ADLEY


    “You’re overthinking. I could literally hear your brain reeling.”


    “Elise told me how you helped her. It’s in your nature to help people. I shouldn’t have wondered why you did agree to help.”


    “To be honest, I agreed because I like you.”


    I snorted and rolled my eyes. “You like everyone has a female part.”


    “Ouch. I’m wounded. I do have tastes, baby. I might have ten wives and divorced ten times if I was willing to marry anyone who came to me.”


    “Are you sure I am your first wife?”


    “Hopefully, thest.”


    I let thatst words go. “Where are ze and Elise, Mykel?”


    “They will flymercial first ss in a few hours. Don’t worry. They’ll be home in the morning. You can call ze once wend.”


    We shared our first meal as a husband and wife then I dozed off. Mykel was on hisptop when I got up from my nap.


    “You need your energy, Adley. Get some sleep.” His words were soft as if we were in a real rtionship. I inwardly shook my head as I tried to pull myself together.


    “How about you?”


    He lifted his gaze from theptop. “I’ll have it once wend.”


    “You work hard.”


    “I’m reading a proposal.” He then went back to reading.


    “I forgot to tell you. One of my grandpa’swyers came to me two days ago offering to buy mypany.”


    He narrowed his eyes at me. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”


    I shrugged. “I thought it’s not a big deal. He offered seven figures.”


    “Yourpany has a lot of potential. He can offer up to eight if he’s interested.”


    I yawned. “Not nning on selling.”


    “Good. Now, sleep. We can talk about itter.”


    ***


    I woke up already in the car, my head on his shoulder. Sometimes I hated this in me-that I slept like a dead.


    “Wee back, sleeping beauty.”


    “Did I miss the good part?” I looked outside the window, and it was already dark aside from street lights. I noticed Sax was driving, and Kye was in the passenger’s seat.


    “Doubt it.”


    “You should have given them off.”


    “They’re off. They just volunteered to give us a ride since we’re going to Kye’s house.”


    “What? He owned the house you’re talking about?” I sat straight, surprised.


    “He’s renting from me, Mrs. Creed.”


    My cheeks burned. Mykel saw my reaction. “Can’t wait to see your house, Kye.”


    “Nothing special, but you’d love the back if you like outdoor and fresh air.”


    “I’m sure I’d have fun. Thanks.”


    Kye was not kidding-the house was a ssic oceanfront two-story made of concrete and wood and screamed tropical. I would love to embrace the natural exotic beauty of his special abode, and I could definitely stay here for a while.


    “How do you say thank you in Hawaiian?”


    “Mahalo,” Mykel answered.


    “Mahalo, Kye.”


    “No?u ka hau?oli.”


    “I think I’m good with Mahalo for now.”


    Sax and Kye chuckled.


    Mykel knew the way to the house. Our things were already in the room. At the center was the queen-sized four-poster well-made bed.


    I stood there with my lips dried. I guessed this was how my life was now, constantly sharing a bed with Mykel.


    “We’re sharing a bed,” I just said out loud. Heat spread across my cheeks.


    “I’ll try hard to keep my hands off you.”


    “I’m not worried about that. You might not use to sleep in bed with someone considering how fast you run away once the best part was over.”


    I thought I had offended him. Instead, he burst outughing. His voice echoed in the entire house.


    “What so funny?” I red at him.


    “Once the best part was over? You can do better than that, baby.”


    “Whatever.” I crossed my arms over my chest.


    “You might want to change to somethingfy. Elise brought that suitcase for you. There are some swimsuits in it you can use tomorrow.”


    “Thanks. Tell her I appreciate it.”


    “Do you have routines that I should know about? How long do you use the bathroom?” I knew he was messing with me, and he just seeded.


    When I didn’t answer, he shut his smile off. “Just kidding, Adley. Rx. I’ll use the bathroom down the hall. You can use that one.”


    Once he left, I went to the bathroom and freshened up. Since we were not a normal married couple, I wore a short pajama set.


    I was sitting in the bed about to call ze when I heard a soft knock.


    “Adley?”


    “You don’t have to knock.”


    The door pushed in, revealing my husband in a shirt and pajama bottom.


    I sat frozen.


    There was nothing attractive about his getup, but he looked yummy barefooted, his hair tousled, thendscape of his chest was too broad, and the ink on his arm was peeking out from the stretched sleeve. The shirt seemed too stretched as well. His series of ripples and bulges of his packs were molded into the shirt down to his narrow hips.


    “Done?” His question jolted me out of my little dreamy spot.


    “Do you even sleep with clothes on?”


    “You don’t wanna know.” He smirked.


    “Sorry that you have to adjust for me.”


    “While you’re awake, yeah.”


    “You’re kidding, right?”


    “You’re overdressed. What’s the matter?”


    I red at him as he climbed into the bed. “Keep your clothes on, Mykel. I’m serious.”


    “Then you’re missing the best part.”


    “I doubt that.”


    “We’ll see.”


    “Night, baby.” He took a pillow andy on his side. “And put that thing away, please?”


    “I need to call ze.”


    “Let them have some fun. They have a flight to catch in the morning. You can text ze that you’re in Hawaii. That’s all.”


    I type a short text to ze before I put my phone on the nightstand. I slipped into theforter andy on my side.


    “Wife,” he murmured. I thought he had called me.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    “What?”


    “I can’t believe I’m a married man. And you are now my wife, Adley Creed, the same woman who called me asshole and jerk.”


    “We can get divorced tomorrow.”


    I found his hand on my arm. “I enjoyed being with you. You might as well prepare yourself to grow old with me.”