Page 14 of What About Now

“Charmer.”

“Only for my wife.” He leans forward and presses his lips to the corner of my mouth. “Let me run outside and grab our bags. I only have one client tomorrow, so I’ll bring over more of my stuff then.”

“Okay.”

He climbs to his feet, presses his lips to the top of my head, and goes out to grab our bags. I remain where I’m sitting on the couch and let my new reality sink in.

I’m married.

I’m married to Maddox.

My life is about to get turned upside down. That’s what hope does to you. Then again, maybe it’s my nervous excitement at the mere thought of it being just the two of us, even for a short amount of time. I can admit that I want to be wrong. I want to be his, and I want him to be mine more than anything.

I guess only time will tell.

CHAPTER

FOUR

Maddox

The winter wind slaps me across the face as I reach inside the back seat of my truck for our bags. It doesn’t matter because I’m going back into the warm house to sleep in a warm bed beside my wife.

My wife.

When I boarded the plane to Vegas, I was hopeful that I’d get to spend some time with her. I was going to volunteer to take the twins, and I knew she would help me, but Roman and Emerson beat me to it. It made sense considering they had Lilly, and those three, even with the age difference, are thick as thieves.

My plan failed, but it turned out better than I could have hoped for. The four of us taking in Vegas, and when Maggie started to feel ill, and Lachlan offered to go back to the hotel with her, I knew there was some higher power cheering me on. What I didn’t know is that we’d wake up married, but I have no regrets.

Well, maybe one. I would have liked to remember the moment that I stared into her eyes and promised to love, honor, and cherish her for all time. I know it was a Vegas wedding, but surely, the sentiment was the same.

I know I would have said the words and meant them. I didn’t tell Brogan that I loved her, because I didn’t want to scare her away. There is also a part of me that’s not really sure that’s what I’m feeling. I’ve never been in love before. However, I know that I think about her all the time. I always try to sit next to her, beg for a spot on her blanket like I did back on the Fourth of July. I crave being next to her, and she is, in fact, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.

Is that love? I think so. My wife has agreed to give us six months for both of us to find out. After slamming the truck door, I jog back to the house and the warmth of its four walls. Brogan is still sitting on the couch, but stands and rushes toward me when I step inside and shut the door.

“I got it, babe,” I tell her when she reaches for her bag. “I’ll just put these in the bedroom.” I pause. “Is that okay with you? If I sleep next to you?” I want to not give her the option, but I know her past and how her choices were taken from her, and I never want to be that man. No matter how much I crave falling asleep next to her.

She nods and steps back, allowing me to walk past her. I know where her bedroom is. I helped Forrest move Briar and the girls in with him, so I make my way down the hallway to the last door on the right, and step inside.

I’m immediately assaulted by the smell of honeysuckle. I know it’s her body lotion because I flat out asked her a few months ago. The smell wraps around me like a warm embrace. I don’t think it’s really hit me that this is where I’ll be sleeping for the next six months. With her wrapped in my arms, surrounded by honeysuckle in the dead of winter.

How is this my life?

How did I manage to marry the girl of my dreams and convince her to give us a shot?

I know how lucky I am, and I plan to show her every single day what being mine feels like. It’s funny because the reality is that I’m hers too. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. “Being mine,” that’s just words. She’s the one who holds the power in this marriage, and if I’m being honest, I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is Brogan’s world, and I’m just living in it.

Now, to convince her that the two of us, as Mr. and Mrs. living in her world, is where we were both meant to be.

Once I’ve placed our bags at the foot of the bed, I head back out to the living room. I don’t see Brogan, so I move to the kitchen to find her pouring a glass of milk.

“Want one?” she asks.

“Sure.” I move to the island and take a seat as she pushes a second tall glass of milk my way.

“When do you go back to work?” We all took some time off for the wedding and since it’s also New Year’s, I’m not sure what her schedule looks like.

“I took an extra day. I figured I’d be tired from all the travel, so I don’t go back until the third. What about you?”

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