Sinful Ever After (Sinful Serenade Book 5) - Crystal Kaswell Page 0,69
in a minute, but right now, the universe is the two of us.
Whatever it is she's hiding doesn't matter.
She purrs as I stroke her hair.
Willow, fuck, Willow.
"I love you," she mumbles into my chest.
"I love you too."
But that doesn't tell me shit about what it is that's wrong.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Willow
My cell buzzes with a text alert. It's unlikely it's anything important. I'm tempted to ignore it in favor of shutting out the world.
Enough of the world.
I need to stay in this hotel room with Tom forever. I need to forget about every other thing that exists.
He leans against the wall and meets my gaze. I'm cleaned up and halfway into my clothes, but he's still naked.
Very naked.
He raises a brow. "What's on your phone that's so interesting?"
I check the device. It's a text from Jess.
Jess: Sorry we missed brunch. We were held up. You guys want to join for dinner? We found a great place in Chinatown with a lot of veggie options. Ophelia is non-committal about it. Pete says she wants to go out and get laid.
Willow: Did he say get laid?
Jess: God knows I'm not repeating what he said. I can barely think it. You want to come?
Tom's brow is knitted with frustration. He sees through me. He knows I'm up to something.
I'm not going to lie to him. That's not the kind of marriage I want.
But I can't tell him until I've made up my mind.
"It's Jess," I say. "Inviting us to dinner."
"Are they chafed?" Tom rolls his eyes.
"You're jealous."
"No." He looks to the ground. "Just kinda rude that they only show up when it's entirely necessary."
I have to smile. I can't believe Tom is jealous of anyone's sex life. It's not as if ours is lacking in any way. We're together all the time and it always ends explosively.
"Is that all?" I ask.
He shrugs. "You're off someplace. Tell me where."
Oh. Maybe that's why he's jealous. He thinks they tell each other everything, that they never keep secrets.
"Do you want to meet them for dinner?" I side-step the conversation entirely.
"Sure."
I text her a confirmation. "Why does everyone fuss over feeding me?"
"Cause you're sweet. Everybody wants to take care of you."
"It makes me feel difficult." After I nail down a time for dinner, I set my phone in my lap. Tom is still looking at me, still demanding I explain. I can't keep this from him for much longer. "I'm fine eating whatever."
He says nothing. His green eyes stay fixed on me.
There's no way Tom will agree to this. My only option is to surprise him.
Will he want that?
Will he forgive me?
My gaze drifts to the lion tattooed on his chest. The design snakes down his shoulder and arm, all the way to his wrist. He's never said as much, but I put the pieces together. He got it for Ophelia, when she was sick.
Because she was the only person who ever thought he meant something.
He still carries that around on his shoulders. Even now, he's trying to get this out of me because he needs to help other people to feel important.
He needs to know he's loved.
I need to do this.
I pry my eyes from him to look at my phone. I already have Liberty's information saved. I keep my expression casual as I text her.
She texts back immediately with a time and a place.
Tomorrow morning, a breakfast spot a little outside of town. All I have to do is say yes, and Tom will see his birth mom for the first time in a decade.
Deep breath. I look up at Tom. "Breakfast tomorrow at nine? Found a nice place just outside town."
"Was planning on spending the morning fucking you until we were too tired to move. But sure, we can do breakfast at some place just outside town."
"Great."
"Why are we doing this?"
"It's a surprise."
"A good one?"
Hopefully. Maybe. My confidence falters, but I keep a smile on my face. "Time will tell."
Tom raises a brow. "Okay. If you promise you'll fill me in on whatever this is tomorrow."
I can do that. "I promise."
I text her a yes.
It's happening.
God, I hope this is the right decision.
Tom nods to the bathroom. "Gonna shower."
"Sure. You want to do anything between now and dinner?"
"Want you to join me in the shower. The rest we can figure out."
My stomach clenches. It feels like I'm lying to him. And if I'm lying to him, I don't deserve the ecstasy of being pressed against the tile wall with my hands wrapped around his cock.