12. Bitsy
Bitsy
Iwas still picking chicken feathers out of my hair when Chad came back home.
“Did I go back far enough for him?” I asked innocently. “Or did he want the Paleolithic era?”
“He offered me the VP position,” Chad said in a dull voice.
I sat up straighter.
“Well—congrats, I guess. That’s what you’ve been working so hard toward. And you’ve earned it.”
But my husband only slumped into a chair beside me, and I was startled to see tears filling his eyes.
“I don’t even think I want it anymore. I thought I did. But if that position means more ass-kissing, more pretending I’m something I’m not, that my wife isn’t already exactly who I want, it’s not worth it.”
“You should’ve thought about that before you asked me to pretend to be submissive to get this promotion. Now you have it and you don’t even want it.”
“I want the old Bitsy back,” he cried in a broken voice.
“You said the old Bitsy was embarrassing. That’s what you don’t seem to get.
I know you only wanted me to act that way when your boss was around.
But you were still saying my real personality is too weird.
That it is keeping your career back. If you really think like that, maybe we aren’t meant to be together. ”
“Wait, that’s exactly the opposite of what I want!” he howled in agony. “I don’t care about any career where you have to be fake! I just want my wife back! What can I do to prove that to you?”
“Really, we come from two different worlds—” I began, but Chad was already clutching my hands in panic, tightening his grip on my waist.
“No! Absolutely not.”
He tenderly kissed my wrists, bit the skin there gently.
“Please,” he said, looking up at me, and there were still tears shimmering in his eyes, trailing down his high cheekbones.
Damn, but the man was gorgeous.
However, I had no intention of weakening. Petty? Maybe.
But why should I give him access to all of my whole self unless I was sure he was going to appreciate it?
Chad buried his face in my lap and hugged my thighs fiercely.
“Tell me what I can do to prove it! I’ll do anything. Anything.”
“Maybe it’s time to see what else is out there,” I said coolly.
“Never!” he gaped at me in horror. “When I tell you you’re the only woman on earth for me! I had no plans for marriage whatsoever when I met you. I fell in love with you at first sight.”
“Zach. . .” I said delicately, even though that shellacked-head freak had zero appeal for me.
“Hell no! Bitsy, please! You’re torturing me.”
Wow. Chad was jealous.
I would have never imagined a confident man like my husband would be sitting here worrying about the attentions of some other dude.
Back in college I’d always thought I was so lucky to catch the eye of Chadley Parker-Bowles.
I mean yeah, some girls did go for Zach. But everyone knew Chad was the real prize.
There was something about the way he walked, with that tall, loose-limbed stance. Zach was the kind of guy who had to bluster and wave his arms around to get attention. Chad got the same amount of attention just by having his hands in his pockets and leaning against a building.
It truly had never been fair how gorgeous and unattainable this man was, so to see him green with jealousy over some doofus like Zach absolutely flabbergasted me.
Well, if he was jealous, good.
“Please,” he said again, “Fuck all that dumb shit I said. I’m your humble servant. I’m scrubbing the decks and you’re the Pirate Queen.”
Usually I suggested all the roleplays, so this was hot as hell.
Luckily I could hear my dad and brothers stomping up the front porch, and whatever roadkill they had picked up this time was surely going to squash any romantic vibes.
Because I wasn’t wavering. . . was I. . .