Page 70 of Married to Number 22
And it’s those thoughts that ping through my brain as I unlock my car, climb inside, and then start the ignition.
But it’s those thoughts that coalesce into crystal clear clarity as I drive home.
Because I knowexactlyhow to make sure I’m not just blindly accepting Aiden’s help.
I know at least one small thing that he’ll love.
Twenty-Seven
Aiden
I’m not goingto lie—I’m tempted to go to Luna’s place instead of mine.
But it’s the middle of the night and she worked today and…
Despite the marriage license we filed all of a week ago, we’re new.
My mouth turns up.
What does the universe consider marriage in Luna’s and my case? Date three? Cupcakes in the middle of the night was date one. Meeting—or reconnecting—with my family over pastries was date two. Watching me play, date four. And…then Elvis telling her to kiss her hunka, hunka burning love.
I grin.
So, it’s date four.
Tomorrow, I’ll see about securing a fifth.
Grinning, I park, grab my shit from the back, and start for the elevators, taking one up to my floor. I step off into the hall, unlock the door to my condo?—
And freeze.
“Hey, handsome,” I hear.
It’s funny, I realize as I look over and see her in the kitchen, not having expected her to use the code I gave her to get inside, certainly not expecting to see her sitting there with two mugs on the counter in front of her, looking adorably sexy in her pajamas. Definitely not expecting her to remember what I’d said all those years ago.
Almost a throwaway, something tossed into the air, half-joking. Back then I didn’t realize it actuallydoesmatter. Even five minutes ago, I would have said this wasn’t important.
Until I walked into my condo in the middle of the night, exhaustion creeping in, and…
Found she’s done this for me.
“Come in,” she says softly, moving my way. She tugs me out of the open doorway, closing and locking it up behind me. Then she’s taking my hand, drawing me into the kitchen. “It’s silly,” she says as she pushes me down gently onto a stool. “This week has been…” Her mouth curves into a half-smile. “More than a little crazy and I…I don’t know how to quantify us or what we’re doing?—”
“We’re just us, Luns,” I say. “This doesn’t need quantifying aside from that.”
Her eyes come to mine. “Maybe not.” She turns to the opposite counter then rotates back to face me, a mug in each of her hands. “ButIneed it—or at least, I need to feel like I’m not just clinging to your shirttails and making your life complicated.”
My heart squeezes. “Luns.”
“Because you knew my family then, honey?—”
Another pulse through my heart. Because it feels fucking great when she calls me honey.
Her next words don’t feel remotely as good, though.
“I talked to my attorney today,” she says. “They’re getting the ball rolling. Which means that soon enough John and my dad are going to know about the marriage—and that means they’re going to know aboutyou.” She sets the mugs on the counter in front of me and I take advantage of her hands being free to lace my fingers through hers.
“I can handle your dad and brother, sweetheart,” I say quietly.
