Page 49 of Wrath

“I don’t.” I giggled as I told him, “But I do like me some Denzel.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

We both settled back and started watching the movie. It wasn’t long before Wrath got up and went into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he returned with a couple of sodas and a big bowl of buttered popcorn. He placed the drinks on the table, then sat down and put the popcorn between us. “Look at you pulling out all the stops.”

“It’s just some popcorn.”

“Um-hmm.” I gave him a playful smile. “A regular Romeo.”

He scoffed, then tossed a couple of popcorn kernels at me as he grumbled, “You’re too much.“

I considered sassing back with something clever, but I didn’t. Not because I didn’t enjoy our little exchanges. I did, but I enjoyed sitting there with him, watching that movie, and eating popcorn with him even more. So, I scooped up a handful of popcorn and settled back into my spot, and it wasn’t long before we were both enthralled in the movie. When it was over, Wrath flipped it over to the news and checked the scores, and by the time he was done, I could barely keep my eyes open.

I stood with a yawn, then told him, “It’s getting late. I should get going.”

“Going where?”

“Home… to bed.”

“I have a bed here.”

Without giving me a chance to argue, he stood and took my hand in his, then led me down the hall to his bedroom. It was much bigger and felt more like him than his room at the clubhouse, but for reasons I couldn’t explain, I felt more nervous there.

He grabbed a T-shirt from his dresser, then offered it to me before starting to undress. The next thing I knew, we were both crawling into his bed. A torrent of emotions washed over me as I nestled beneath the covers. I could feel the warmth of Wrath’s body beside me, and the sensation seemed to beckon me to move closer. My heart raced with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness as I inched closer, tucking my head next to his shoulder.

This was new to me.

We hadn’t had sex tonight.

We hadn’t even thought about it.

We’d simply undressed and got into bed, and then, we talked—just talked,for what seemed like hours. And then, without warning, Wrath drifted off to sleep.

At first, I thought he’d just run out of things to say, but then, I noticed the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing. He was completely out, and I was lying there feeling a little bewildered. There was a certain rawness to the moment. It was like I’d stepped into a new realm, a place where desire and vulnerability intertwined. He wasn’t even awake, but the feeling of his skin against mine sent shivers down my spine, igniting a feeling that was much deeper than lust or desire.

The world outside ceased to exist.

It was just him and me, and I liked the feeling more than I cared to admit.

As I drifted off to sleep, I felt a strange sense of home, like I’d finally found my place in the world, but sadly, it wasn’t a feeling that lasted for long.

I woke up the next morning and found myself in bed alone. I took a quick look around and spotted a note on the side table. I opened it and sighed when I read:

I had to get to the clubhouse.

Be back when I can.

The vagueness of the note left me thinking that he expected me to wait there until he returned. That wasn’t something I planned on doing. I didn’t have clothes or my laptop, so I decided it was best to go. I got out of bed and put on my jeans and boots. I was about to change out of his t-shirt when I got the urge to just keep it on, so I did. I went to the bathroom and cleaned up a bit, then made my way to the kitchen to grab my purse.

I’d just picked it up from the counter when I spotted the cute stray from the night before. He was sitting with his back leaning against the door, and his little dark eyes were fixed on mine. “Hey there, little guy.” I dropped my purse back on the counter and rushed over to the fridge. I grabbed a couple of pieces of shaved ham and carried it over to him. I eased the door open and placed it at his feet, and he immediately started chowing down. “You poor thing. You’re starving.”

I gave his head a little scratch as I promised, “I’m going to get you some real food and a flea collar. And maybe a bed that we can put out in the barn. What do you think about that?”

I was giving him some more love when I spotted Wrath’s neighbor standing in her driveway in nothing but a hip-length t-shirt and slippers. She was young and attractive, almost intimidatingly so, and she was staring at me with a scowl on her face. I didn’t want to seem rude, so I lifted my hand and waved as I shouted, “Good morning.”

She didn’t wave back. Nor did she speak.

She just stood there, glaring at me.

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