Page 68 of The Model

“I’m not sure how to explain it to you for you to understand, Dad.” His name came out like a curse. “Lexie isn’t using me. I have nothing that she wants. In fact, after we were married, and I thought about it, I was surprised she didn’t ask me to sign a prenup.”

“What?” she questioned like it was the most absurd thing she’d ever heard. When she turned, the girl who had just been defending me was glaring at me with her jaw tight.

“While I don’t know how much money you have, I do know it warrants a prenup. It only makes me love you more that it never crossed your mind to demand one and that in a world where couples barely last, you have faith in us.”

Her eyes softened and filled with tears. “Oh, hell, not now,” she murmured. My mom slipped to my side, knowing I needed to comfort my girl. Holding my arms out, Lexie stepped into me and buried her face in my chest. “I’m sorry. This isn’t about me. I wanted to help you, and now I’m a mess.”

I kissed the top of her head before I looked over to where my father stood. He had a look of regret on his face. I wasn’t sure if it was from what he’d said about Lexie or if it was ruining what he had with his wife. “You’re what’s important. Why don’t we go upstairs so I can get cleaned up, and you can get some rest?”

Lexie turned her head in my mom’s direction. “He thinks I can’t do anything now that I’m pregnant. It’s both infuriating and incredibly sweet. From one minute to the next, I’m never sure which one will win out.”

My mom patted her arm as she looked up at me with complete and utter love in her eyes. It was the same look she gave me every time I did something that made her proud. “He’s only doing it because he cares. I didn’t raise him to think women were inferior.”

“No, ma’am.” I knew they were both better than me in almost every way.

My dad cleared his throat from beside the front door. He’d already slipped his coat on unnoticed. “You’ve got my number when you’re ready to talk.” With a chin lift, he opened the front door and didn’t look back.

I turned with Lexie in my arms as we watched my mom lock the front door and then started to clean up the already clean kitchen. Leaning down, I spoke against her ear. “Why don’t you head upstairs, and I’ll be up there in a few minutes? I want to make sure my mom’s okay.”

She leaned back, her hands first going to my shoulders and then to wrap around my neck. Her thumbs rubbed back and forth in a soothing motion that made the morning a little less shitty. “Are you okay? I know how much you love your mom.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my mom falter for a moment before she started pulling items out of the refrigerator to make breakfast with a smile on her face. Maybe she’d be better off without my dad. Maybe they’d been unhappy for a long time, and I’d been too wrapped up in myself to realize. “If she’s okay, I’m okay. What about you?”

Lexie scoffed. “I’m not letting what your dad said get to me. I know our truth, and that’s all that matters.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive, if you’re good, I’m good.”

26

Lexie

Renovations had already startedto expand on the second floor, and everything up there was a disaster, so I had to set up our Christmas tree downstairs. We were about to start using the bedroom set up we used for photo shoots as our own for a short period of time.

I hadn’t expected Ryder to wake up when I got out of bed. If he hadn’t, this would have gone a lot smoother.

“Come back to bed,” Ryder yelled from upstairs. I placed the last gift under the tree and then pulled out the lingerie I’d bought for today. When I saw it in the store, I knew I had to buy it. It was designed to wrap around me like a bow, so I could be my sexy as fuck husband’s present.

“Coming,” I called back as I finagled my way into the strange garment. I was lucky I’d tried it on and watched a video. Otherwise, he’d get tired of waiting, come downstairs, and ruin my surprise.

Grabbing the tray with chocolate-covered strawberries and flutes filled with orange juice, I made my way upstairs. I’d left the door ajar so Ryder wouldn’t see me as I approached. Pushing the door open with my hip, I walked in to find my husband sprawled out on the bed with the sheets thrown to the floor, completely naked and ready for me—stroking his length until he saw me. All movement stopped as he took me in. I loved the way his gaze raked down my body and made me feel sexy even with my baby bump.

“Holy fuck, Lexie,” he groaned sexily.

Setting down the tray on the bedside table, I gave him a little twirl. Ryder’s mouth hung open when I stopped in front of him and held my arms out to my side. “Merry Christmas, dimples.”

“Merry fucking Christmas, my very sexy Lexie. Come up here and let me unwrap you.” He quirked his finger at me and gave me the come-hither motion.

“Do you like it?” I asked as I tried to crawl up the bed as sexily as I could. Going by the way his blue eyes darkened, I had a feeling he liked what he saw.

“I more than like it. Can I wake up every day to this?” More so than usual, his voice was full of gravel. I loved how gritty it got when he was turned on.

“I think we could work something out.” I straddled his legs, my swollen breasts grazed up his abs to his chest. “Would you like to unwrap me now?”

Grabbing me by the hips, Ryder flipped me over onto my back. I let out a squeal from the unexpected move. Hovering over me, his lustful gaze followed his hands as they traveled my body reverently.

Leaning down, he kissed the corner of my mouth before peering up at me. “I love you, you know.”

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