Page 107 of The Reason I Married Him
Wyatt smirks up at me. “Would love to.” God, the way he said that was full of innuendo my brother does not need to hear.
Clearing my throat, I turn to Hayes. “Thanks again for dinner. As always, it was delicious.”
“You’re welcome.” He leans against the counter, a knowing look on his face. “Enjoy your evening.”
“We will.” I nod at Wyatt to follow. “Come on.” I head toward the door, and Wyatt trails me. I don’t give Ryland a chance to respond or Wyatt a chance to drape his arm around me. Nope, Icharge right out of the house and straight to what used to be my sanctuary.
Once inside, I move to my dresser and pull out an oversized shirt just as the door shuts behind me. I turn toward Wyatt and hold up my shirt. “This is what I wear to bed.”
His eyes land on the shirt and then back at me. “Okay. It’s a nice shirt.”
“But that’s all it is, a shirt. Are you going to be freaked out if I don’t wear shorts?”
“Uh . . . no,” he says with a laugh. “Are you going to be freaked out if I only wear a pair of boxers?”
“No,” I answer even though I don’t want to see him with his shirt off. I’ve seen it already, and his chest is too nice. His arms are too toned. His body is too sculpted and perfect.Sooo much hotter than Matt would ever be.
It’s fine. I’ll just turn away from him.
“Great,” he says. “Then it’s settled. We are unbothered by each other’s nighttime clothes. Good to know.”
“Wonderful,” I reply as I walk into the bathroom and shut the door behind me.
I lean against the door with my head tilted back and my eyes closed. Oh my God, what is going on with my life?A week ago, none of this was happening. There was no Wyatt in my life, there was no impending proposal, and there was no man in my bedroom ready to sleep in my bed, disturbing the peace and order I’ve been able to establish since Cassidy’s death.
Now it feels like everything is all scrambled again, and I just . . . I just need to get my head on straight.This is fine. Everything will be fine, Aubree. Deep breaths.
I take a few seconds to calm myself down. Then when I can tell that I’m not going to fall into a panic attack—something that’s happened a few times since Cassidy passed—I get readyfor bed, taking my time with my skincare routine, making sure I brush and floss, and then go to the bathroom at the end.
Once ready, I slip out of the bathroom only to find Wyatt sitting on my side of the bed wearing nothing but his black boxer briefs. Even his back muscles are impeccable. Look at those things. I can actually see the definition of his scapula. Those are the types of muscles you see on a man who works all day, every day on the farm, not a man who types on his computer.
He turns around and says, “All done?”
“Yes.” Then I point at where he plugged in his charger and set down his book. “That’s my side of the bed.”
“I could tell by the indent in the mattress, but I plan on sleeping there.”
“Uh . . . but it’s my side.”
“I understand,” he says. “But it’s also the side closest to the door, which means if someone were to come in here in the middle of the night, you would be the first one attacked, and I’m not going to let that happen. Therefore, it goes my body, then your body.”
I feel my expression turn into a frown. “I’ve lived here for a while, and no one’s come into my house in the middle of the night.”
“That’s great to hear,” he says. “But I’m not taking any chances. And I know I said I’d accommodate any problem you might have, but this is non-negotiable. I will sleep in front of you and protect you. You’re my wife.”
I twist my lips together, hating that his last sentence sent a small thrill up my spine. “I’m not your wife yet, and I’m not that kind of wife, you know, the kind you have to sacrifice your body for.”
“You are to me,” he says, stepping up to me now. He grips my chin with his forefinger and thumb and says, “As long as you wear my ring, use my name, and sleep in my bed, you are mine toprotect. Get comfortable on your new side because that’s where you’ll sleep.”
And then he moves off to the bathroom, not another word uttered.
Right.
Well.
That was . . . hot. Sexy. Mind-blowing.
No.
