Page 250 of By His Vow

But as true as those words might be, they’re also fucking terrifying.

Just a few weeks ago, the thought of her leaving, of turning her back on Chicago, wouldn’t have bothered me in the slightest, but in such a short time, she’s wormed her way under my skin. And suddenly, I can’t imagine my life without her in it.

I’ve no idea where that leaves us. Deep down, I know what she wants, and it isn’t to be here.

I could demand she makes different choices, push her down the route I think is right for her, but it’s the fastest way to lose her.

If I’m going to play this game, then I need to think outside the box. I need to control the play from a distance.

When I said my vows last weekend, I meant them.

For better or worse, Tatum Callahan is mine. I just need her to figure that out, and preferably sooner rather than later.

“Whoa,” I gasp, catching Tatum before her knees buckle beneath her and she tumbles to the floor. “I’ve got you,” I say, swinging her legs up into my arms to carry her into my—our—apartment.

“I can walk,” she snaps, although, with the way she slurs her words, it’s not quite as cutting as I think she was going for.

“Why would you want to when you don’t have to?”

Her body tenses as if she’s about to fight me, to wriggle until I have no choice but to put her back down and watch as she attempts to navigate our apartment looking like Bambi on ice.

But then she changes her mind and she relaxes against me again, her face nuzzling into my neck.

“Why do you always smell so good?” she asks absently.

“Because I want you to sniff me and then rip my clothes from my body so you can get more of me.”

Just the thought of watching her slender fingers working their way down my shirt and then impatiently tugging at my waistband makes my cock swell.

“Hmm, I do like you with no clothes on. You’re almost bearable when you’re naked. You’ve got a very nice cock for such an asshole.”

I laugh. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“As if that big head of yours would let you take it any other way.”

I walk us through the living room, past the pile of unopened wedding gifts that are still waiting for us to go through them.

Honestly, I thought she’d have unleashed on them the first chance she got. But like many other things I’ve discovered about Tatum Callahan, she’s surprised me.

With my focus on much more important things than the crystal glasses I’m sure someone has bought us, I turn away from the gifts and carry my wife up the stairs as she impatiently starts working on my shirt.

“Feeling horny, baby?” I ask, my voice rough with desire.

Her hand pushes inside my half-unbuttoned shirt and grazes my stomach. My abs jump at her contact and my cock continues to harden.

“Just remembering the night before our wedding,” she confesses. “I can’t remember which bits were real and which bits were a dream.”

“Baby, all of it was too good to be a dream,” I deadpan.

“I’m not so sure,” she taunts. “You might need to show me exactly how you did it so I can see if you come close.”

“Now that sounds like an offer I can’t refuse.”

Once we’re in our bedroom, I walk her over to the couch and then lower her to her feet.

Her hair is a mess, and her makeup is smeared after a long day at the office and an evening drinking.

“What are you doing?” she asks, blinking up at me with confusion washing through her expression.

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