Moving in front of him, I climb onto his lap, planting my cheek on his chest.
His arms engulf me and his face plummets into my hair. “How are you feeling?”
I smile into his chest. “Fine.”
“Fine,” he replies, pulling me in closer. “Don’t go to work tomorrow.”
I sag in his lap slightly. I had agreed to marry him quickly if he accepted that there would be no honeymoon, and if he agreed to chill out on the overprotectiveness and unreasonableness. My instincts told me he’d fail on all counts.
I pull myself up and face him. “I need to work.”
He shakes his head. “You don’t need to work at all. We need to be together.”
“We are together.”
“You know what I mean,” he grumbles.
I’m going to get nowhere with this, so I remove myself from his lap and head for the bath.
“What are you doing?”
I don’t need to turn around to confirm the scowl that I know will be on his face. “Having a bath.” I climb in and settle back, but almost instantly move forward to give him space.
He climbs in and settles behind me, pulling me back to rest on his chest and homing straight in on my ear, giving a little growl and a nibble. “I’ve told you before, don’t fight me off.”
“Then stop making unreasonable demands.”
He bites down harder on my lobe. “And I’ve also told you that before. There is nothing unreasonable about wanting to keep you safe.”
“You mean keep me to yourself.” I close my eyes and let my head relax against him, my palms sliding onto his strong, wet thighs.
“No.” His fingers lace through mine. “To keep you safe.”
“You use that as an excuse for your unreasonable behavior.”
“No. You make me crazy.”
“You make yourself crazy. I’m going to work tomorrow and you are going to let me, and you’re not going to make a fuss of it. You promised.”
I feel his mouth at my ear again, and I use every modicum of strength to restrain my moan. “But you promised to obey me. I think marriage vows override any promises that were made before.” He pushes himself up against my bum. “Does someone need some sense fucked into them?”
I jerk, sending water swishing around us. I’d love some sense fucked into me, but I still won’t relent. “You also promised to stop fucking sense into me because it was agreed that all of the sense only makes sense to you.” I’m beginning to wish we’d never made that agreement. Sense fucking equals hard fucking.
“Love, honor, and obey,” he whispers, and my face naturally turns toward that low, husky voice, my lips finding his. “That makes sense, doesn’t it?”
“No.” I breathe. “Hardly anything you demand makes sense.”
“We make sense.” He swamps me with his mouth. “Tell me we make sense.”
“We make sense.”
“Good girl. Sit up so I can bathe you.” He drops my lips, leaving me feeling deserted, and pushes me forward. “We’ll have breakfast with your family, and then I’m taking you home. Deal?”
“Deal.” I can’t wait to go home, but I absolutely can wait to go downstairs and face Kate and Dan. I’m not even going to try and work out what the hell Kate’s thinking. Will she even remember? She was pretty pissed. And Sam. I inwardly groan. How am I going to face Sam knowing this?
“What are you thinking about?” Jesse asks, pulling me back to the here and now.
“Kate,” I answer immediately. “I’m thinking about Kate and Sam.”
“I’ve told you, A—”
“Don’t tell me it’s none of my business, Jesse. She’s my best friend. I feel like I’m watching a car crash in slow motion. I need to stop it.”
“No, you need to mind your own business, Ava,” he scorns me harshly. “You’re done.” He places the sponge on the edge of the bath and rises behind me, stepping out and grabbing a towel. “Wash your hair.” He rubs himself down and wraps the towel around his waist. “Maybe you could show as much concern for a little detail in our relationship that needs addressing.” He drills holes into me with an expectant look, and I immediately forget all issues relating to Sam and Kate, but I don’t embrace his newfound talent for talking—a talent only used on subjects of his choice. Instead, I slide down into the bath and immerse myself in the bubbly water. I’m not looking at him, but I know he’s just rolled his eyes. He can roll his eyes all he likes. I’m dealing with this in my own way. And that way is to wedge my head as far underground as I can get it.