Page 73 of My Only

I hoped she’d eaten something before coming home.

After my shower, I climbed into bed and immediately draped an arm over Ayla’s waist.

But the second I did, she pushed my arm off.

I smirked. “I thought you were sleeping.”

“You thought wrong,” she rasped.

“You’re up past your bedtime.”

“And you missed my event. And you’re late coming home.”

There was no humor in her voice. She wasn’t raising her voice, but I could hear the weight of her disappointment.

“I’m sorry, baby,” I spoke lovingly, moving in close again. “Something came up at work that I had to fix, or the project would’ve been delayed.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Dismissive.

I licked my lips and closed the space between us again. “I told you I’d make it up to you.”

Ayla shifted further away from me. “Just leave me alone right now, Hassani.”

I exhaled slowly, my eyes adjusting to the dim room. Then a slow smile tugged at my lips as I reached for my phone. Unlocking it, I tapped into my music app, typed in the title of a specific song, and pressed play.

The opening piano notes filled the air.

Our wedding song.

Case’s “Happily Ever After.”

This song had always been ours. It wasn’t just the first song we danced to as husband and wife, it was a reminder of everything we were. I thought about our wedding and our honeymoon in the Caribbean at least once a month. One of the happiest times of my life. Of our lives. And every time Ayla was upset with me, I played this song to remind her of that.

I rolled out of bed and made my way to her side, extending my hand toward her.

Ayla stared at it for a breath before looking up at me. Then she rolled her eyes.

“You gonna leave me hanging, Mrs. Franklin?”

She kissed her teeth. “You left me hanging tonight.”

But I didn’t drop my hand. I just waited.

With an exaggerated sigh, she finally placed her palm in mine.

I pulled her into my arms, swaying with her in the dark once I got her in my embrace, the glow from the streetlamp outside casting a soft light over us.

At first, she avoided my eyes.

But the longer we moved together, the more her body softened. Slowly, her arms lifted, coiling around my neck.

I grinned down at her.

She rolled her eyes again, but this time, smiled back. “I’m so mad at you.”

I tightened my arms around her. “I know. Tell me what I can do for you to forgive me.”

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