Chapter 26
CONNOR
The next morning I wake to the sound of my phone buzzing from somewhere in the room. I’m surprised to find Mildred tucked against me, little spoon to my big, warm skin touching mine. Our left hands are laced together, wedding bands next to each other.
She’s my wife.
My wife.
I pulled her into this life with me, made her mine out of a selfish desire to keep Meems with me for as long as I can, and now, this morning…everything is different. It’s not just about Meems and her happiness anymore.
Mildred has made a place for herself in my heart, and I don’t want to let her go, even after Meems is gone. I want her to keep taking up space in my bed and my house and my life.
I would do anything for her—except walk away, unless that was truly what she wanted. Waking up with her in my arms…it’s more than I expected it to be.
My phone buzzes again. And then both our phones buzz in tandem.
I expect awareness to hit and her to shove out of my arms, regretting what happened last night. But she doesn’t, and it gives me hope.
“Why won’t it stop?” she grumbles. “What time is it? My head is not happy.”
I lift mine so I can see the clock. “It’s ten.”
“What time is checkout?”
“Whenever we feel like. But we should be on the road by one.”
“Where are we going at one?”
“It’s a surprise.” I planned a weekend away to give her a break from the whirlwind of the past few weeks. “Fuck.”
She scoffs. “I offered myself last night, and you denied me. My head says no thanks right now, but you can try again later.” She feels around for my arm and tries to pull it back over her.
I smile and press my lips to her bare shoulder. “We have to get up.”
“You said we don’t have to leave until one. That means I can sleep for at least another two hours.”
“We have a brunch to attend.”
She wriggles until she’s on her back, all that warmth between us dissipating. Mildred throws her arm over her face. “If it’s with your parents, you can go alone.”
I arch a brow. “Do you really think I’d spring something like that on you with no warning?”
“No. You’re everyone else’s villain, not mine.” She reveals one bleary eye. “If not your parents, then who?”
“Your friends.”
“You have to stop calling them my friends since they’re also your friends now, too.”
Temporarily. Unless I can change the way Mildred feels about me.
I throw the covers off. Otherwise I’ll fold and we’ll end up in bed for the next two hours instead of spending time with her—our—friends.
“I’ll get you a painkiller and let them know we’re on our way down.
” I roll out of bed, grab a bottle of water from the fridge and painkillers from the care package in the bathroom—so smart—and return to stand over my wife.
Her eyes are still covered by her arm.
“Darling.”
She groans but pushes up on her arms. The sheets slip down to her waist, revealing her lush breasts. Her hair is a wild mess, her cheeks flushed pink. She’s stunning, unguarded, and mine.
Mildred makes disgruntled eye contact and sticks out her tongue. I set the painkillers on it and hand her the bottle of water. She drains half of it and flops back down. “I can’t believe you let me talk you into doing shots last night.”
“I suggested it was a bad idea. You seemed to disagree.”
“I was already drunk.”
She’s different this morning. Maybe because the stress of the wedding is gone? Maybe because we finally gave in to the chemistry that’s been eddying around us these past weeks, growing stronger by the day. “That’s what you get for being a menace.” I bend and press my lips to her forehead.
“I’m a cute menace, though.”
“The cutest.” I straighten.
Her eyes drop to my crotch, and her brows rise. “Looks like someone else is awake and excited.”
She reaches for me, and I capture her hand in mine. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I haven’t even seen it.”
I fight a smile. “And you think right now, when we’re already fifteen minutes late for brunch and you’re wickedly hungover, is a good time to play show-and-tell?”
“You saw mine last night.” Her lips push out in a pout.
“You can be as adorable as you want, but you’re not in any condition to play with me.
” I cross over to the closet, needing to walk away before I break for her.
And I need a moment to convince myself this is real, that I haven’t somehow conjured it with my mind.
I grab a pair of jeans and pull them up my thighs.
“I hate being late, which we already are.” I rearrange myself and tug the zipper up, fastening the button.
I pull a shirt over my head and manage to get my arms through the sleeves before Mildred’s arms wrap around my waist from behind.
I like this affectionate version of her. I want more of it. But we have all weekend to explore this new side of us. I hope.
I capture her hands and turn to face her. She’s gloriously naked.
“I texted and said we’d be down in fifteen minutes.” Her eyes are lit up with hope.
“I texted five minutes ago and said we’d be down in ten.” I drop my head and drag my nose along the edge of her jaw. “Pretty little menace.” I keep my hold on her wrists, pulling her naked body against me. “You’re going to let me dress you, take you to see your friends, feed you, and hydrate you.”
Her cute pout returns. “Why so sensible and sweet?”
“I can’t be the worst all the time.” I kiss her chin and forehead.
“What happens after brunch with friends?”
“We’ll go for a drive. And later, when I have you all to myself again, you can play with me however you want.” I gaze down at her, letting the rush of desire wash over me. “Do we have a deal?”
She sighs. “I suppose.”
I grin and kiss her tempting lips. I release one hand and reach behind me to pluck a pair of panties from the drawer before I drop to my knee in front of her. Mildred lets me dress her in jeans and a sweater with a strawberry print with only minimal pouting.
She disappears into the bathroom for a moment to brush her teeth and hair, and then we take the elevator to the private dining room.
She frowns at me on the ride. “I take it back.”
“You take what back, darling?”
“What I said about you being sweet and sensible. Postponing show-and-tell was an exceptionally villainous thing to do.”
I kiss the back of her hand. “You’re right. Taking care of you, making sure you’re properly fed and hydrated is criminal.”
“Utterly felonious really,” she agrees with narrowed eyes. “And you wore that shirt to torment me.”
“Another heinous crime. How dare I wear clothing in public and rob you of the opportunity to shamelessly ogle me? My offenses are really piling up this morning, aren’t they, Mrs. Grace?”
“We were already late,” she points out. “Ten more minutes wouldn’t have been a big deal.”
I throw my head back and laugh. Then I box Mildred into a corner. “My beautiful, feisty, gorgeous wife. In no world would ten minutes with you ever be enough.”
“But it would have taken the edge off.” Her cute pout is back.
I grin. “I think I like edging you.”
She pushes on my chest, but hooks a single finger into my belt loop to keep me close. “Horrible villain.”
I brush my lips over her cheek. “Perfect menace.”
The elevator doors open.
I step back, and her hot gaze darkens. She brushes by me with a huff and starts speed walking down the hall.
“Darling!” I call after her.
She keeps walking.
“You’re going the wrong way!” I shout, loving the way it feels to push her buttons like this.
She spins to face me, nostrils flared, expression reflecting her displeasure as she stalks back. I step in front of her before she can pass. We’ve gained the attention of several nosy staff and a few guests.
“You have every right to be annoyed with me. I’m being a problem.
Your problem.” And I fucking love it. “But people are watching, and while there’s nothing my father would love more than to see us arguing in public the day after our wedding—because it will prove that I’m completely incapable of making anyone happy, especially not my own wife—I don’t want to feed the media beast when there is a possibility of backlash for you. ” I hold her face in my palms.
Her expression softens, and she exhales a slightly annoyed breath. “You want to make me happy?”
“I do, yes.”
“Then you better kiss me,” she demands.
I press my lips gently to hers. “Is that better?”
Her eyes flash. “Make a scene, Mr. Grace.”
I grin. “Of course, Mrs. Grace.” I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her tightly against me, and delve in.
Soft lips, warm tongue. Her vanilla-and-strawberry shampoo surrounds me. Mint and wet and want. Cameras click. Her nails dig into my biceps.
I pull back. “Can I feed you now, darling?”
She sighs dramatically. “I suppose.”
I lace our fingers and smile in satisfaction as she rolls her shoulders back, wearing the Grace name with the kind of arrogance I’d hoped for.
The dining room is full of easy laughter and chatter when we finally arrive.
“Look who made it!” Tristan stands, his smile wide as he claps, and everyone joins in.
“I’m so sorry we’re late. It’s my fault. I didn’t want to wake my wife this morning.” I kiss Mildred’s temple. “She’s adorable when she’s sleeping.”
Mildred snorts.
Flip barks out a laugh. “Not how I would describe a sleeping Dred.”
She fires the double bird at him.
“Mimosa?” Rix asks.
“No thank you. Just water and coffee. Lots of both.” Mildred slides into one of the two remaining chairs, and I push it in for her.
Before I can take the seat next to her, Quinn approaches with his date, Lovey Butterson. Her dad is a former pro player, and a coach at the Hockey Academy.
“Kodiak and Lavender send their love. They had to fly out early this morning.” Quinn gives me a back-pat hug.
“New York has a game tomorrow.” I nod. “You two heading out, too?”
“Yeah. Lovey and I are stopping at the Hockey Academy, and then continue to Guelph to visit her grandparents.”
“Do you play hockey?” I ask.
She shakes her head and laughs. “No, but I haven’t had a chance to visit the new Hockey Academy location.” Lovey hugs Quinn’s arm. “Thank you so much for the invitation. We had the most amazing time.” She smiles up at Quinn, whose ears have gone red.
“I’m glad you could make it on such short notice.” I nod to Quinn. “I’ll see you in a few days, yeah?”
“You bet.” He claps me on the shoulder and leaves with Lovey.
I slide into the seat beside Mildred and stretch my arm across the back of her chair.
Lexi smiles as Mildred sips her coffee with a sigh. “Too much champagne last night?”
“My wife thought it would be fun to do shots when we got back to our suite,” I explain.
Mildred shoots me a glare over the rim of her cup. “Seriously, Connor?”
“It was your idea, darling.”
“You’re not supposed to throw me under the bus.”
“You never think shots are a good idea,” Flip says.
Mildred shrugs. “Well, last night I did. I’m blaming it on the champagne I had before the shots.”
“They were fun.” I kiss her temple.
She side-eyes me. “For you, maybe.”
“And you, but maybe you don’t remember that part.”
“Time-out, you two. There are minors at the table,” Tristan reminds us. “You’ll be alone again soon enough.”
Dallas nearly falls out of his chair because he’s laughing so hard. “Like you’re one to talk! When you and Rix are in a room together, the temperature goes up five freaking degrees.”
“Hemi might as well put you on a leash,” Tristan fires back.
Dallas puts his arm around Hemi. “Who says she doesn’t?”
Hemi smirks.
“Minors at the table!” Roman snaps.
Fee leans forward. “My bestie writes why-choose romance.”
“What’s why-choose romance?” Callie asks.
Mildred jumps in. “She means the choose-your-own-adventure books!”
“Oh, I love those!” Callie says.
“Me, too,” Lexi agrees, exchanging a look with my wife.
“What’s why-choose?” I mutter.
Mildred pats my leg and gives her menacing little smile. “I’ll tell you later.”