He walks up the sidewalk to the house. “Fine. I was jealous too.”
He sets me down on the porch, and I finally manage to wiggle out of the blanket.
Zane looks at me with a serious expression on his face. “I know we said this would be purely platonic … but I have to admit, I didn’t like watching you flirt with Grey.”
“I thought you called him Greg …”
“Don’t make me wrap you up in the blanket again.”
“Honestly, it was pretty cozy.”
“Why can I never annoy you properly?”
“Because I’m much better at annoying you.”
“I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you, Bliss.” He sighs like he has the whole weight of the world on his shoulders.
I let a slow grin stretch across my face. Operation Annoy My Husband has been a success.
The frown melts off his face, and he points a finger at me. “You’d better be careful. I’m starting to figure you out, Bliss Madden.”
He reaches past me and opens the front door.
“I don’t know that I want you figuring me out.” I step inside, careful not to let the blanket drag. Once we’re both inside, I fold it into a neat square and set it on the entryway bench. I’ll return it to Charlie next time I see her.
“So, you don’t like me flirting,” I say as I turn to face Zane.
He’s bent over, trying to take his cowboy boots off. I have the overwhelming urge to give him a push.
My hand hovers in the air as I fight with the devil on my shoulder. Intrusive thoughts are the worst.You should push your husband while he’s trying to take his shoes offprobably isn’t a normal thought for most wives.
Zane looks up right then, coming eye level with my hand. “What are you doing?”
I clear my throat loudly. “You just had some alfalfa in your hair.”
I pretend to brush something out of his hair, but then I come into contact with his cheek as I pull away, and it’s all too close to a caress. “Like I was saying, you don’t like it when I flirt. And I don’t like it when you flirt.” I try to return to the important conversation at hand.
Zane steps out of his last boot and stands straight. He looks down at me with a serious expression on his face. “You’re right. I don’t like watching you flirt.”
I was not flirting with Grey. At least, I don’t think so. He was very nice, and I liked that. Okay, so maybe I was flirting a little.
“Okay. Here’s the deal,” I say. “We are married. And we got married with the intention of staying married. Right?”
Zane nods slowly, and he takes a step closer to me. “Right. It’s not like we’re playing pretend. We got married and said vows and everything.”
I smile triumphantly. “Exactly! So, even though it’s not like we fell madly in love and got married … we did make a commitment to each other.”
Zane takes another step forward, and I take a step back. The entryway is a narrow hallway, so I don’t have far to go.
“And when people make promises, they should do their best to keep them.” I emphasize the words by shaking my finger at him.
Zane nods, taking another step. “They should honor the vows they made, definitely.”
“We are going to have to learn how to live together, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I agree. Flirting with other men, besides me, is off the table.”
I straighten my shoulders and lift my chin to look him in the eye. “The same goes for you. No more flirting with other women.”
