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“It feels like I have been cooped up inside all week.”

Manny had been too. The coolness was pleasant against their skin. It was reminiscent of when they first started dating. They had done this a lot.

They walked for almost an hour. “After this, I don’t know if I want to go sit down in the restaurant.”

“Wanna grab takeout and go back to my place?” Emmanuel suggested.

“Maybe we can watch a movie on Netflix or something.”

Emmanuel’s step faltered. He slowly turned to Ivy, and with a raised eyebrow asked, “why Doc, did you just ask me if we could Netflix and chill?”

She bit her lip. “I guess I did.”

“I think we can manage that. Any idea of what kind of food you want to grab?” The street that they were walking on was full of diverse choices. If they traced their steps back from where they started, they had their choice of practically any cuisine in the world.

“I could go for some pizza. Oh, we passed that place the kids like, a few blocks back.”

As they walked back, they discussed what pizza Ivy had a taste for. Emmanuel’s taste was simple. Just pesto, roasted garlic, and Pecorino cheese. Ivy tended to be more adventurous. Sometimes too much so. There were times she would end up eating from Manny’s pizza while he finished her strange choices.

Once they arrived at the busy storefront restaurant, he suggested. “Why don’t you go in and place the order? I’ll call Roy and ask him to pick us up. The temperature is dropping.”

While Ivy disappeared, he contacted Roy. He wasn’t far away, as he always kept a respectable distance. Yes, his primary role was to chauffeur Ivy, but he was much more. His job was also to see to her safety. Roy was ex-military police intelligence. He appeared to be laid back, but it was best that one not pose any threat to Ivy.

Once he finished his request, he went inside to wait with Ivy. Standing behind her, he pulled her into his embrace, and he placed a kiss on her temple. She sighed contentedly. They didn’t speak while waiting for their food. He enjoyed being tucked away in the corner of the restaurant.

Once their pizzas were ready, they jumped into the waiting car after the boxes were secured in the front seat. It was a good thing they’d put an end to the frosty adventure. In just the short period they’d been in the restaurant, the temperature had dipped. Seated in the back seat of the car, his suspicion was confirmed. Ivy was wearing a knee-length dress.

“I’m surprised you weren’t cold.”

“The coat is super warm, and the boots are high. Like I said, as long as we kept moving, I was good.”

They didn’t touch as they sat beside each other. It was the wisest thing. They weren’t too far away from the condo and if he touched her, he wouldn’t be able to stop. The scent of her perfume tickled his nostrils. He didn’t, couldn’t, look at her. Emmanuel made the mistake of glancing at her when they had been stopped at a light. The need had struck him so hard that he had to adjust his pants as he lengthened at just the sight of her parted lips.

If the drive to the condo was difficult, the ride up the elevator was pure torture. When they had joked about Netflix and chilling, why did he think they would actually get through dinner and actually start a movie? Before moving on to more adult activity. As he opened the door to the condo, he was certain neither of those things would happen until he could bury himself where he belonged.

The moment they entered. He dropped the pizza boxes on the counter in the kitchen. Then returned to help Ivy as she stood at the entrance taking in the space. She said something about the condo, but he barely registered her words as he helped her out of her coat, and regrettably, her high ‘fuck me’ boots. It would have been nice if she could leave them on, but they had walked all over the city.

Emmanuel groaned as he took in her dress. There was something about the way the cashmere sweater dress hugged her figure up to the waist, then flared above her knees that made him feel weak in his own knees. He was out of his coat and jacket in no time. All three articles of clothing were thrown on a nearby sofa as he grabbed her hands.

“Are we going to eat?” she asked.

As he continued his hastened steps with Ivy in tow, he answered, “yes, I am about to eat. I am starved.”

Once they reached the bedroom, he closed the door behind them. Emmanuel cupped her face. “I only want to talk about this once.”

Ivy’s face became a mask of confusion. “What?”

“It is fine if we do, but I need to know. Do we need to use anything?”

A look of embarrassment blanketed her features before she cast her eyes downward. She mumbled something that was barely audible. “Doc, it is okay.”

“No, I am sorry I put us through…” Ivy looked up then and the regret he saw there was raw. “…all of this.”

“You have nothing to apologise for. Do you want to use something?”

She shook her head. “No, no, I don’t.”

Emmanuel meant it he didn’t want to revisit the topic. Hell, he didn’t want to talk at all. He missed his wife. It had been over a week. It had been torture. Every night when they spoke, he would be so hard with need, but he had denied himself. Maybe he shouldn’t have, because just helping her out of her dress was testing his resolve. There was no teasing or posturing, as they were both eager to get out of their clothing.

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