Page 19 of Married Into Love

I held the ultra-soft material away from my body and groaned when I saw the trail of love bites he’d left there the night before. “Remind me not to wear anything too low cuttoday.”

“Missionaccomplished.”

“Ugh.” I flopped back down and yanked the covers over my head again. “Coffee. Lotsofit.”

“Whatever you want,wifey.”

I listened while he called for room service. He ordered three carafes this time, along with waffles with strawberries and extra whipped cream for me and an egg white vegetable omelette for him, with a side of fruit plus a glass of orange juice. I stayed under the sheet, grinning like a love-struck school girl while he moved around the room. I heard a couple of drawers open and close and then the sound of running water in the bathroom. I assumed Alec was brushing his teeth and had started to drift off a bit when warm hands crept under the bottom of the sheet and slid upmylegs.

“Alec!” I yelped. “It won’t be long before room serviceishere.”

“Long enough for you to enjoy the bath I’m drawingforyou.”

I whipped the sheet off and dropped it onto the floor beside the bed. “A bath?” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d indulged myself in one. The water bill for three women was already high, so I limited myself to quick showers since my mom and sister took forever when they were inthere.

“Withbubbles.”

I crawled off the mattress, forgetting I was naked until I was almost all the way to the bathroom. Since Alec had already gotten an eyeful, I decided to brazen it out and added some extra swing into my step. It earned me a wolf whistle, and I found Alec’s gaze locked on my ass when I glanced over my shoulder. Laughing, I hustled the rest of the way and leaned against the door after I shut itbehindme.

“I’m in over my head with that man,” I mumbled. It wasn’t the first time I’d thought it, but it wasn’t as scary this morning than it had been before. Between my good night’s sleep—which was most definitely due to the orgasms I’d had—and the prospect of a bubble bath in a huge tub, I didn’t think much couldbotherme.

I dropped one of the fluffy, folded towels onto the floor next to the tub and set my phone on top of it. Then I grabbed another towel and rolled it up to use as a pillow. As I slid into the warm water, I let out a satisfied sigh. Leaning my head against the towel, I closed my eyes and stretched out my legs until they touched the other side. I wasn’t sure how long I stayed like that before my phone rang, but the water had slightly cooled and the bubbles had mostlydissipated.

Reaching down, I wiped my damp hand against the towel on the floor before I grabbed my cell and accepted my sister’s call. “You’ll never guess what I’m doingrightnow.”

“Are you marrying a hot guy you just met? No wait! You couldn’t possibly be doing that because you already did on Friday night,” shejoked.

“Yeah, and whose bright ideawasthat?”

“Mine!”

I shook my head at how proud she sounded about it, without a hint of apology. “Lucky for you, I’m too happy about the bubble bath I’m taking to want to kick your buttforit.”

“Ooh, a bubble bath in a fancy hotel. Seriously, I’m calling dibs on the next super-hot, nice guy I meet in a club. While you’re having fun with Alec, I’ve pulled an extra shift and packed up most of our clothes and personalitems.”

“Crap, Ariana. I’m sorry I’ve stuck you with everything to do while I’ve been off having fun.” I hit the speakerphone button and set my phone back on the floor to stand and reach for a towel on the rack to dry myself off. “I’m a horrible sister. I should have called you last night to let you know I found us a temporary placetolive.”

“First of all, shut up. You’re the furthest thing from a horrible sister. If anyone deserves to be called that, it’s me. Somewhere along the way, I forgot I was the big sister. I should’ve been the one taking care of you, not the other way around. And I’m sorryforit.”

“Ariana, no.” My eyes filled with tears. They were caused by a mixture of relief at knowing I wasn’t going to be left alone to carry the burden anymore—although Alec had already done a heck of a job of lifting the current problems from my shoulders, my mom was bound to create new ones in the future—and sadness because I didn’t want my sister to have to deal with it either. “You don’t need toapologize.”

“I do,” she disagreed softly, but with enough steel in her tone for me to know she meant it. “So take all the bubble baths you want. I’m on duty now. Since you’ve managed to land yourself a white knight for a hubby, I found myself a place to stay in case I’m on my own. One of my co-workers has an extra room. She’s never rented it out before, but she said she’d make an exception since it’s me and because she could use the cash. It isn’t ideal, but it’ll work in a pinch if you want to give things a gowithAlec.”

“Actually,” I drawled, a huge grin spreading across my lips as I moved towards the counter to grab my brush and run it through my hair. “That temporary place I mentioned? It’ll work for justyou,too.”

“Will I be able to afford it on my own if you aren’t living therewithme?”

“Yup.”

“I can hear your shit-eating grin from all the way over here. What the hell is going on?” If I’d been able to see my sister, I was certain her green eyes would have been narrowed on my face while she crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked at mesuspiciously.

It made me giggle before I answered, “The white knight nickname you gave Alec? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you werepsychic.”

“What does Alec being a white knight have to do with me finding a placetolive?”

“Well, his friend that got married yesterday? His parents own the hotel where the weddingwasheld.”

“Holy shit,” she gasped. “I figured Alec was flush, but I didn’t think he had that kind ofmoney.”

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