“Please don’t tell me to go on a dating app,” he said, his features scrunching.
She grabbed her cup of tea and rose. “I won’t. Those are awful. But I will give you dating advice once we save the world, and all the women start throwing themselves at you.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
“Thanks, Ava,” he said with a warm smile.
She left him behind in the living room, climbing the stairs and snaking her way to Alex’s office.
He sat at his desk, clacking away at the keys, a PharmaTech logo blazing from the top of his screen.
She shuffled in, setting her tea on her own desk, a smile crossing her face as she rubbed a hand along the velvety chair he’d bought her even before they’d decided to give their marriage a real chance.
Her grin broadened as she approached Alex, so absorbed in his work that he hadn’t noticed her enter the room. Sliding her arms around his neck, she startled him with a kiss on his cheek.
As his muscles relaxed, he reached up to rub her arm. “Hey, Sparky.”
“Hey,” she said as she set her chin on his shoulder. “You getting anywhere?”
“I’m trying, but this is a tough nut to crack.”
She straightened, massaging his shoulders. “You’ll get it, though. No one can outsmart you.”
She spotted him smile through the reflection of his laptop before the expression faded away. “You don’t have to say that just to make me feel good, Avs.”
“I’m not. I truly believe it. You’re the smartest person I know, Ace.”
He didn’t answer, and she knew exactly what that meant. He was still feeling out of sorts over what happened earlier, but he didn’t want to bother her about it.
She continued to knead her thumbs into his muscles. “Alex, can we talk?”
She felt the almost immediate tightening across his back as he stiffened, his lips parting. “Umm, maybe another time, Sparky, I’m really busy with the–”
“Now,” she said, lowering the lid of his laptop and spinning to lean against his desk.
Alex rolled back a little, his features taut. “Okay.”
“Babe, you need to stop worrying about our relationship. I get that it’s new, and that it’s scary, but I’m not going to suddenly change my mind.”
“People do it all the time, Ava. And they’re not even under the influence of a behavior-altering drug. I mean…look at Grant. Julia is his fifth wife.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “But he married all the other women for the wrong reason.”
“We got married for the wrong reason,” Alex countered.
“We didn’t. We got married because we were friends first. And that built a really great base for us to start a real relationship. The only thing that’s going to tear us apart is constantly doubting each other.”
“I don’t doubt you, Avs, I just…” He heaved a sigh.
“You just do.”
“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “No, I doubt me. I doubt my ability to be the husband you deserve.”
She heaved a sigh. “You’re right. You are definitely not the husband I deserve.”
“I know, and I’m working on–”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “You are way more than what I deserve, Alex. And even if you aren’t, we’re in this together. Partners. When I bring thirty percent, you always up the rest, and when you can’t meet me halfway, I’ll bring everything we need.”
She threaded her fingers through his, smiling at him.
