The Winter Bride (TSBS-2) COMPLETED

Chapter Eighteen

Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead, that is where your future lies.
-Ann Landers

Ashley Davis-Harris

It was hard.

Hard to believe Claire Sanders' whispered words in my ear.

Since the day I started living with my husband in his penthouse, I had always thought of him as an arrogant, moody, angry and despicable man because that's what he has been with me since he met me. Then, why would I still ponder over a very happily married woman's words about the reason of my husband's temperamental behavior towards me?

But now, my own temperamental behavior landed me in my husband's arms, my legs surrounding his waist like a shameless trollop. I could blame his provoking, I could blame my gullible self but the new feelings that had risen in me by his touch were unlike anything I had ever felt. And as my eyes met several wide eyes through the windows, baring the reception area where many employees were gawking boldly, the cloud of desire lifted off me.

I felt my body go cold as the realization of how I looked to the public eyes seeped into my spellbound head. As my ceasing word rushed out of me with an embarrassment, I felt the muscles against me tense and his face disappeared under my disheveled hair, in the crook of my neck and shoulder.

His warm breath blew on my flushed skin as a groan left him. "Don't. I can't stop. I have to...." He didn't finish his words instead pulled me even tighter against him that I thought he'd break my bones in a flash.

Even I didn't want him to stop, but the way his employees were staring violated me.

I untangled my legs and instantly dropped on my wobbly legs, pushing his chest slightly so that he could see my face. "Everyone's watching."

His eyes seemed glazed, his jaw tight as he uttered. "What?"

With a gulp, I noted the huge bulge on his front and immediately shook my head, gesturing to the window behind him. "They...they're watching."

He looked over his shoulder and with a growl, strode to the window and smacked it. At once, the crowd started scrambling with pale faces. He punched some buttons on the remote attached on the wall and the shade started rolling down, barring any prying eyes. He turned, his hazel eyes that of a predator and extended his arm. "Come here." I shook my head and his other hand curled. "Come. Here. Now."

Tentatively, I walked and as soon as I was in reach, he twirled me and caged me between the wall and his rigid chest. Before I could even weakly protest, he kissed me hard but two seconds into the kiss, a knock on the door before it opened slightly. I turned to look at my husband's secretary with a mug on her hand but those hands were shaking non-stop. His swirling eyes darkened, but with anger as he glared at the poor woman and barked out. "Get out! And, if I see any of you near this office, there will be a fucking firing spree today!"

The door slammed shut instantly and he kept on cursing. "Fucking bas---"

I recoiled and ducked under his arm to get away from his enthralling body.

"What--where are you going now?"

I shook my head and pointed to the window then him. "This is wrong." My voice coming out as a squeak at the raw hunger in his gaze as if...as if he wanted to devour me. I swallowed nervously, feeling the familiar tingles. "I can't...." I let the sentence hang in the air as he advanced on me.

"This is never wrong." He said, a possessive glint in his eyes. "I'm your husband."

"I---I.."

Husband. He was right. Even though people caught me wrapped up around a man's waist, there was nothing to be ashamed about because the man's my husband, not a random man. This thought lightened the shame in me, shaped my dignity once again but...but this man, my husband; he was still the man who destroyed everything. I vowed to never let this man touch me, and here I was, letting him do more than touch me.