand. The only word I could make out was a name…Maisy.

48

THE RING

REX

“Jameson,”I greeted my buddy as I took a seat next to Brooks at his wine bar. “This guy giving you trouble?”

“If I serve him one more, he’ll pass out for sure. He’s been here since five,” he said, drying off a few wine glasses. “I’m tired of seeing his mopey ass.”

A peek at Brooks’ phone in his hands beside me revealed the social media posts of Maisy and her professor looking friendly, the same ones Chelsea showed me on the couch. Only to Chelsea, the photos seemed harmless. With Brooks, I could tell how he might read too much into them.

“What are you doing? Stalking Maisy?” I joked, nudging his elbow with mine.

“Look at her with him. Does she look happier with him than when she was with me?”

“No. You’re seeing things. These are just professional photos between coworkers.” I lied.

“I wasn’t planning to do this. But shit, Rex, I fell for her.” He swiped through the photos, one after the other. “I thought I was being a gentleman, not taking her virginity. But now, that’s all I do, obsess night and day that someone else is going to claim her and take it. Like this asshole professor. He does not look like a gentleman.”

I kept it to myself, but one look at the guy in the photos and I had to agree.

“Fuck, she’s ruined me, Rex.”

“Must be some sort of hereditary disease between you and Archer that makes the two of you pine away like little babies for someone you can’t have.” I snorted, recalling all the years Archer wasted on his ex each time they broke up.

“Are you saying it wouldn’t eat away at your soul if Chelsea left you?”