Page 88 of Beautiful Life

“See ya.” He disconnects and move out of my office to find Leigh.

I walk through the family room to my bedroom. Our bedroom. The thought of this being our house, our room, our bed should make me smile. But the thought of what I have to do next is keeping me from smiling about anything at the moment.

Until I round the corner.

She has her back to me holding on to the antique pine chest, slightly bent, sliding a spiked heel onto her foot. I have to stop in the doorway to take in the sight. She’s in an icy blue dress, so icy it’s barely blue. It fits her like a glove from her elbows to her knees. If I didn’t already know what she looked like naked, it would make me envision her almost as perfect as I know she really is. The back of the dress V’s deep into her back showing her milky skin below the fall of her hair, cupping her ass flawlessly.

After sliding on her other shoe, she stands and starts to move before shrieking, “Tony. Quit sneaking up on me.”

I don’t apologize because I can’t talk from seeing her from the front. Her dress hugs every contour of her body with another V in the front dipping low, giving her more of a cleavage than I know she really has. The neckline is wide, barely hanging on her shoulders, and is fitted to her elbows. The blue is perfect on her fair skin and makes her emerald eyes stand out brighter than normal. Her hair falls around her face as usual but with a little more curl and her makeup is a bit heavier.

“Tony?”

I don’t move from my spot in the doorway. “I’ve never seen you look more beautiful. I’ll never forget this moment. Ever.”

She pulls in a deep breath. “Thank you.”

“Tomorrow’s here.”

“It is tomorrow,” she agrees.

“You know I love you.”

She tips her head while giving me a little frown. “Yes.”

“I have to tell you something before we go.”

“You’re acting weird. What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to tell you, especially not today. Not now.”

“Honey—” She starts to move toward me but I put my hand up, halting her in her spot.

“I received an anonymous letter yesterday. Not just a letter, a threat. It was meant for me but it was all about you.”

She frowns. “What do you mean, ‘a threat’?”

“It was a note, threatening to take you away from me.”

“What?” she asks on a breath.

“Because I took something from them.”

She immediately turns her head to the side while wrapping her arms around her middle. Shaking her head slowly like she’s trying to make sense of it, she finally jerks her gaze back to me. “But you didn’t take me away from Preston.”

“I know. Maybe he sees it differently.”

“You said he’ll go to jail if he violates his probation.”

“He will.”

“He signed the plea yesterday. Why would he do this now?”

“I have all the same questions. But for now, I don’t want you going anywhere by yourself and I’ll need to talk to security at the hospital before you go to work tomorrow since I’m sure you’ll insist on going to work.”

She’s shocked by my demand. “I can’t go anywhere by myself?”

“No.”

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