Page 66 of Unexpectedly In Love

I place my foot on the ground and slip out of the bed. Picking up my clothing and my rose. I grin at the things we did with rose last night. Quickly, I move to his door opening and rushing to my bedroom and close the door behind me.

I stand touching my throat, shaking my head as I recognize that Eryx is turning all the things that I said I hate in sex…into my wants. I guess I was just doing it with the wrong people. I need to shower and get Kai and myself ready to go the flea market with Cassia. I don’t think I can face Eryx this morning.

* * *

ERYX

The sunlight beckons me to wake up. Rolling onto my back, I lift one hand up blocking out the sun. The other side of the bed feels empty and cold. As I expected Anise wasn’t there. Last night was amazing, my stomach grumbles reminding me that I need some substance. My sheets still smell of her cocoa butter and amber body lotion. What’s the time? The clock on my wall says 8:55 am. By now she and Kai would be having breakfast. I stretch my arms over my head. Shit my forearms and hips hurt, but a pleasure pain. Five rounds of every position I can think of. Even my jaw and tongue feel stretched and well used…. I love it.

I knew that she would run, it was expected. She wants to run, I’ll fix that. I reached for my phone, its screen was a pale glow in the half-light, and sent a quick message to Khaos.'Need your help with something,' I typed, a slow smirk creeps onto my face. It takes me fifteen minutes to get dressed and go downstairs.

“Choo! Choo! The food train is coming.” That’s what I hear when I walk into the kitchen. My wife holding a spoon with a green mush, marching it to Kai’s mouth.

My son makes the funniest face and pulls away, screaming in the process.

“Hey, hey, no, Kai, come on.” Anise puts the spoon to his lips, and reluctantly he eats the green mush.

“Good morning.” Grabbing a mug, I place it under the spout, waiting for the coffee to pour out.

“Morning.” She doesn’t look at me. I smirk, wondering if she was embarrassed by all that we did last night.

Kai ignores his mom and reaches out for me. He stretches his body and kicks his legs. I was going to pick him up, but if his mom is feeding him, I will not undermine her authority.

“Would you like me to feed him?” I ask instead.

“Sure.” She gets up from the chair and passes me a light blue plate with four dogs with different uniforms.

“Open up.” I dip the spoon into my son’s mouth, and he smiles, clapping his hand in the process.

“What’s your plan for the day?” I ask, wiping away the green mush from Kai’s mouth.

Still avoiding my gaze, she begins to take stuff in Ziplock bags from the fridge. “Cassia and I normally go to the flea market the day after brunch. But she is not answering her phone.”

“I’m surprised you are up. You ladies had three bottles of potent wine. Let her sleep it off. I will take you.” I dip the spoon back into the green mush and feed Kai. The room falls silent.

Sweeping my gaze to her, I take in how beautiful she looks today. A grey and blue Duke University shirt tucked in neatly into her short jeans. I can’t tell if she is wearing makeup, but I take pride in her shiny hair.

“What?” I asked.

“You want to go to the farmer’s market with Kai and I?” Finally, she looks at me, her eyes look full of doubt.

“Why not? It will be fun. Then we can catch lunch and come home,” Home…we can come home. The word vines its way around my heart.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She begins to pack a paper towel roll into her bag.

“Well don’t think. I’m free and I’m going out with you two today.” Kai slaps his hand against the tray table.

“We are not really a family, Eryx,” Anise mutters.

“I never said we were.” Her words irritate me, but I choose to ignore her. She is in a flight or fight mode, and she has chosen to fight.

Another day at another time, I would have entertained her shenanigans. Today, however, is not that day.

* * *

ANISE

“What’s the cost of the apple incense?” I ask the vendor, trying to keep my mind and body occupied away from Eryx. After last night I felt a piece of my body falling slowly in love with him. The best distraction I could come up with was talking and haggling with as many vendors as possible.

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