"Hmm."
He downed half his glass, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. "Let's have a redo of our anniversary," he suggested. "We can get a sitter and go out for a meal. Just the two of us," he stressed, and I knew he was recalling his fuck up of inviting the girls along.
It had been a nice anniversary dinner, but we spent more time keeping the girls entertained and filling their plates at the buffet than actually enjoying our own meals.
I shrugged, trying not to get my hopes up. "I mean, sure. We can if you like."
He dumped his glass, knife, and breadboard in the sink. "Yeah, babe. It'll be fun. Romantic and shit."
He turned to face me, leaning on the bench with his arms folded. His muscles bulged under his shirt, and I thought how unfair it was for him to be so stupidly attractive.
He smirked at me. "But you plan it this time. I'm not trusted anymore to pick a fancy restaurant."
Hurt curdled my gut at his words. I wasn't quite ready to joke about our failed dinner.
"Anything that isn't Select will do."
I glanced at the living room as Kehlani and Sienna's voices started to rise. "But, yeah, okay. I'll book something for next week."
"Awesome. Gonna take a shower." He yawned widely and stretched.
"Um, James," I called out to his retreating back. "Please put the butter and ham away."
He ducked his head. "Sheesh. Sorry."
Chapter 4
Zara
Iclimbed into bed beside my husband, smiling as he instantly curved his body closer to me. He smelled delicious after his shower, and looked boyishly handsome with his damp, rumpled hair.
He pressed a kiss to my shoulder, his fingers stroking up and down my arm. "I booked our Valentine's dinner at Soho for Sunday night. Rach is free to watch the girls."
His mouth continued to dance against my skin, and my lips brushed against his soft hair. "Mmm, Soho. Fancy," he teased.
"Shut up," I murmured against his mouth. He nipped at my bottom lip before he covered my lips with his. I moaned as his tongue stroked against mine before I shifted my body to face him fully. His large hand curved around my thigh, pulling me closer as he devoured me with a passionate kiss.
Just as I was about to pull down the strap of my top, James pulled back slightly. "Wait, what date is Sunday again?"
I quirked a brow at him and shifted back. "What date is Valentine's? The fourteenth, like it is every year."
He snorted before shaking his head and grabbing his phone to check the calendar. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. So he did know how to use a calendar—just not our joint one.
"Oh, shit," he swore. "I forgot. It's Rob's birthday on the thirteenth."
"Okay. And?"
He scratched at his chest as he flicked through the apps on his phone. I tried not to be upset that out of all the important things for him to remember, it was his friend's birthday that he cared about.
"I'm meeting him and the boys at the pub for a few drinks."
My stomach dropped, but I shrugged carelessly. "I can cancel our dinner, and we can do it another time. It doesn't have to be right on Valentine's Day."
"What, why?"
I pushed back a stray curl from his forehead. "Because your hangovers last all day now," I gently teased. "You won't be in the mood for dinner the next night because you'll want to spend the whole day parked on the couch."
He waved his hand dismissively. "We're having lunch at the pub, I'm meeting them at eleven. I'll be home by five. Seven, tops."
