Page 55 of Tangled Vows

Easton’s cheeks puffed, and he blew out a breath, his eyes finding mine before he reached for the shower door.

“We’re going to finish this conversation later,” he said before stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel off the rack. It sounded like a warninganda promise.

I washed off quickly, ignoring the pulsing ache between my legs. Despite having the most earth-shattering orgasm of my life, I wanted more. My body hummed with need. She’d just have to calm the hell down so I could get through the rest of the day.

“I have some errands to run,” I announced when I found Easton and his family watching a movie in the living room. The three adults looked up, but Max was too enthralled by the epic battle taking place on screen to pay me any mind. Roni and David bid me goodbye from the couch, but Easton stood and walked over to me.

“When will you be back?” he asked, his features tight with concern. Things between us were unsettled. We were in limbo, caught between the platonic marriage of convenience we’d agreed on and … whatever that was that had occurred in his bed moments ago.

“Soon. It won’t take too long,” I assured him.

He nodded and lifted his hand to cradle my jaw. His head dipped, and he brushed his lips against mine. The kiss was chaste and tender, a stark contrast to the salacious acts he’d committed just before his family arrived home. Heat flooded my veins at the memory, and I fought the urge to lean into him and moan against his mouth. He pulled away and pressed his forehead against mine. His eyes remained closed as he spoke.

“Even one minute away from you is too long.”

I sucked in a quick breath at his confession, and his eyes flew open. Before I could reply, he straightened and released me. He retreated back to his spot on the couch and settled in to continue watching the movie like he hadn’t just said something so uncharacteristically sweet. He kept his gaze trained on theTV, never once sparing me another glance. So I grabbed my purse and keys and headed out the door.

The trip into town didn’t take long, and soon I was pulling up to a friend’s house to pick up Easton’s birthday gift. It was a last minute custom order, but Sean came through for me. I’d texted him Wednesday after Roni revealed Easton’s birthday was coming up, and he assured me he could have it finished by this afternoon.

It was nice having him back in our friends’ group. It took a long time for him to reacclimate to civilian life and for all of us to get used to having him back. He’d taken off shortly after graduation to join the Army, and no one had heard from him for three years, not even the pregnant fiancée he’d left at the altar. Bryn was devastated, but Sean’s best friend, Macon, was there to help her through it, and eventually they fell in love.

When Sean returned a few years later, he tried to come between them and win her back. It caused a lot of drama, but eventually the three of them worked their shit out.

It took years, but Sean finally reclaimed his place among us. Though he was still distant at times, we were glad to have him back. I just wished he could find happiness. It was clear he still loved Brynlee, but she and Macon were happy. They had a family, and despite all the shit Sean had put them through in the past, he deserved the same.

“Thanks for getting this done so fast,” I said as I entered Sean’s garage where he had a makeshift workshop. Woodworking supplies, drills, and metal cutting tools were scattered across a long table against the far wall. Slabs of wood and sheets of metal were propped in the corner next to his saw. He’d turned his hobby into a nice little side hustle.

“No problem. I had a few days off for the holiday and was glad to have something to occupy my time since Harper’s with her mom.” Brynlee and Sean had the most amicable custodyarrangement I’d ever seen. They didn’t bicker over holidays or weekends, and both were flexible to changes. It worked out great for them. It had never been that easy for my parents.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I followed him deeper into the garage where he lifted a box and placed it on the table. Reaching inside, he pulled the custom piece from it and presented it for my inspection.

“What do you think?” The metal wall art featured the silhouette of a hockey player skating with a stick in his hand and “Walker” written across the bottom in bold letters.

“It’s perfect.”

I arrivedhome just in time to get ready for dinner. Nervous excitement buzzed through my veins. We were celebrating Easton’s birthday this evening since his family had to fly out early tomorrow morning. I wanted to make this day special for him and uphold the tradition he’d held since childhood. I just hoped I wasn’t overstepping since this was something he typically did with his family. Roni mentioned his birthday celebrations had only ever involved them. No friends or girlfriends. I felt like an interloper swooping in and taking over. But I was his wife. Fake or not, I was part of his family, and it was my job to plan his birthday celebration.

“Where are we going?” Easton asked as I slipped on my boots.

“I can’t tell you. Then it won’t be a surprise.” His gaze heated momentarily before his mouth crooked into a grin. I had to glance away. Every time I looked at his mouth, I remembered what he did to me earlier, and my stomach tightened with need.

“What kind of surprise?”he asked in that low, husky voice that made my skin prickle with awareness. This was dangerous territory. I needed to put some space between us before things got out of hand.

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” I said and brushed past him to meet his family in the foyer.

Easton insisted we take his SUV so we could all ride together. I went to the back passenger door and reached for the handle. Easton’s hand pressed against the glass before I could open it. I looked up to find him watching me with a mixture of irritation and curiosity.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Getting into your car,” I replied, my voice laced with confusion.

“Why are you getting in the back seat?”

“I thought your grandpa might want to ride up front.” His skeptical gaze narrowed on me. “I was trying to be respectful,” I explained, unsure where his reaction was coming from.

“You’re my wife,” he said, and my breath hitched on those words. My chest tightened every time he said “my wife” as though they meant something to him. “You ride up front with me.”

“O-okay,” I said in agreement, stunned by his insistence. I turned and saw David watching us, a knowing smirk plastered across his lips, and I could easily spot the resemblance between him and Easton.

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