Suit, стр. 36

Except Lane.

“I sent you like five messages yesterday,” Candace said with a smile as she joined me, taking the seat to my left.

“You did? I don’t really check it much these days, I guess,” I confessed while looking around for my purse. Sure enough she did. My phone had never rang before.

“Maybe next week,” she offered as I read the words. Candace wanted me to have lunch with her. I almost said I wouldn’t be allowed, but I didn’t. Paxton didn’t show that vibe in public. Only in private, and only to me. I could tell from the short time I had been around them that they envied me. Envied our relationship.

If they only knew.

“Paxton says you’re cleared to drive. Maybe we’ll take the girls to Bobos this week.”

“Bobos?” I asked while my finger searched my phone for answers. Nothing. I had eleven contacts. Paxton being first. Most of them were extracurricular activities, my neighbors, the dentist, and a pediatrician. That’s it. My life was centered on my girls and my husband.

“You have to remember Bobos. You hate it there. Ophelia loves it. Her favorite thing ever.”

“What is it?”

“Games. Stupid games where they win long rows of tickets and win stupid prizes, mostly noise makers.”

I laughed. “Sounds like fun. I’m in.”

“In what?” Paxton asked as he walked toward us, towel drying his hair. His wet chest caught my attention, immediate desire swelling in my groin. I couldn’t put my finger on it. It made no sense at all. Zero. The man treated me like his possession, and I wanted him. Had to be the head injury.

“Bobos,” Candace replied with an eye roll and a smile.

“Oh, geesh,” Paxton teased, smirk directed at me. The strange way I was able to read him puzzled me. It was like I had been doing it my entire life, yet I didn’t remember. I knew the sneer was for me, and not the silly game room at all. I wouldn’t be going to Bobos.

“Mark said you have to come with us,” Rowan interrupted with a yawn. I looked to my phone, seeing the time. It was almost nine. She was tired, ready for bed.

Paxton took her hand and followed her, asking her where they were going. Rowan reminded him about the sparklers in a whiny tone and he walked off with her.

Shayla and Tricia joined us next, letting the guys play with the kids.

“What’s sex like when you don’t know who you are? Was it like doing it the first time?” Shayla asked.

“Shay!” Candace chastised.

I giggled, but refrained from telling them that our first time, post-accident was in her bathroom. “Yes, it was like doing it for the first time,” I admitted.

“I wish we could do it again for the first time. Wait. Our first time sucked. Mark couldn’t even get it up, he was so drunk,” Shayla explained.

The beep from my phone made me look down.

Paxton—Come over here.

Gabriella—No. I’m talking. You can see me just fine.

Paxton—No? Seriously?

My breath caught in my lungs when the vibration rippled between my legs, causing an urgent throb between my legs.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Candace asked, concern written all over her face.

“Yeah, I just need to stand up for a minute, walk it off.”

“Is it your back? Want me to do anything?” I looked to all three girls, all with worry in their eyes.

“No, no. I’m fine. I’m going to walk over with the girls. That will help.”

My eyes locked with Paxton’s, his face bright with a smile, mine no doubt annoyed and angry.

“That’s my girl,” he said while his arm fell over my shoulder and he pulled me close to him, planting a kiss on top of my head.

“Turn it off,” I ordered through gritted teeth.

“Not yet. What were you talking about over there?”

“Nothing. Turn it off, Pax. I’m serious.”

“Daddy, can you pick me up?” Ophelia asked, arms raised after her stick of sparkles died out.

“Let’s get ready to go. Come on, Row-row. Let’s head home,” I called as her sparkler died out. She complained, wanting another one.

“Rowan, now,” Paxton growled.

With that one little slipup, the mood changed. That thing I’d felt Paxton and I had between us died out. He was pissed. He barely even said goodbye to our neighbors.

“Call me tomorrow. No more excuses about not remembering me,” Candace ordered. She hugged me goodbye, kissed both my girls, and patted Paxton on the back. There was a bond between Candace and me. I could feel it.

I walked beside Paxton, back the way we’d come, my hand in his. “Paxton, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I forgot.”

“You do that a lot. Shh,” he said. He did that a lot. He shushed me and shut down. Why the hell couldn’t I call him Pax? Or was it Rowan. I did call her Row-row. I didn’t even mention my smart panties. I noticed them, but I didn’t mention them. Walking with a bad leg and a vibrator on my clit wasn’t an easy task.

Rather than focusing on it, I thought about everything else, trying like hell to forget it was there. I thought about my friends, wondering whether or not they really were friends. I thought about Candace and her daughter. Chance helped me remember their last dance recital by reenacting the entire dance. Ophelia joined her for about two seconds. I swear that girl’s attention span equaled that of a squirrel’s. I thought about Lane, the strange way he looked at me, and our awkward conversation.

And the sex.

I thought about the sex and the passion that seared between us. Jesus. We just had sex in the neighbor’s bathroom.

“Get the girls ready for bed,” Paxton ordered with a cold timbre as soon as we were in the door.

I hiked my leg with a twist, trying to get away from the vibration. “Will you at least turn this thing off?”

Paxton walked away with a quick glance. “No.”

Neither one of the girls complained about bed. They’d played hard all day. They were exhausted. I was pretty tired myself. A hot shower and my tablet was the only thing on my mind. The vibration between my legs wasn’t even on my mind. The contact broke as soon as I rounded the corner. Briefly.

It was back as soon as Paxton joined me to say goodnight to the girls. I was just coming out of Rowan’s room when he zapped me again.

“Go to your room and take everything off but your panties,” he ordered in a raspy tone, lips touching mine.

“Paxton—”

“Shh, baby girl. Go do what you were told.” My words were cut short by his warm words on my lips. He kissed me quick, yet passionate, sending mixed feelings with his touch. I turned and walked toward my room with a heavy sigh.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, the contact was broken, the vibrating panties stopped, and my nerves started shaking. The thought of what Paxton had planned was enough to dampen my palms and send anxious adrenaline through my veins. Now what?

Chapter Eleven

I waited forever, it seemed. Standing in front of the opened door, I held my dress over my breasts, sea-salt breeze blowing my hair. He did this on purpose. He kept me waiting to heighten my apprehension. Keep me guessing about what was to come.

“God, you’re so fucking beautiful,” Paxton quietly spoke from behind me.

I didn’t respond with words. I didn’t even turn around. I closed my eyes when the vibrations started between my legs again.

Paxton moved behind me, taking the dress from my hands. “There’s nobody to see you here. Nobody but me. How’s your new panties. Do you like them?”

Fuck you wasn’t allowed. Therefore, I kept my mouth shut. His fingers twisted my nipples. Both nipples.

“I don’t want you hanging around with Candace. Just in case you forgot that, too.”

“Why? I like her,” I protested.

“Shh, shut the fuck up. Don’t talk. I don’t like her, I don’t like the way she influences you, and you’re not going over there. Shut your mouth and listen like a good little girl. Do you have any idea how bad you were today?”