Page 24 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

I yawned. “You worried about another wet spot?” I gestured to his sweats where he’d made a mess.

He grinned. “Not even a little bit.”

“Then come snuggle me. After a nap, you can give me O number three,” I murmured already falling into dreamland.

“Sounds like a deal,” he said.

I barely felt the bed shift when he got under the covers. He must have removed his clothing because his body was bare and scalding warm when he spooned me from behind.

“I do love you, Maia. I’m sorry I didn’t say it earlier when you said it. I just didn’t want you to think it was because you admitted it first. But I do love you, and I’ve never been happier to have you here, in my bed, within my arms.” He snuggled my neck.

“I love you, too,” I whispered and then fell asleep.

* * * *

It was dark. He was touching me again. I could feel his hand cupping my breast, squeezing rhythmically. His naked body was plastered behind mine. His breath smelled of cigarettes.

My eyes opened instantly and I went completely still, taking in the unfamiliar dark room.

Therewasa body plastered to mine. A huge one, not small and gangly like a teenager who hadn’t gone through puberty yet.

The hand around my breast was…firm, in a pleasant way. Like it had a right to be there so casually.

My breathing sped up as reality and the nightmarish world of my past collided together, both fighting for supremacy over my brain.

I inhaled deeply. There was no cigarette smell, only the combined scent of my bodywash, Rhode’s cologne, and the musky notes of the sex we’d had earlier.

Rhodes.

I lifted my hand and covered the one holding my breast. It was dry, with a light dusting of hair across the top.Not free of hair with spindly fingers.

I smiled as I realized that I’d woken naked in Rhodes’ arms and didn’t scream or jump out of bed like a scared kitten. I’d been a little frightened, and uncertain of my surroundings, because we’d forgotten to leave a light on, but I could hear the sound of Rhodes breathing. It was distinct. Like a large bear at rest. A soothing purr. And his hold around me was intimate and protective,not searching.

I laid there long enough to enjoy the feeling of waking within the arms of the man I loved and not freaking out. It was a first. A really good first. It meant I was healing. Rhodes was helping me heal. Through his care and his love. It made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Unfortunately, luck couldn’t stop the fact that I desperately needed to use the restroom.

With care, I extricated myself from Rhodes’ hold. In his sleep, he stretched out his arm as though reaching for me.Ultimately, he tagged my pillow and tucked it against his chest while continuing to snooze away.

I went to the bathroom and took care of business before slipping into the monster sized closet to find some comfy clothes. The towel I’d worn was still on the floor in a rumpled heap. My cheeks heated as I remembered all that we’d done last night and the many times he told me he loved me. Just hearing those three words from him gave me such an incredible sense of peace.

All of this was new to me. This life. Being a stepmother type figure. A fiancée. And today, after all that we’d survived, including the beautiful things we’ve shared, I could finally say I felt comfortable. Confident even. I was madly in love with a man who loved me in return. My relationship with Emily had grown and evolved into something special. And I believed she genuinely cared about me as much as I did her. Sure, I’d need to get to know Marisol, but there would be time for that once we dealt with my mother and siblings.

The reminder that I had unfinished business in Colorado threatened to ruin my good mood, but I forced that problem down and pushed it aside. Rhodes promised we’d go to my grandmother’s funeral at the end of the week and that’s when we’d figure out what exactly was happening with my family. I had to trust that he would help as promised, and things would eventually get better. After all that we’d been through, it had to, right?

If history was anything to go by, nothing would go as planned. I needed to be careful not to set my expectations too high. I had no idea what we were going to find when we arrived in Colorado. I just had to pray that I wasn’t too late.

Feeling antsy again, I decided to go check on Emily. It was her first night at home and the last couple evenings she’d slept with us by her side. Last night, Marisol stayed with Em untilshe’d fallen asleep, but I knew all too well what it was like waking up after a traumatic experience. I’d been dealing with my own demons for a decade. I didn’t want Emily to feel alone when she woke.

Quietly, I padded out of the primary bedroom on socked feet down the hall to where I’d been shown Emily’s room. It was still very early in the morning, and the sun wasn’t up yet. Her door was open a crack, as was the door to the room across from hers, which I remembered was Marisol’s. It was lovely that Marisol kept her door open in order to be available to Emily if she was needed.

Before I entered, I heard the tiniest of whimpers.

I acted immediately, pushing the door open. “Hey, Em, honey, it’s me, Maia. You okay, sweetheart?” I approached her bed where she’d had the blankets pulled all the way up to her face. Her wide, frightened gaze broke my heart.

She nodded but didn’t speak.

“Did you have a bad dream?” I asked and came to sit on her bed. I didn’t touch her because when I was in the middle of a nightmare, or the aftereffects of one, I usually didn’t want to be touched.

---