Page 103 of Doctor I Do

Alex: Yes. She’ll be my wife.

Chapter 35

Tahlia

I’m exhausted from packing up my stuff and from the lack of sleep I had last night. My mind was too busy racing with replays of my conversation with my parents and the text message Alex received. It’s strange how I feel more comfortable here than at my old place. I love Maddison's company, but my heart is here.

The front door opens, and my heart rate picks up, knowing I’m about to see him. It’s been a day, yet it feels like a week.

“Honey, I’m home,” he calls out, closing the front door as he walks in.

His shoes tap the wooden floors, and I peer up over the sofa to see him.

I struggle to find my voice as I sit up.

My nerves are back in full force, because I have to bring up the fact I saw a text on his phone, and I wonder how he’ll take it. Will he lose his shit and think I was snooping? We also need to talk about what happens now that the deal is off.

“Hi,” I say back.

He leans over the sofa and kisses me unexpectedly on the lips in an all too brief kiss.

“I need to go shower quickly. I had to rush to work. Can we talk after that?” He sounds conflicted, but he always showers after work. It’s his routine.

“Yeah, sure,” I breathe.

“You won’t run away on me, will you?” He winks.

His teasing. Another thing I missed yesterday.

“No, I’ll be right here waiting,” I reply.

“I’ll be quick,” he calls out as he jogs up the stairs.

I try to resettle on the sofa, but I can’t concentrate on the show I’m watching. My mind is still overthinking, mostly about that text I saw yesterday. I need an answer about who she is. I can’t wait. Being here, excited to be around him again, I’m desperate to know.

I walk up the stairs and find him unbuttoning his shirt. I rest my head on the door frame and watch his smooth hands slip the shirt off his shoulders.

It's sensual, and I can’t help licking my lips.

“Are you going to stare at me? Or come join?” he asks darkly.

The corner of my lip rises, but it’s a half smile. I can’t shake the heaviness in my gut.

“I need to ask you something,” I say nervously and walk into his room. I watch him pause and turn around, curiously staring at me.

“Yeaaah?” he draws out.

I peer down at my fingernails, picking at the skin beside the nail bed. “Yesterday morning, when you went in the shower, I saw a text from a woman, and it said something about seeing them.”

I peer up from under my lashes to see his face soften. He sighs and stalks over to me, taking my hand and leading me to his bed. We both take a seat on the edge. He’s looking at me with adoration, and I don’t get it.

“It was one stupid hook-up before I met you,” he says. “So that’s why you were on the treadmill before I left for work? I thought it was strange.”

My lips part and I try to act offended. “Are you saying I don’t exercise?”

He arches one brow at me. “I’ve only seen you use it twice.”

A loud giggle bubbles out of my chest. “Yeah, I’m not a fan of the gym.”

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