Page 36 of Misrule
She hit a panel on the door and pulled up an automated grocery list, one she’d programmed into her new state-of-the-art appliance, and he forced himself to focus on this moment.
For some fucking reason, Megan had decided she wanted to redo a few rooms in the house.
“How your new shit workin’?”
Her face lit up. “OMG, I can’t wait to show you all the refrigerator panel does with just the touch of a few buttons.”
Christopher smiled at her.
She rushed to him, grabbed his neck, and pulled him to her, so she could kiss him again. “The bigger range top and built-in ovens allow me to cook so much more at once,” she said after she broke away. “And then the dishwasher…do you know it has a separate drawer for utensils? It’s no longer just a little basket. The convection microwave is fabulous, too! I started thinking that, with all the new appliances, I really should remodel the rest of the kitchen. New cabinets, sink, flooring, and paint. What do you think?”
“Aintcha doin’ it ass backwards. If you wanted to redo the whole fuckin’ kitchen, you shoulda waited to buy the appliances.”
Her look thoughtful, she nodded. “You’re right. Besides, this is our hub and it would be out of commission for at least a week.”
Disappointment shone in her eyes.
“I was thinkin’, maybe, we need to take the kids to see Mickey fuckin’ Mouse, since CJ love that lil rat so much.”
“Mickey’s a mouse. You know? MickeyMouse.”
“Still a fuckin’ rodent.”
“Mice are cute. Rats aren’t. Can you imagine Robert Rat instead of Mickey Mouse? Rats carry all types of diseases. Mice are kept as pets.”
“Scientists fuck rats the fuck up all the fuckin’ time for experiments. Without them motherfuckers, ain’t no tellin’ where we’d be in the medical field. And motherfuckers keep rats as pets. None of this shit the point. We get a fuckin’ family vacation together. While we gone, motherfuckers come in and redo the kitchen. Problem fuckin’ solved about it not bein’ usable for us.”
“Omigod, really?” she squealed, the adoration that made him fucking fly dropping into her gaze.
“Yeah, baby, really.”
“Deal,” she agreed. The announcement added a spark to her already energetic self.
He started to turn away.
“Christopher?” she called, stopping him.
“Yeah, baby?”
“I love you so much. You are my everything.”
“I love you, too, Megan,” he responded. “You my reason for livin’, baby.”
She gave him her look of love—the one that said everything.Meanteverything and told him all he needed to know.
Smiling softly, she blew him a kiss, then walked away, leaving Christopher alone and thankful that she belonged to him.
Chapter Eleven
The house smelled of cinnamon, vanilla, and apples, spicy and warm just like Roxanne. No evidence of their earlier dinner party remained. The chill that had invaded him on the harrowing journey heated immediately. Soft lamplight bathed the living room. The sound of smooth jazz flowed down the staircase, where, at the bottom, red rose petals left a trail that went up. Smiling, Knox followed the petals, noting the small candles situated on every other step. As he reached the landing, the sound of the music grew louder.
Even before he stepped into the room he shared with Roxanne, he had removed his jacket. He threw it on the empty bed, started unbuttoning his shirt, and glanced in the direction of the bathroom. From beyond the door, gentle splashes, the evocative scent of her bubble bath, captivated him.
He heard the water, smelled her bubble bath. Shirtless, he went to the bathroom and halted in the doorway, mesmerized as she raised her leg and stroked from her knee up to her thigh. Suds dripped from her beautiful skin.
She smiled at him, lowered her leg. Tendrils escaped her pinned-up hair and plastered to her neck and forehead.
His gaze dropped to her brown nipples and he licked his lips.
