Chapter 27 Slow His Roll
SLOW HIS ROLL
Nelson was dragging.
He wasn’t sure why. He was used to traveling and enjoyed it when it was in style in West’s jet.
But this time he wanted to be home with his wife more than he wanted to prove to his brothers he had what it took to stand next to them.
He unlocked the door after West’s driver dropped him off. West, then Braylon and finally him in the car. The furthest away, but he’d left his car for Kenzie.
It was past ten, not horribly late. No reason for him to feel as tired as he was, even if his body was running three hours behind.
The last thing he expected was to see his wife sleeping on the couch with a blanket up to her chin and an open book on her chest.
If he were a poetic man, he’d say there was a halo floating over her head.
Her skin was soft and nearly pale. Her breathing was calm and steady as if she was comfortable and at peace in his home. Their home now.
The thought that Braylon’s young attorney was giving her a hard time made his chest tighten and his fists clench. He wanted to drop everything, fly there, and handle it himself. He wanted to call her, hear her voice and make sure she was okay.
His brothers told him to slow his roll.
They cautioned him to dial it back, but he barely heard them. He’d been warned this might happen, that he had been spending too much time hovering, checking on Kenzie at the office, even getting called out for flirting with her in front of HR on day one.
It didn’t matter. He couldn’t let anyone touch her or make things harder than they had to be. She was his. And he would protect her no matter what.
He thought his brothers would appreciate he’d said words close to what he was feeling.
They’d nodded their heads as if they agreed, but still went back to their original stance to hit the brakes and get the facts.
Don’t jump. Don’t make assumptions that Kenzie was upset or couldn’t handle herself.
If he pushed too hard, too fast, too aggressive, she’d leave.
It was the last thing he wanted.
What he wanted was her to see that he was falling in love with her.
That he’d lost his heart weeks ago when he thought he couldn’t even get her here.
He’d worked hard to convince her to come and now he’d put all that effort into getting her to stay.
He sat on the edge of the couch, his hand just hovering close to nudge her awake, but she sat up with a jolt of energy, sending her book to the floor and the blanket up over her head as her arms flailed around.
“Whoa,” he said. “Didn’t think you’d react like that.”
Her wild eyes settled on his face, then took a few deep breaths. “Don’t scare me like that.”
“I was making enough noise,” he said. “I thought for sure you would have heard me. You said you’d still be up.”
“I must have fallen asleep. What time is it?”
“Just after ten. When I said I’d be home. Don’t I get a kiss?”
Her arms stretched over her head, her fingers laced together and landed behind his neck, her body leaning into his and her lips puckered waiting for him to make contact.
He didn’t hesitate to pull her closer, then onto his lap. It’d only been three days, but he missed her more than he thought. More than he could have imagined.
Her tongue went between his lips, and the sigh that escaped could have been either of theirs as they settled into the one thing that was working so well for them.
When they were near each other the electricity of their attraction could be felt by anyone around.
Probably how people guessed that he and Kenzie had something going.
She pulled away from the kiss sooner than he would have liked, but when her head came to rest against his chest, the heat of desire gave way to something deeper. A longing for something, for someone, he hadn’t realized he could want, or even feel.
“I think you missed me,” he said, his hand running down the back of her head. Her hair was matted some from sleeping, but she still looked as beautiful to him as she’d been the morning they’d both woken up hungover.
“I did,” she said. “The place has been quiet without you. Cleaner, but quiet.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “I’m getting better. I know it.”
“You are. It’s fun to pick on you about it.”
“Happy to make you laugh,” he said. “But you’re no angel.”
A soft laugh escaped and even rumbled some against his chest. “I never professed to be. You need to tell me if I’m doing something that annoys you.”
He hadn’t wanted to upset her but realized that he couldn’t keep it in all the time either.
“You eat really loud,” he said.
She laughed. “I like crunchy foods. I chew with my mouth closed.”
“You do, but it’s still loud. I’m not sure how you haven’t blown an eardrum out.”
“Very funny,” she said, pushing at his arm. “Speaking of food. Did you eat? I’ve got some chicken in here I made to put on my salad. I had lunch with Lily today so wasn’t that hungry for dinner.”
“I heard.”
She sat up and moved back. “What did you hear?”
“Do you want to know?”
“I do. I don’t know that I like you are getting reports back when you’re gone. Is that what happened? Are you having me checked up on?”
“No,” he said. “Not like you think. Vanessa was talking to West about something and she said what happened.”
“Does she know about us?”
“You mean does West’s trusted assistant know that you’re my wife? Yes, she does. She’s the only one other than family.”
Her lips pursed adorably in her frustration. “How come I’m finding out now? Or is it because West wants me watched?”
“He doesn’t and he’s not that way,” he argued. “You’ll have to trust me on this. He sent her to get something from the law department and she overheard what was being said.”
Her shoulders dropped. “I covered myself.”
“That’s the thing,” he said. “Why are we covering? It serves no purpose.”
“Nelson, I’m too tired to argue with you. But you didn’t even press charges over being robbed because you didn’t want it getting out about your family or tied to your family. What do you think everyone is going to say if they find out we were married and the circumstances behind it?”
“I don’t care what they think and they’d be stupid to say a word.”
“That’s your ego talking.”
He puffed his chest out some. “Yep. It is. I’ve earned the right to say that too. But I’m being honest.”
Her head went back and forth. “No one is going to want to upset your brothers.”
He snorted. “Or me.”
Not him as much, he knew that, but it is what it is.
“What do you want to do? Tell everyone we are dating? It sounds stupid when we’re married.”
“But you don’t want to tell anyone we are married.”
Their wedding bands both lay in a glass bowl next to their bed. Neither of them wore them no matter how much he itched to slip it on.
She wasn’t, so he couldn’t.
It’d raise too many questions.
He was even tempted to buy her another ring. Not an engagement ring. Not even a diamond band. Just something pretty that she could have on that finger.
Something that the two of them would know was a symbol they shared.
If she didn’t get so pissy every time the topic of money came up, he’d just do it.
But the fact she was using his credit card to buy food and anything else that was needed helped. Just a little.
They’d even gone shopping last weekend and she’d bought herself some clothes. Her credit card came out for it and he slapped his down faster.
He thought for sure they’d have an argument in the store, but she’d thanked him instead.
“I don’t know what to do or think,” she said.
“Did you like going to lunch with Lily and not having to hide that you know her? That you talk to her?”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t we just start with me walking in with you. Coming to see you and talking. We don’t have to say anything. Let people assume. I can give you a little kiss and they won’t ask after that. No one is going to assume we are married.”
She sighed. “True. I think maybe it’s time. My mother called tonight.”
“You haven’t talked to her in a few weeks, you said.”
“I haven’t. My father pressured her to call me. She told someone I was married at the church that she works with. She said they asked why I moved and she’d never say I was living with a man.”
“Because sex before marriage is a no-no,” he said. “But we know you weren’t a virgin.”
“Nope. And this person looked you up and found out who you were related to. Did I tell you that money is evil, right up there with sex before marriage and having debt?”
“Wow. Guess I’m the devil.”
She laughed. “You have no debt. That would be me.”
“We both have two out of three. I’m sorry she put that on you.”
She snuggled close to him again. “Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault.”
“It kind of is,” he said. “I can’t help what I’ve got, but I wouldn’t trade it in.”
Maybe he would have for her love.
Which was saying a lot for a guy who wanted to be just like his billionaire brother.
“I wouldn’t ask you to,” she said. “If I were faster on my feet I’d say they thought you were in debt anyway, so now you’re not.”
“Looking for the positive in it.”
“I have to or I won’t be able to get through half the time.”
Not what he wanted to hear.
“Are you struggling here still? What can I help you with?”
She moved away from him and stood up, then grabbed her book that had dropped to the floor and shut that.
“Nothing you can do. It’s going to take time, but I’ve got a handle on it. I really do.”
“Hey,” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I’m here for you. You know that, right?”
“I do,” she whispered. “It means the world to me.”
“You mean the world to me,” he said.
He wouldn’t be hurt she didn’t reply.