Page 98 of If the Stars Align

If only it were that simple. Judging by his narrowed eyes and clenched fists, it’s probably safe to say Jeremy’s not in the mood. It’s like a cold front just blew into the apartment—I can feel the chill in the air.

But I laugh at Sam’s joke anyway. “I will do no such thing,” I tell her.

“You mean you won’t have wild sex? Or you won’t report back to me with details…”

“No details, of course.” I chew on my lip as my fiancé cracks open a beer with a furrowed brow, then stomps into ourbedroom.

“So you guysdohave wild sex…I knew it! One look at Jeremy and I could tell he was a tiger in bed. Well played, Sunny. I’m happy for you.”

As she says the words, I hear Jeremy slam a dresser drawer shut. I giggle despite the nervous flutter in my stomach. “Goodnight, Sam.”

“Night.”

When I hang up, guilt washes over me. I wasn’t being myself on the phone with Sam—I was acting. Playing the role of the happy bride-to-be, all while my fiancé’s stomping around the apartment, slamming drawers and scowling. He’s so unapologetically himself, he can’t be bothered to regulate his moods for five minutes while I’m talking to my friend—yet here I am, hiding things on his behalf?

The irony isn’t lost on me.

I get up from the couch and take a deep breath before I walk into the bedroom. When I do, I find Jeremy changing out of his suit. His pants are still on, but his belt’s undone, and he’s shirtless.

God, he looks good.

I wish I could jump him like Sam assumed I was going to. I’m desperate to feel that close to him again.

It’s strange to miss someone when they’re three feet away from you.

Jeremy takes a seat on the edge of the bed and acknowledges me with a nod as I inch toward him.

“What’s the matter?” I ask softly when I’m sitting next to him.

He sighs and rubs his forehead with the heel of his hand. “They made another associate second chair for this new client’scase—the oneIhelped reel in. Can you fucking believe that? After all the goddamn work I put in, they give it to that fucker, Mike.” He rolls his eyes, then mutters under his breath. “Went to Harvard Law and thinks he’s better than everyone else.”

Good lord, I hate when he gets like this.

My stomach clenches as I wonder what I can possibly say to help him feel better. Then it occurs to me that Mike has been at the firm a hell of a lot longer than Jeremy has.

“I’m really sorry, babe. But…Mike’s a senior associate, right? About to make partner? Maybe they weren’t even considering younger associates for this case.”

Jeremy glares at me. “They’ll pick whoever they think will do the best job, Sunny.”

My pulse quickens.

“It has nothing to do with seniority,” he continues, shaking his head. “We were in a meeting with the client this morning, and my tone was a little…gruff…according to the partner. I was trying to explain that if we don’t file a motion to exclude expert testimony before trial, we’re gonna get fuckedlater—and apparently that didn’t go over well.”

I guess I’m not the only one Jeremy’s been gruff with lately.

“Well…you have been a little tense these days,” I say, shifting to kneel behind him on the bed. I begin to rub his shoulders. “Maybe this will help.”

Jeremy exhales deeply. “Now I feel like I have to watch every word I say so they don’t fucking fire me.”

“They’re not going to fire you, babe,” I say as I continue to knead the tight muscles in his back. “You are such an asset to the firm.You’re a brilliant litigator—not to mention they’ve practically had you on a pedestal since you helped snag this new client. I really don’t think you have to worry about your job security.”

He smirks. “Thanks—but I don’t need advice on how to keep my job from the associate who’s first to leave the office every day.”

My fingers freeze over his shoulder blades for a few seconds before I drop my hands to my sides. “That was harsh. I’m trying to help you feel better, and you’re attacking me?”

He turns to face me. “You weren’t trying to make me feel better, Sunny. You were trying to get laid. Since when do you give massages anyway? All you want from me these days is sex.”

My heart is hammering. “You can’t be serious. I give my fiancé a back rub because he’s stressed, and now I’m a sex fiend?”