Page 5 of Tied Up in Riches

“Thanks for letting me stay here. And for sharing your bed.” Oh shit. Did that come out wrong? Or is it only wrong in my head because of where my mind just went?

“No problem. A friend of Maci’s is a friend of mine.” Thank God he can’t sense my pulse quicken under my skin and his warm gaze. I think I’m sweating. Jesus, what has gotten into me? You’d think I’d been living in a convent with the way my body heats at the mere thought of sex.

“Well, we are going to unpack and shower,” Dean says. “So, continue your,” he glances around me to look at the table, “very important meal to start the day.” He chuckles.

As quickly as they came, they leave. My gaze lingers on Marcus, and a weird pit in my stomach forms when he doesn’t spare a glance back.

“Well, on that note, I think I need a cold shower and some yoga so the next time those two see me, they believe I’m not a complete psycho.”

The other three stand, all making a similar statement about how I’m not a psycho, and pick up the now empty cookie boxes.

“I need to get home to Canaan anyway,” Avery says.

“And I need to wake my fiancé up with sex. I have no idea how long I can milk this engagement high, but I plan to make the most of it.” Lexy grins. She got engaged a few weeks ago, and it’s evident that my experience was not the same as hers.

We finish our goodbyes, and Maci wanders away to find her own fiancé. Heading down the hallway, I wonder if Marcus will be in his room, but I enter anyway. Scanning the space, I don’t see him, so I close the door behind me. Digging through my suitcase, I pull out my elephant pants. I shed my pajamas and slide on the baggy, light-weight purple fabric covered in elephants and cinched at my ankles, finding a sports bra and an oversized white T-shirt in my bag to pair with them.

Making my way to Marcus’ home gym, I sit cross-legged on the empty mat space in the corner. I open my meditation app, tapping to play the self-guided music softly. My hands rest on my knees as I close my eyes and take a deep breath. In. One. Two. Three. Four. Out. One. Two. Three. Four.

At least ten minutes have passed because at some point I’m conscious of the fact that my music has stopped, but I continue with my breathing. With clearing my mind. With searching for the peace that will help me accept my mom might never love me the way I wish she would–the way that my dad does.

I miss Thailand. All of that seemed more accessible there.

The door creaks, and my eyes fly open, my head spinning toward the sound.

“Hey.” I scramble to my feet. “I’m sorry, do you need to workout? I can leave.”

Marcus chuckles. “You’re good. I thought maybe you could use some hot tea.”

I glance at the mug full of steaming liquid in his hand, torn. “Oh, umm. That’s sweet. Thank you . . .”

“But?” he asks, still standing in the doorway.

“But, umm, I really can’t stand tea from a bag anymore.”

A smirk flashes across his face, but then he hides it. Taking a few steps toward me, he holds out the mug.

Feeling like an ass, I take it from him, letting it warm my hands and move to sit on the weight bench next to me. “Thank you,” I whisper, taking a small sip. What the . . . Without pulling back all the way, I stare into the amber liquid. I look at Marcus. His hands are shoved into the pockets of his joggers as he observes me.

“Is it alright? I made it how I was taught.”

“Taugh–This is Thai Tea. Like real Thai Tea.”

“Yes.” He leans against his leg press machine.

I take another sip, my eyelids fluttering closed as I take a deep inhale and let the perfectly spiced tea soothe my soul. It’s exactly what I need right now. I return my gaze to his. “Have you been to Thailand?”

“Yes.” He scans the bottom half of my body and quirks a brow. “Have you?”

Glancing down, I chuckle. “My pants?”

There’s an amused glimmer in his eyes, but he doesn’t respond.

“I know, I know. Elephant pants are only a tourist thing. But have you tried them? They are like sitting inside a cloud.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Don’t tell the natives, okay?” I fight back a smile. “I won’t be welcome back.”

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