Page 250 of Masters of Pleasure
The two women stared at him as if he might crack if they stayed silent long enough.Finally, Olivia tilted her head questioningly.
“Just good?No issues.No problems.You’re in love and ready to sail off into the sunset and live happily ever after?Congratulations, this might be the first time this has happened to me.”Her tone was more amused than anything else, but Law still found himself bristling.
“I didn’t say I was in love or that I was ready for… that.”
“For what?Happily-ever-after?”Olivia’s gaze sharpened.“So, you’re starting a serious relationship with Iris, but you haven’t thought about where it might lead?She wants marriage, babies…”
“She doesn’t know that she wants kids.”He snapped out the words in reaction.Iris had said something to him in passing, but he hadn’t realized it was a test until Olivia grinned at him.
“Ah, so you have talked about it.”
“Well… I… we… not seriously.We’re going with the flow.”He knew he sounded defensive.He felt defensive.It wasn’t often someone got under his skin, but Olivia made an art out of needling people and getting them to admit things they didn’t want to.
Julie and Olivia burst out laughing.
Law crossed his arms over his chest, trying not to scowl or feel like they were laughingathim.Except they were, but he wouldn’t take it personally because even as he’d said the words out loud, he’d known how ludicrous it sounded.
“Since when,”—Julie was laughing so hard, she had to gasp out the words through her laughter—“have you ever… gone with the… flow?”Her voice actually cracked on the last word, which made Olivia laugh even harder and lean sideways as though her muscles could no longer hold her up, putting her in serious danger of tipping over onto the floor.
Law almost wanted to see it happen but didn’t want to encourage them.
“I can go with the flow if I want to.It’s working.”
“Oh… oh, honey…” Olivia wiped away the tears that gathering under her eyes.“Law.Seriously.You are completely incapable of going with the flow.You’re letting Iris stay here with you indefinitely.Whether you’ve admitted it to yourself, your brain has already done a risk assessment and decided it was worth it.You’re halfway in love if you’re not already there, and I would be willing to bet, within a year, you’ll be engaged.”She looked at Julie, who was nodding.“Don’t suppose you’d want to take that bet.”
“Hell, no, I’m not giving my money to you that easily,” Julie scoffed.
Law opened his mouth to tell them he wasn’t in love with Iris, he wasn’t anywhere near falling in love with her because it was far too soon, and he didn’t have those feelings for her.
He closed his mouth because… well… shit.
Iris
The difference between heading home to Law versus heading home to Noelle was stark.There was no unhappy churning in her gut, no bracing for what might be thrown at her when she opened the door, no mentally preparing herself for an encounter.She hadn’t realized she did all that before going home until she didn’t have to.
She was actually excited about the end of the day, eager to rush from her job to her car and head out instead of dreading it.She hadn’t realized how much she’d dreaded it until, again, she didn’t have to.
She was so high on anticipation and happiness, when she opened the door, she called out in true ‘I love Lucy’ fashion.
“Honey, I’m home!”
Looking up from his spot on the couch, Law laughed, and Whiskers hissed from her spot on his lap.She looked as if she’d been enjoying being petted, but since her peace had been disturbed, she jumped up and stalked off down the hallway with her tail in the air.
“Oops,” Iris said sheepishly as she watched the cat stalk off.She set down her purse on the table by the door.
“Don’t mind her.She’ll be back in five minutes to say hello.”Law was grinning, so Iris figured he wasn’t too upset about Whiskers’ abrupt departure.
Unable to contain her joy to end her day in a place where someone was happy to see her, and she didn’t have to pick apart words for hidden meanings, Iris bounced over to say hello.Law winced but pulled her onto his lap.
“Law!”Iris squirmed but was afraid to move around too much because she didn’t want to accidentally hurt him.She wasn’t pressed against his arm in the sling, but she was definitely brushing against it with every move she made.“I’m going to hurt you.”
“It’s worth the pain.”He used a deep, gruff voice that wasn’t his own as though he was trying to sound extra manly, and Iris cracked up.
Playful Law was still a surprise each and every time, and she didn’t think she would ever get tired of seeing him.Now that she knew more about him, she had to wonder if this was who he used to be.It didn’t matter, though.She liked him as he was—stern and bossy most of the time with a hidden playful side.
Like a grumpy cinnamon roll.
The thought made her giggle again.
