Page 90 of Perfect Satisfaction

Her eyes drift shut, tortured as the memories assail her. I flip the covers aside. The swoosh of the material causes her eyes to flick open and she watches, jaw slack, as I approach her on bare feet.

I hold out my hand.

Sula wraps her blanket tighter around herself. Her body begins to tremble.

I leave my hand extended but I tell her, “It’s time to stop pretending.”

Her chin jerks up, eyes narrow.

Just as I wonder if this is too soon, my body begins quivering because Sula’s fingers brush my own.

A touch.

A tangle.

A twine.

Just like they did that first night on the plane.

My heart thumps crazily inside my chest. I tug her hand gently. “Come on. We both need to get some rest.”

A second later, I double down on my determination to fight for my wife. Even as she moves past me to crawl into the massive bed, she breathes, “I only rest when I’m in your arms.”

I force myself to crawl in the bed after her.

Tonight, I’ll hold her, just hold her.

Tomorrow? That’s a whole different story. Tomorrow, I’m going to start fighting for what’s mine.

My heart.

It’s been missing for far too long.

CHAPTERFORTY-FOUR

Sleep is overrated. Caffeine is not.

Important life lesson.

—Moore You Want

Arek is gratefully asleep next to mewhen my phone buzzes a few hours later.

It’s a text from Brendan.We just touched down at Teterboro.

Good. I can’t wait to see you.

Ditto. I miss you.

Same. By the way, I bought tickets to every one of the shows you and Becks are doing together.

I’m going to kill you. You know I have plans for you to be backstage.

Well, duh. I figured maybe we could auction them off for SMAA? Mind having a few people meet you for charity?

Little blue dots move for a few seconds before,He has no idea who he’s married to, does he?

I take a moment and look to my right. Arek is lying curled on his left, toward the center of the bed. His face is relaxed in sleep.