Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
TRULY
Today has been a dream. Surreal, honestly.
After the week I'd had with Blake, I would have never guessed how these past twenty-four hours would have gone. I went from wondering how the hell I was going to get through an entire year with him to looking forward to the possibility of spending a lifetime together. It’s crazy how fast things can change.
When Blake slips his hand into mine, our fingers tangling together, warmth spreads through me as if he hasn't done it a dozen times throughout the day. We'd gone to breakfast and then walked around so I could explore all the shops that were close enough for me to walk to if I wanted.
Then Blake told me we had an appointment that was a surprise.
I was clueless about it, but I knew it had to be a last-minute booking.
When we pulled up to the Central Hall of Gifted History, I'd gotten instantly excited.
I always loved coming here when I was younger.
It's one of the best museums in the world if you ask me, and they're always displaying new exhibits.
When we stepped inside, you would have thought we were royalty with how they treated us.
We were given a private tour. Each time we entered an exhibit, it would be cleared out for us alone and our guide.
When we'd gotten to the Egyptian section, the guide had dipped out, and Blake asked me to continue.
He knew that I'd know everything, and it was fun getting to tell him all the history.
Blake listened intently to every word, never growing bored, and even asked questions.
"Thank you for that," I tell him as we sit in the back seat of the town car driving us across town.
"Thank you. I needed today." He takes my hand, putting it in his lap and engulfing it with his. My gaze is drawn to his wedding ring. Blake is my husband. He has been for years, but right now, it's all so real. I almost can’t believe how this is all coming together.
"You needed today?"
"To spend time with you." His phone has gone off a handful of times, and then he ended up powering it off and putting it back in his pocket, where it has stayed.
"It was really nice." Emotions well up inside of me. "Where are we off to now?" I change the subject, not wanting to cry and ruin this. Because I don't know what kind of tears they'd be. Happy ones or sad ones? Can it be a mix of both?
"Food."
"I can cook for you," I offer.
"Ready to get me back home, Mrs. Lockheart?" Blake never misses a moment to remind me that I'm his wife. It used to annoy me, but now I'm loving it. He gives me a wicked smile, taking me back to this morning when I caught him in the shower.
"Have you always been so—" I glance at the driver and stop short. Blake nods in agreement, not wanting to speak of sex in front of anyone.
"We'll be alone at dinner."
"We're already an old married couple going to dinner at five," I tease, but we had a later breakfast.
"Then I'll get to have the evening at home with you to do whatever we like."
"More reality shows?"
Now I wiggle my brows at him, making him chuckle. "I do want to know if Mindy is going to finally leave Jax. How she tolerated him I'll never understand."
I snort a laugh. "Probably feels stuck; he's got all the money."
"We could write her a check," Blake offers to make me laugh harder.
"We’d send off a check to a random reality star?" He's got to be joking.
"Bet it would make the show more entertaining if she had money to throw in his face."
"You're being serious?!"
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make you happy, wife. Even if it means contributing to your reality TV addiction.”
“Can we put it toward the debt I owe you?” I tease, but I can see it lands wrong, killing the mood instantly. “Crap, I—”
“We’re here,” Blake says. I stay put as he gets out, coming around and opening the door for me. He told the driver he’d be the one to handle my door. I glance up at the building in front of us. I've been out of the city for so long I'm not sure about new restaurants or if others have moved.
Blake puts his hand on my back, leading me inside. “Afternoon,” the elevator attendant says as we step on. I’m getting the sense this place is fancy.
“Are we dressed for this?” I ask Blake.
“You’re breathtaking as always.” He’s said nothing but sweet things to me all day. It’s interesting to watch his demeanor switch into different roles. There is one that appears to be for me alone.
"Thank you, but you know what I mean."
"We're fine."
The elevator ride is thankfully short, only going up a few floors. When we step off, I'm transported to another world.
"Did we go down the rabbit hole?" I ask with a laugh.
The whole room, even the ceiling, is covered in flowers and vines, and the smell is sweet.
It's clear from the clocks placed around the room and the black and white flooring that we've entered Alice's Wonderland. It’s breathtaking. I’m at a loss for words.
It was one of my favorite books when I was younger. When I'd read it, I had to be in the garden, or it wasn't the same. I insisted on it. It annoyed the hell out of my mom but not Blake.
"You like?"
I turn slightly to face him and see that he wants me to. That he'd planned this all out for me, and I don't think Blake is ever trying to impress anyone, but he is me.
"I love it."
"Come." He leads me farther in. There is a round table in the center of the room set with food and drinks already on it. Blake pulls out my chair for me. "I had them set everything up beforehand so that we wouldn't be bothered."
"Blake." Emotion wells up in my chest. "I can't—" I struggle to find the words. He gently takes my chin, turning my face toward him.
"I want to prove to you that I do care. That I didn't forget you. You've never been an afterthought to me." Tears slide down my cheeks. "Honey, please don't cry." A pained expression takes over his handsome face, and he swipes at my tears.
"I'm really happy, that's all." I had felt so forgotten and alone. It wears on you after a while, thinking there’s nobody out there who cares enough to visit or even call.
"I'm going to ensure that you never feel forgotten again.”
I sniffle. "Well, you're doing a really freaking good job.
" I lean in and press my mouth to his. I'm not going to fight this.
All my life I've wanted this man, and I'm finding out he's felt the same.
Our parents manipulated us to get what they wanted, but that stops now.
We deserve a future after they took years from us.
The kiss quickly deepens, and I moan into Blake's mouth, his fingers tangling into my hair.
"Wife," he breathes out in a warning, and I love the neediness I hear in it. "I want you to enjoy your tea party. Not destroy it by me bending you over onto this table."
"That sounds—" I lick my lips. "Nice."
"Nice," he chuckles. "There will be time for that tonight. The night is young." Blake pours me a cup of tea. "You did a lot of teatime in Europe."
"I did." I watch as he adds two cubes of sugar and then a touch of milk, followed by a drop of honey. Teatime wasn't a thing for me until I'd gone away for college. Mabel did it every Saturday. "How do you know all these things?"
"I didn't want to part with you. It was hard, and I might have done things you won't be happy about."
"Such as keeping tabs."
He places a few finger sandwiches onto my plate.
"Yes," he admits. "I should be embarrassed or have shame over the things I've done. All the check-ins, speaking with your professors and the guards.” My brows rise. "I might have been closer than you know more than a few times."
"Blake." A small gasp leaves me, but not in shock; it’s more like Tell me more.
"I wanted to see your room and try the restaurants you favored so I'd know."
"So you'd know?"
"For when you came home. I suppose I had this idea that we'd easily slip into husband and wife. If I wanted to make that seamless for you, then I should know all about you. The foods you like to eat, the shows you watched." A smirk forms on his lips. "The books you read."
"Blake." I smack his shoulder. "Breaking into my dorm room and stalking me is one thing. Going through my e-reader is a whole other story,” I half tease.
Only because I'm a bit shy about my reading habits. They are rather dirty. A few were so dirty I had to download them from the website that hosted those types of books.
"It helped me deal."
"You missed me that much?"
"Yes," he says without hesitation as he brings a tiny sandwich to my lips. I take the bite, loving how intimate it is for him to feed me.
"Is that why you thought the stalking and spanking would be okay?" I lift one brow.
"I know some things are meant for books only. Pure fantasy, but it did give me ideas of where I could venture toward. I see how wet you got selling yourself to me."
"Oh God," I gasp again. That was rather tantalizing.
"I know that's play, and I want to play with my wife." I can't stop myself from kissing him again. When it breaks, we both have to gasp for air.
"I'm so pissed at my parents. Do I have to face them at some point?"
"You're asking me?"
"I want to hear what you think."
"They still believe you're at school. They asked if I would be joining them for the graduation."
"Are they on their way there now?"
"Probably. I told them I wasn't interested in going."
"I suspected they were,” I say dryly.
"They were shocked by how dismissive I was about it."
"Why didn't you tell them I was here?" I ask. He let them take off to Europe. I mean, it is kind of funny.
"My loyalty is to my wife, and I want to make sure I handle your parents how you see fit.
" His jaw ticks, and I know he's fighting his anger.
I bite the inside of my cheek so that I don't smile.
It would be rude, and he's pissed, though I do love the bear side of him that comes out for me.
I suppose a lot has changed, but a lot has remained the same. "Even if I want to destroy them."
“I don’t want to become miserable, manipulative people like they are.
But I also know I can’t allow them to get away with what they’ve done.
If it were only me and the way they treat me, then I’d probably cave.
But what they did to you and to us is unforgivable.
” I overlooked a lot of things over the years where my parents were concerned, but this can’t be one of them.
Blake is my family now. My parents might not have protected theirs as they should have, but I will.