Page 100 of Somehow You Knew

I do as I’m told, watching my husband tie one wrist to the steel bar, and then the other, leaving me helpless from the waist up.

“God, you’re so fucking sexy like this, Hazel. Trusting me, offering yourself over to me like this.”

My next words slip out before I can even think. “I do trust you.”

Gage’s eyes lock with mine, but he doesn’t say anything. And he almost doesn’t have to—because the look of reverence in his green orbs tells me that this isn’t just some fantasy-fulfilling night for him either.

He’s in this moment with me.

We’re crossing another line.

And as he makes me come as many times as I can take, every line I thought we drew vanishes. I have no idea where we began—or where we might end.

Chapter eighteen

Gage

“Do you remember that time that Dad made us read the newspaper because we told him we were bored?” Parker asks as we cruise along the highway.

Dallas and Penn are in the front seats of the truck, while Parker, Grady, and I are packed like sardines in the backseat. We’re on our way to Blossom Peak and have already been on the road for four hours. Only three more to go.

The conversation has shifted from work to sports to kids, and then Penn brought up Mr. Sheppard, leading the brothers to reminisce about their dad and feeling his absence as Parker embarks on his marriage.

Dallas starts to laugh. “Yeah, and then it backfired because we found the sports section and started asking him a bunch of questions about hockey and football.”

Penn sighs. “I still can’t see a newspaper without thinking about him.”

Parker chuckles. “Same.” Then he grows quiet. “I can’t believe it’s been over three years.”

Dallas sighs this time. “I know.”

“Your father was a good man,” Grady interjects. “He’d be proud of the three of you. You’ve continued to give back to the town he loved so much. You’re all good men and good friends.”

Parker nods at Grady. “Thanks, man. I guess it just feels weird that I’m getting married and he’s not here.” He turns to me. “Was it weird getting married without your dad there?”

My throat grows tight. Honestly, I didn’t even think about my father when I agreed to marry Hazel, but that’s probably because I have a lot of resentment toward the man.

“My dad’s gone too, so…”

Dallas clears his throat. “Sorry to hear that, man.”

“It is what it is.” I have to shrug it off because I can’t tell them the truth. His death changed everything for me—just not in the way they think.

“How did he die, if you don’t mind me asking?” Parker asks, looking at me from his seat to my right.

“Heart attack.” And right on cue, my heart starts beating wildly.

All I want is to get through this weekend without reminders of what’s at stake, given how the dynamics of my relationship with Hazel have changed. But we’re not even at our destination yet and I’m already uneasy.

I packed my meds, I plan to stay away from alcohol as much as possible, and if these guys want to go on a hike, I’m going to stay back so I don’t risk passing out in the middle of the damn forest. Of course, I can’t tell them any of that without opening a floodgate of questions I’m not ready to answer, especially since Hazel deserves those answers first.

I just have no idea how she’s going to react.

Somehow, in the past few weeks, my wife morphed from someone I was trying to avoid to the person I want to spend the most time with. And it’s not just about the sex, even though that’s fucking mind-blowing.

It’s her—every word that comes out of her mouth, every smile I can pull from her lips, and every time she touches me and makes me yearn for things I swore off years ago.

Yet, that’s the problem. I know I shouldn’t have crossed the line that I drew in the sand upon agreeing to this marriage, especially since my reasons for doing so haven’t changed. In fact, they’ve been reminding me what’s at stake every time I fight the dizzy spells after Hazel and I have sex.