Page 40 of Lust & Lies
“Fuck, I love you,” he muttered.
My heart stuttered, skipping a beat, and my breath caught in my throat. Just like that, everything stilled around me, around us. I stared at him, my husband, the man who hadn’t left my side since I woke up from that coma.
My only rock in this world that felt new and familiar at the same time. The one constant in this strange life I was relearning. I hadn’t expected him to say that. But damn, I felt like I needed to hear it again.
“Say that again,” I whispered.
His smile had faded, but that intense look didn’t leave his gaze. “I love you,” he repeated.
Damn, I believed him.
This had gone from hot to intensely sweet in the span of seconds. I wanted to say those three words back to him. They were on the tip of my tongue. But I held them there, not ready to let them go. Not yet.
That still-uncertain part of me refused to utter those words. Sex... I could handle. Admitting to loving him... not yet. Not until more of my memories returned. Not until this cloud of uncertainty hovering over us dissipated.
Though I wasn’t ready to admit to what I was feeling inside, I still wanted him to know I appreciated him.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He frowned. “For what?”
“For loving me. And for not leaving me tonight. Well, today, since it’s not even night yet and we’re going to bed. I truly don’t think I’m ready to sleep alone.”
“You don’t have to thank me for anything, love. And you never have to sleep alone. Now, go shower, beautiful.”
His compliment made my heart flutter. Suddenly feeling shy, I nodded, then turned and headed toward the bathroom, leaving him standing there, staring after me. In the bathroom, I closed the door and then pressed my back against it.
There was a smile on my face that I couldn’t get rid of. I didn’t want to get rid of it. I chuckled. What the hell was wrong with me? Why was I just standing here, grinning and laughing?
Was it because I had a crush on my husband? Another chuckle escaped me before I covered my mouth. I didn’t need him to hear me laughing in here and assume I’d lost my mind.Wait. It was too late for that. I’d already lost my mind.Memory loss. Duh.
Though my memories were gone, the more time I spent near Aiden, the more familiar I became with him. Now that I was no longer so guarded against him, I could see why I’d fallen in love with him.
I wanted to remember our life together. I wanted to remember the moment I fell in love with him. I wanted to remember the first time he told me he loved me. I was ready to experience those firsts all over again.
I had a feeling that by the time I regained my memory, my love for my husband would be even stronger than it was before. I was ready to fall in love with him all over again. Still smiling, I pushed away from the door and walked to the center of the bathroom.
Now that I was finally taking in the scene, I had to say I was impressed. This bathroom was gorgeous. It looked like it had been ripped straight from a luxury hotel catalog. The shower occupied an entire glassed-in corner, large enough for three people, probably four if they got creative.
A bench ran along the side, made of smooth, dark wood. The dark marble countertops were stunning. And the light gray walls brightened the room up a bit without taking away from its dark aesthetic.
The bathroom was... insane. And I loved it. If I asked, he’d probably say I’d picked everything out. I could see myself designing a room like this. I started to undress, then realized I’d forgotten to grab the clothes he told me to get.
Of course I did.
Whatever.
I’d deal with that later. I quickly undressed and tossed my clothes into the hamper. Naked, I moved toward the cabinet, pulling one drawer open. This had to behisside of the cabinet. Inside, there was a razor kit, aftershave, men’s face lotion, and a few other items.
I opened the drawer on the other side and paused. This was definitely my side. Someone had already filled it with things I’d need. Hair products. Brushes. Wide-tooth combs. A silk scarf that hadn’t been opened yet. And even a black bonnet.
There were also body lotions and sprays inside the cabinet. Everything I needed was here, and I hadn’t had to lift a finger. And if there was anything else I needed, Aiden said he’d get housekeeping to pick it up.
Apparently, I’d lived the life of a spoiled wife. But, for some reason, I didn’t feel like a spoiled wife. Honestly, I didn’t even know what a spoiled wife felt like. Though I was okay with this stuff being here for me, I’d like to go out and get my own stuff when the time came.
If I was a pampered princess, I wouldn’t have that type of desire, would I?Ugh. I was overthinking things again. Seeing problems where problems didn’t exist. Pushing that thought aside, I pulled out a shower cap, tucked my hair away, then grabbed a small towel and walked to the glass shower.
I entered, closing the door behind me, and turned the water on. I stepped back and stood there, waiting for the water to heat up. On the back wall, I noticed there were bottles on the shelf. Bath products for Aiden and me.
