Total pages in book: 190
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” Sabrina begrudgingly allowed, “but these past few weeks, you’ve been spending way more time with him than you used to.”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Uh, yeah, you have.”
Yes, I had. Because I liked being around him. A lot.
I looked forward to going home to him. I enjoyed having dinner with him, spending time with him, and hearing about his day. And I loved that we’d developed a strong, healthy rapport. None of which I cared to share with my friend, since I didn’t want to admit that I was growing to care for the man I’d married as part of a damn business transaction.
A little annoyed by my emotional situation, I slapped the file on my desk. “I’m a homebody. You know that.”
“You like being at home and cozying up with a book, sure, but you also like to venture out and meet friends for drinks and stuff. Lately, though, you’ve been a total hermit.”
“I’m sorry if I made you feel neglected. Where is it you want us to go? I’ll make it happen.”
She pursed her lips. “Nowhere in particular.”
“What date did you have in mind?”
“I don’t have any in mind.”
I felt my shoulders drop as a long sigh slid out of me. “So, basically, you’re just taking an opportunity to moan.”
Sabrina took a step closer to the desk. “What I’m doing is noticing that you’re happily spending far more time at home than you used to. So either you’re becoming emotionally attached to Dax’s penis, or to him.”
I stilled, my insides seizing. “It’s neither.” The words came out flat and stiff.
Her face went slack. “Oh my God, it’s the latter,” she somehow sensed.
“No, it’s not,” I snapped, sounding defensive even to my own ears.
“Don’t live in denial. It’s boring.”
“I’m not in denial, I’m just … denying it to you.” I returned to my seat. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
She took the chair opposite mine, her expression soft. “It seemed a given that you two would eventually develop a companionable bond of sorts—one that comes with sharing important life-milestones together, like having kids and stuff. But I wasn’t expecting it to happen quite so soon.”
I felt my brows draw together. “I don’t know if I could say we’ve bonded. Dax is quite the emotional loner.”
She hummed, thoughtful. “Let me ask you a question. Is he home more than he used to be?”
I twisted my mouth, considering it. “Yes.”
“So maybe you’re not the only one catching feelings.”
“You say it like they’re germs.”
“They infect a person, attach themselves to your insides, and make a home for themselves there. That can be inconvenient if it’s one-sided. But … maybe it’s not with you and Dax.”
I liked to think it wasn’t. Liked to think I wasn’t reading too much into the changes in our dynamics—such as how he’d become slightly tactile, how he sought out my company, how he joked with and teased me, how he was coming to trust me little by little. There had even been more instances when I’d woken to find that we’d closed the distance between us in bed while asleep.
I propped my elbows on the table. “He does do things sometimes that make me think he might care for me, but not in the sense that I believe he feels anything deep for me.” I wasn’t sure if that would ever be the case. “To be fair, though, I might not grow to feel deeply for him either.” It sucked that, however, I strongly suspected I would.
“But you’re not mere friends anymore?” she asked.
“No, we’re more than that.” That was enough for now. It would have to be.
A knock came at the open door as one of our team, Megan, took a single step into the office. She gave me a sheepish smile. “Sorry to disturb you, but there’s a woman here to see you. Says her name is Mimi.”
I went very still. Ah, shit.
Sabrina sucked in an angry breath. “Is that bitch for fucking real?”
I’d relayed some of what had happened with Mimi to Sabrina—minus the part where the woman had a thing for Dax. Needless to say, my BFF was now not a fan of hers. Neither was I, but I didn’t intend to send Mimi away. No, I wanted to know what had inspired her to haul ass here. I also had a few things I’d like to say to her.
Sitting up straighter in my seat, I spoke to Megan, “Send her in, please.”
With a nod, Megan disappeared.
I refocused on Sabrina. “I’ll handle this. You go back to—”
“No way am I leaving you alone with that skank,” she declared, folding her arms. “She’s gonna come in here and say more about how Dax shouldn’t have married you and doesn’t care for you blah, blah, blah. You need me here for moral support.”
I shot her an impatient look. “You only want to stay because you’re nosy as hell.”