Page 76 of The Unwanted Wife

I look at him over my shoulder. A gooey feeling unfurls in my belly.

“Also… Weston happens to know the top brain surgeon in the country.”

“He does?” Hope bubbles in my chest.

Nate nods. “I’m sure he’d agree to examine Hugo and come up with the best route to speed up his progress.”

My heart contracts in my chest. That gooey feeling in my stomach combines with that euphoric feeling in my chest and spreads to the rest of my body. “You’d do that for Hugo?” I swallow.

His gaze is intense, and when he looks into my eyes, I’m sure he’s touched my soul. "Of course. I’d do it for you; I know how much it would mean to you. And there should be some benefit to being a Davenport, right?” He quirks his lips. “Being part of this family opens doors, and if it can help Hugo?—”

I release Hugo’s hand, only to jump up to my feet, turn, and throw my arms around Nate’s shoulders. I stand up on tiptoe and tip up my head, which still means I can only reach his chin, which I manage to kiss. “Thank you. You didn’t need to offer to do that, but I’m glad you did.”

I must take him by surprise, for he stiffens, then places his hands on my hips. He pulls me in, so my breasts are crushed to his chest, then lowers his head so our lips meet. Then, he proceeds to devour my mouth. I’m aware that we’re in a hospital and Hugo’s sleeping on the bed, but I seem unable to stop my body from responding. My nipples harden, my thighs quiver, and I’m so drenched, I’m sure my panties are soaking wet. When he finally releases me, I sway. He steadies me. “I’ll arrange a time for us to take Hugo to see the specialist right away.”

“But your job?—”

“Is not more important than you. Nothing is more important than you and anything you hold dear.”

A pressure builds behind my eyes. “Don’t be so nice to me, please.”

A strange look comes into his eyes. “You deserve this, Starling. You deserve every good thing to happen to you. You deserve this, and so much more.”

I sniffle. “You’re being too generous.”

“You should know, I did not deposit the money in your account as a favor to you.”

“No, you did it because we had an arrangement.”

“And if you’d refused to marry me, I still would’ve transferred the money.”

“What?” I stiffen. “Why would you do that?”

He cups my face. “It’s what your business is worth. I see a lot of potential in your bakery. There’s no reason why you couldn’t expand to a chain across the country, and beyond. Soon."

I laugh. "Hold on. One step at a time. And first, I need to make sure Hugo’s taken care of."

That strange look is back on his features.

"What?" I scowl.

He shakes his head, "You’re so fucking generous. You always think of others first. You should learn to take care of yourself first."

"Isn’t that what you’re here for?"

His lips quirk. "That’s the only job I want in my life. Speaking of…" He pulls out a strip of pills from his pocket and hands it over.

“Is that my migraine medication?” I take in the familiar packaging.

He nods. “I could tell you sensed one coming on.”

"You could tell I was getting a migraine?" I manage to choke out the words.

"You were rubbing your forehead, baby—a clear sign you had a headache coming on. I make sure to carry your medication on-the-go, in case you need it."

My head spins, and this time, it’s not the migraine. It’s the fact that this man noticed something only my doctor knows about me. The fact that my 'marriage of convenience' husband made it his business to carry around my medication, should I need it.

"I know it’s best taken while the migraine is in its early stages. That way, it fades faster." He heads out into the corridor and returns a few minutes later with a juice box.

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