“Mama,” a tiny cry broke through the awkwardness of the moment.
Savannah gasped. “Oh my God. We woke him up.”
She hurried off of the bed and ran over to the dresser, pulling out a pair of joggers and a T-shirt. She redressed and ran out of the room just as Aiden yelled for her again, louder this time around.
I took a step in her direction but stopped myself. There was no need for me to follow. She wasn’t really my wife, and the boy down the hall wasn’t my son. I headed for the private bathroom instead, shutting the door behind me and stripped myself of the used condom.
I needed a shower and to take my ass to sleep. Those were the only two tasks I would allow myself to focus on.
By the time I got out of the shower, Savannah hadn’t returned. The smell of sex still lingered in the air. I stared down at the crumpled sheets and comforter and at Savannah’s nightgown that rested on the floor by the bed. The locket and broken chain were left next to her sleepwear.
I picked it up and tucked it into my palm. Sleeping in that bed didn’t feel right.
On a sigh, I exited my bedroom and carried my ass downstairs to the guest room.
The last thought I had for the night was that I’d just fucked my wife for the first time in sixteen years. And for the life of me, I wanted to do it again.
CHAPTER6
Savannah
“The Air Force family picnic is this Saturday.”
I spun around from the counter, butter knife still in my hand, to look at Ace. Those were the first words he’d spoken to me in the past week. Since the night he accused me of running some type of game on him because he went snooping through my belongings, and we’d had sex in his bed.
“What did you say?” I asked, knowing what he said but wanting him to repeat himself, if only to piss him off a little.
“You heard me.” He barely looked at me as he adjusted the collar of his uniform.
While I didn’t want to admit it, he looked damn good dressed in his ABUs with his pants tucked into his combat boots. They were second best to seeing him dressed in his flight suit. But he also looked great in a regular pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt. Then there was…
I shook my head.
“And you expect what?” I asked, shaking myself free of thoughts of how good he looked.
“I expect you to attend.” He stepped closer, his boots making a soft thud against the hardwood floors as he did. “Just like a proper military wife.”
“What am I supposed to do with Aiden?” The school year was just about over when we moved here, but I’d signed Aiden up for a day camp hosted by the school he would be attending in the fall. The camp was five days a week, with weekends off.
Ace frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s a family picnic. Other children will be there,” he said as if I were two cards short of a full deck.
I narrowed my eyes. Not only had he forced me to move in with him to play this charade of marriage, but now he expected me to drag my son out in public to be a part of this game.
“And what are you going to tell everyone? How are you going to explain suddenly popping up with a wife and son?” I knew he hadn’t told members of his squadron that he was married, and they knew he wasn’t a father. Ace had all but told me as much.
“I’m not explaining shit to anyone,” he replied as if that settled the matter. He stepped back and slapped his hat on his head, completing his uniform. “The picnic starts at eleven. We’ll leave here around ten thirty. Be ready,” he ordered as if I were one of his subordinates.
I was about to tell him what he could do with his orders, but Aiden interrupted.
“Morning, Mr. Ace,” Aiden said as he raced into the kitchen. “Morning, Mama.” Aiden leaped up as I bent low for him to plant his usual good morning kiss on my cheek.
“Morning, sweetie.”
“Morning, kid. Enjoy your breakfast,” Ace told him right before exiting the kitchen and heading out for the day. He didn’t give me so much as a backward glance.
“Asshole,” I grumbled.
“What?”
