Page 35 of The Awakening
“Really Gavin? Have I given you any inkling that I wanted someone else? If I remember correctly, since we moved to the farmhouse we’ve been horizontal every day.” She leaned in andwhispered, “sometimes more than once a day. So save the macho attitude. Your cock is the only one I want.”
I took a few steps back from her and put my hand over my mouth. Shaking my head, I let my hand fall. “Ellie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” My voice trailed off.
“Whatever this is,” she waved a hand between us, “isn’t normal.” Ellie’s voice dropped to almost a whisper again, and she closed the gap between her body and mine. “I’m not asking that we pretend we’re in love like Tyler and Kate, but can we at least try to fool the town and your family?” Ellie raised her arms and let them fall back to her sides.
“I would like that.” Smiling softly, I held my hand out for Ellie to take. “Care to dance?”
It took her a minute, but when she returned my smile, my heart all but leaped out of my chest. We walked back to the table where the rest of the group was waiting.
“Now that your lovers’ quarrel is over, we have a round waiting.” Rob threw his arm around me. “Don’t try to pretend there wasn’t a problem. We all know you have a piss poor poker face.”
I shrugged his arm off and grabbed a glass from the table. “I have to take my woman for a spin around the dance floor.”
Never letting go of Ellie’s hand, I led her to an empty space on the floor. She was too far away from me for the slow song playing, so I pulled her close and wrapped my arm around her tighter.
“You’re tense. Just relax and sway to the music,” I whispered in her ear.
The tension left her body as she melted into me. We moved together and I couldn’t help the elation coursing through me.
I buried my nose in her hair, the mix of lavender and strawberries filling my senses. Until this moment, I hadn’tnoticed what shampoo she used or that the scent of her perfume had permeated all my dreams.
I had missed the fact she was working her way into my soul. It wasn’t calculated on her part; she was just going about her life as she normally would while also making mine incredibly easy.
Was this what normal couples felt like? I had always imagined marriage as hard work, but being with her was no work at all. Having her standing beside me made me want to give this a try.
“You know, I never imagined I would have a wife, and this is obviously not the most ideal situation, but I want to try. You have provided the friendship I didn’t know I needed, and I want to give our marriage a real shot.” My words were quiet. I didn’t need the entire bar knowing our conversation.
Ellie rested her head on my shoulder, and we stayed that way until the song was over. Was that confirmation? Or was she working out a way to let me down? I would have liked some type of acknowledgement since I had just poured out my feelings.
She looked up again and pulled my head toward hers. Our lips met, and the passion ignited between us. For one brief moment, I forgot we were in public, and our tongues battled for control. Whoops and hollers went up from our table and broke the moment. Ellie ducked her head and smiled shyly. The blush that crept up her face made me want to take her to the truck and have my way with her this instant.
“Sorry,” she whispered, playing with a button on my shirt nervously. “I just felt like the moment called for it.”
“I’m not sorry at all, and I wouldn’t be mad at more of those moments.” Arching my brow, I took her hand and pulled her off the dance floor.
Lee, the cowboy from earlier, stopped beside our table. “I guess I lost you before I even got you,” he said to her before he looked at me. “Morton, this one is special. You hurt her and I’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”
I held out a hand to him. “I won’t hurt her, but there’s nobody else I would rather know has her back than you.”
As the night continued on, the drinks flowed, and we took turns teaching Ellie to dance.
When the bartender announced last call, we all looked at our watches.
“Wow, where did that evening go?” Tyler slurred.
“Who drove tonight?” Ellie looked between the four of us.
Nate raised his hand.
“Hand over the keys.” Palm out, she made a grabby motion.
Nate was a good friend of ours. We’d known him almost all our lives, and he worked directly for our family on the ranch. He’d recently married Delaney, Kate’s younger sister.
With Nate’s keys in hand, Ellie pointed to the door. “Morton family, you all need to get home and into bed. March.” Her voice was commanding and sexy. Was it the beer, or was I finding my wife irresistible tonight?
Turning on my heel, I followed her orders to the letter. I marched out the door grinning at the idea of my wife being so bossy. My brothers and their wives fell into step behind me, and I turned in time to see Ellie shake her head at the lot of us.
The ruckus quieted a bit after we dropped Nate and Delaney off. Rob and Jessica were next, then we pulled up in front of Tyler and Kates. “Get out. Get out. I’m going to puke.” Kate climbed over Tyler and ran for the bushes in her front yard.
