Page 117 of I Got You

“I told her I didn’t know and to ask you. Then she asked Garrett.”

I laugh harder, and I can’t stop, which Shane doesn’t find the least bit amusing. His dark brows pull down, and his head tips back toward the ceiling.

“Looks like things are fine now. I’m going to go take a hot bath.” I try to wiggle out of his grip.

“Like hell you are. I’m making my first rule in this marriage, which is you’re never having a girls' night again. I’m going to work out and try to regain my sanity before it’s permanently gone.”

I rest my head on his shoulder, curling into him. Coming home and having him here will never get old. Snuggling into him after a long day might be my favorite thing ever.

I place a soft, secret kiss on his neck. “Come on, Grizz. Was it really that bad? You survived. You’re my hero.”

“Hero, my ass. I don’t know how you do this day in and day out. I was about to lose my shit five minutes after I got home, and Gwen stepped out the door.”

“But you didn’t, big guy. That takes balls.”

He groans, letting me go. “I’m working out. They’re all yours. I don’t need any more questions about babies or anything else related to female anatomy.”

I move to sit up, but he holds me there a second longer. “How did it go? Did you get a dress?”

“I did. I was sold on a garbage bag after dress five, but Simone and Carmen vetoed it.”

“Is it…ok?” I know he’s asking if I can actually stand to wear it.

“Yeah. It’s ok. I like it.”

He lifts me off of him as he stands. “Good luck, I’m out.” He smacks my butt and bolts from the room, leaving me both surprised at the gesture and falling just a little bit harder for the sensitive, soft grizzly bear.

I get the kids in bed, looking forward to a hot shower and my big fluffy bed. I grab one of Shane’s shirts. I’ve gotten accustomed to wearing them to bed when he’s gone, but I’ve given up trying to hide it because they’re softer than any shirt I’ve ever owned.

I unhook my bra under my shirt with one hand and push open the bathroom door with the other, running straight into…Goodnight! Shane stands there in a steamy bathroom drying off, his shorts hanging low on his hips. Given that he smacked my butt earlier, I’m not even going to pretend I’m not taking in every glorious damp muscle.

One eyebrow hitches up half an inch, followed by what looks like a slight smirk. I glare at him teasingly, setting his shirt on the counter. I reach up one sleeve, pulling my bra strap down my arm, and then out the other side, trying to go about my business like this is normal. It should be standard routine by now, but there will never be anything normal about mostly naked Shane.

He stares as if I just performed some sort of magic trick. “It’s just a bra, buddy.” I try to calm the waters that threaten to boil around us.

Shane turns toward me and leans one hip against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. “Is there some class women go to that teaches you how to do stuff like that?”

I laugh. “Like what? Take my bra off.”

“Never mind,” he groans, pushing away from the counter.

I step into his path, tipping my head to the side. “Are you seriously going to tell me you’ve never seen that before?”

“Actually, I haven’t.”

“But you have seen a bra come off before?” I tease but then kind of regret it when I see the seriousness in his eyes.

He studies me like he’s deciding how he wants to answer, which leaves me wondering where this conversation might lead and if he might give me more than a one-word answer.

After a long pause, he responds. “Yes, but despite what you might think, it wasn’t often.”

That has me raising my eyebrows. I’m surprised, but hope is floating that he might actually give me something here. Another nugget of information to file away for trying to piece this man together.

I know I need to keep this light. “Huh. Really? You had women, drop-dead gorgeous women falling at your feet. You’re telling me you didn’t dabble in that elite pool just a little bit.”

His eyes flick between mine. “No.”

I squint, trying to understand. “Why? You had the world and the women at your feet.”

---