Page 59 of Wed to You

Chapter Ten

Chelsea blewout a breath as Jagger stalked to the shower. She hated turning him down. Not only because he’d been right. She was very interested in discovering the pleasure he could give her. Just the thought of what those capable hands and sublime lips could do sent a shiver through her. Even more than causing her own disappointment, she hated seeing his. What she saw in his blue eyes wasn’t just annoyance. She swore he took her “no” as a personal rejection. Like he thought she believed he wasn’t worthy.

She considered changing her mind and joining him in the shower. The thought of him wet and sleek made her body heat hotter than the sun and exertion of their tennis match. But it wasn’t a good idea. At least not for her.

Still, he was right. They were married and in this situation until Tanya made whatever move she was going to make. Chelsea enjoyed his company as well. He was funny, kind, and extremely generous. He’d started off easy with her on the tennis court, but once she’d found her groove and started to beat him, he hadn’t held back. She liked that about him. That he didn’t feel the need to let her win. He won, but it was close. A few more matches, and she’d win. He probably knew it, but apparently didn’t feel threatened by it. That was appealing as well.

Could she have sex with him and treat it like a tennis game? Just a fun activity? She never had before. She had always thought it was and should be an expression of love.

She thought back to several years ago when Lexie had spent the day at her house after a one-night stand with Drake. Of course, they’d ended up married, but at the time, Lexie had gone willingly and eagerly into the brief affair. Could Chelsea do that too?

“All yours.” Jagger exited the bathroom. He wore a robe and made a beeline to the closet.

Chelsea sighed. Why did life and relationships have to be so complicated? She scoffed at herself because she was the one complicating things. She returned to the task of finding something to wear, struggling because she knew they were going to New York later in the day and she had no idea what clothes to pick from her meager collection. Jagger emerged from the closet wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

“Are you wearing that to New York?”

He nodded. “It’s just a plane ride and we’ll go straight to the penthouse.”

“Okay.”

“I’m going to get Kaden. I’ll take him with me to the stables to check on the horses. Grayson will be in to pack for us. If you don’t trust him, you can stick around and let him know what you’ll want to bring.”

Someone was going to pack for her? Once again she felt like she’d fallen through the looking glass. She’d always done everything for herself. Now, she didn’t have to work during the summer, nor did she have to cook, clean, do laundry, or any of the other things she’d always done. It was so odd. And frustrating because chores would be a great way to distract her from her never-ending attraction to Jagger.

The evening wasa whirlwind of activity. Once Grayson had her and Jagger’s bags packed, Chelsea, Jagger, and Kaden loaded up in one cab, while Grayson, Mrs. Stanton, and Miss Z climbed in another. Flying private wasn’t a totally new experience for Chelsea. She’d flown with Lexie a few times to New York, and they’d laughed like schoolgirls. Who’d have thought either of them, both small town Southern gals, would ever end up in a world that involved flying private. Lexie had. And now Chelsea was, at least for the time being.

The plane lifted off. The lush green of the Blue Ridge dropped away and a few hours later, they dropped down at Teterboro Airport, just outside of Manhattan. Two cars waited, and just like in Charlotte Tavern, Chelsea, Jagger, and Kaden rode in one, while the staff rode in the other.

It felt darker in New York at 7 p.m. than at home, but Chelsea decided that had to do with the tall buildings. Still, she enjoyed seeing the lights and the hustle and bustle of the city. It was such a contrast to Charlotte Tavern that she couldn’t help but wonder again if Jagger missed it.

Chelsea had yet to master the areas of the city from her visits with Lexie, but Jagger said their New York home was in Central Park West. The car pulled up in front of an older art-deco style building that made her think of The Great Gatsby. Across the street was Central Park.

Jagger helped her from the car and, with his arm around her and his other hand holding Kaden’s, they walked to the entrance.

“Welcome back, Mr. Talbot.” The white-gloved doorman held the door for him.

“Thank you.” Jagger escorted them to the elevator, where another white-gloved doorman assisted them and took them up to the apartment.

“Welcome home.” Jagger swung the door open, letting Kaden and Chelsea enter first. Her only experience in rich apartments in New York had been the few times she’d visited the city with Lexie. While Drake’s place was beautiful, Jagger’s apartment stole her breath away. High ceilings and large, arched windows overlooking Central Park gave the room an open, and light feeling. The decor was minimal, clean, and crisp and yet lived in. On the coffee table, where she might have expected large books on art, lay several news magazines and coloring books. Signs that a family lived there.

“It’s good to be back.” Miss Z followed by Mrs. Stanton and Mr. Grayson entered the apartment.

“Mrs. Stanton, can you take Kaden to get ready for bed? I’ll give Chelsea a tour of the place.”

“I want to give a tour.” Kaden rushed over and took Chelsea’s hand.

“You heard him. Let’s get you ready for bed, then you can show Miss Chelsea your room.” Mrs. Stanton held out her hand toward Kaden.

“No. I want to.”

Chelsea realized she’d never seen Kaden act out. Overall, he was a well-behaved child. All children occasionally misbehaved and she was curious how Jagger or Mrs. Stanton dealt with Kaden’s defiance.

“Kaden.” Jagger’s voice was firm, nearly a warning. “Get ready for bed.”

“No.” He tugged on Chelsea’s hand. She considered saying something but wasn’t sure if she should. Yes, she was married to Jagger and taking on a parental role with Kaden, but she and Jagger had never discussed how much of a role she’d have.

“Get ready for bed now, or you won’t be able to show Miss Chelsea your room until tomorrow.”

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