Page 25 of Marriage (Red, White &) Blues

“What’s wrong with the name Kowalski?” I asked it totally affronted. My father gave me that name and I loved him. I missed him all the damn time.

“She’s going to have to take our name,” Mr. Parker said without responding to me. “And you never told us she had red hair. How am I supposed to explain red-haired grandchildren?”

What? Now he didn’t like myhair? People always said it reminded them of Merida fromBrave.

“Actually, I told everyone about her gorgeous, red hair. And Father, the royal family has redheads. I think the Parkers will survive.”

“Why did you choose to show up now?” I asked the question of the hour.

“Because I needed to see if damage control was necessary. Given the state of your clothes, your hair, and your name, I’m glad I did.”

“Father,” Blake admonished. “Get out. It’s late. My wife and I are going to bed. We’ll see you at an appropriate time.”

“Your mother wants you at brunch. For god’s sake, clean her up before you come over.”

“Thank you for such a warm welcome to the family,” I said with the stickiest sweetness I could muster as he turned to leave. I couldn’t help it. The man was a complete ass.

As the door shut, Blake tried to laugh at my parting statement, but he wore sad eyes that sort of broke my heart. When the laughing didn’t work, he sighed.

“I’m so sorry, Glory. I had no idea that he’d ambush us like that. I wanted to give you time to decide that you still liked mebefore subjecting you to them. That was the reason I went with the redeye flight in the first place.”

“I’m sorry your father finds your wife so offensive,” I said.

“Are you going to leave me?”

I sputtered out, “What?”

“Are you going to leave me, Glory?”

“I’m not leaving you, Blake. I just got here.”

He turned me into him, pressing our chests together, hugging me. A deep, meaningful hug. “Your dad’s an ass, Blake,” I whispered. “But I’m not married to your dad.”

“Thank the good lord. Oedipus was never a man I wanted to emulate.”

“There a bed in this place for me?” I asked. “I think I need to crash before brunch.”

“Yes, there’s a bed for you. It’s called the master. It’s big, way too comfortable, and is waiting for your side to be filled.” One hand he used to grab mine. The other he used to grab the handle of my suitcase. I’d pick up my purse and backpack in the morning. Blake led me to a marble stairway. He pointed out the bedrooms and bathrooms as we passed them. Ours was a master suite with a huge bedroom, a bathroom the size of four of my bathroom in Michigan, and a walk-in closet where we could park our cars inside.

In a moment of mental exhaustion that led to a very bad decision, I stripped off my jeans and T-shirt, leaving me in just my bra and panties, because dammit, I still wanted this man. I told myself the gloves were off. Mr. Parker hated me, well I planned to make sure his son couldn’t live without me.

My husband sucked in averysharp breath and all my bravado left me standing here wondering how to make that happen.

“I don’t know how to seduce you.”

“Seduce me?” he asked, like he thought I’d lost my mind. “Glory, I’m a man who’s attracted to women and you are more beautiful than any woman I’ve seen. The fact that you’re here with me now, wanting me as much as I want you is all the seduction I need.”

“You don’t understand. I need you to take charge.” His dimple slowly appeared as he raised an eyebrow. “Only in the bedroom,” I corrected, so he didn’t get any wrong ideas about me or our life together.

He stepped closer. “Partners outside the bedroom. Got it.” His lip curled up and I swallowed hard.

“Wh-where’d my cinnamon roll boyfriend go?”

“Cinnamon roll in the streets, alpha in the sheets. And I’m your husband, sweetheart.”

He began to unbutton his shirt, tossing it onto a chair close to the bed. “I want you, Glory. I want to wrap red curls around my finger while I eat you ass to pubic bone.” He tossed his jeans in on the chair too, then he pulled the comforter back and eased me down onto the bed. “I want to hold you down while I thrust into you until the neighbors hear you scream my name, and know exactly who’s fucking Gloria Kowalski.” I swallowed hard, but that damn lump refused to move. “But not tonight,” he finished, pecking me on the nose. Uh… what? My panties were soaked. My nipples could cut glass.

“What is happening here?” I felt on the verge of crying.

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