Page 101 of Gracefully Yours

“Oh!” Her hand flattened over her chest. “Geez. You scared me. I didn’t expect you home so…” Charlotte’s eyes widened as she checked her phone. “That’sthe time? I guess I got a little caught up…” A brief look over her pile of work could easily explain why.

“Come on.” I reached out a hand, outstretched towards her so I could pull her up from her desk.

“What?” Charlotte blinked at me as she stood, standing in front of me.

“Let’s go.”

“Go where? I didn’t know we had any plans tonight.”

“I know.” Because I wanted to surprise her, so that was what I was doing. I just had to hope this didn’t all backfire on me. “I’m taking my wife on a date.”

“Oh.” She looked down at her clothes, wrinkling her nose. “Can I change first? I’m all covered in fur and glitter.”

Nodding, because I would never tell her no, I followed her into our bedroom. “That’s quite the combo of supplies.”

“I was making costumes,” she said, a blush spreading across her pretty cheeks. “Nothing weird, I promise.”

“You could tell me you were Tinkerbell all covered in pixie dust and I wouldn’t bat an eyelash, darling.”

With that, she laughed. “You know, I did actually dress up as Tink for Halloween one year. I had the big pom-poms on my shoes and everything.”

“When was this?” I’d spent the last nine Halloweens with her, and I definitely don’t remember seeing anything so cute. “Do you still have the wings?” I couldn’t help but think about how it’d be a cute costume to do in the future.

“Senior year of High School, I think. And… maybe. They’re probably still at my parents.” She grimaced.

For good reason—it was a place she didn’t talk about much. Honestly, she didn’t talk about her family much at all. I knew her older sister had two daughters, but besides that, she’d avoided going home as much as possible since she’d moved to Portland.

“Would you ever…” I started, and then stopped. It wasn’t my place to ask. And I didn’t want us going into tonight with any negativity hanging over our heads.

“Hmm?” She pulled her long-sleeved t-shirt off her body, and then her leggings followed, leaving her standing in the middle of the closet in just a bra and her little lace panties.

Stepping close to her, I pulled her body in flush to mine and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “If you stay like that for too long, we won’t go anywhere, darling.” I ground my cock, half-hard already, against her ass, before pulling away. “Later, I promise.”

The back of her neck was red as I stepped away, forcing myself out of her presence.

Dressed in a figure-hugging white sweater dress and tights with heeled booties, she stepped out, and I was momentarily taken aback by how good she looked.

“Ready?”

“Mhm. Do I look okay, or should I change?”

“You look perfect. But you always do.”

Grabbing her pea coat off the rack, she looked at me with a nod. “Okay. I’m ready.”

“Great.” I cracked a grin. “Let’s go.”

Guiding her out into the car, I made sure she got buckled in before going around to the other side and sliding into the driver’s seat.

* * *

“So…”Charlotte fidgeted with her wedding ring. “Any hints where we’re going?”

“Nope.” I leaned in close to drop my lips against her ear. “It’s a surprise.”

Did she feel it too? This didn’t feel fake between us. It never had. I wanted to tell her, so she’d know exactly how I felt about her.

I’d loved her for a long time, but this was different. Now I knew, with one hundred percent certainty, that I wasinlove with her. My wife, who’d agreed to marry me because of a stupid marriage pact. Because I’d been so scared about ruining something between us, I’d hidden behind that instead of just telling her I wanted us to be together.

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