blood almost overwhelming in his mouth as he emptied himself deep inside her.
Chapter Ten
“I wish we didn’t have to go,” Sophie said, looking over at Michael in the reflection of the bathroom mirror. She slipped her earring into place and closed the clasp. It was Sunday afternoon and his parents had organized a birthday party for Michael’s niece who was turning one. Amanda, Michael’s sister, had always been friendly toward her. She was younger than Michael by two years. His older sister, Karen, was a different story. Between Karen and her mother-in-law, Sophie’s stress levels were at an all-time high. When they’d lived in the States, she’d only have to see them twice a year. Now that they were in Holland however, more and more invitations were pouring in, intruding on the quiet life she and Michael had made for themselves.
Michael slid the razor up along his throat, over his chin, and up to his lip before glancing at her as he rinsed the foam from the blade. Sophie looked at him expectantly. These conversations always added a layer of tension to their marriage. A layer that always made her uncomfortable, to say the least.
He rinsed his face and pressed a towel to it before turning to her. Once he’d wiped away the moisture, he set it on the counter and put his hands on her arms, rubbing once, then squeezing. His blue gaze searched her eyes and he reached down to kiss her lips.
“You know we can’t get out of it. You know my mother,” he said, trying to tease her. “Besides, it’s for Mandy. You know there’s nothing I’d rather do than keep you tied to the bed all weekend.”
She smiled, exhaling, and reached up to wipe off a strip of shaving foam he’d missed.
“We’ll just stay a little while, not too long, I promise.”
“Okay,” she said. “Who’s going to be there? Just your family?”
“I’m not sure, to be honest,” he said, turning away and walking into the bedroom. “Some friends of my sister’s, old neighbors I guess. We’ll just go give Rosa our gift, eat something, have a drink, and I promise to get you out of there as fast as I can.”
“Before your mother descends?” she asked, following him into the bedroom, regretting the words as soon as they were out.
Michael stopped, looked at her, then pulled his shirt over his head. “Soph,” he began, his voice impatient. They’d had this argument before. More than once.
Sophie walked to the closet and chose her dress, her heart beating hard, waiting for his reaction.
It wasn’t what she expected though. Michael came up behind her and turned her to face him. “I know she’s… difficult,” he said.
Sophie tried to smile, to make light of it, but failed. She looked at him, her eyes wide, wanting him to tell her… what?
“I’m sorry, Michael,” she said.
“You don’t have to be sorry. I know between her and Karen, it’s not easy for you, but we don’t see them that often and it’s my family. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
“I know. It’s okay. I’ll survive.”
“I promise, just an hour, two at the most.”
She nodded, dreading that hour or two or three or four it always managed to turn into.
* * *
“Michael!” Amanda’s voice came from the garden. The day was warm and sunny enough for the group to gather outside. Michael turned to meet her as she crossed the yard toward them, Rosa’s blonde curls bobbing up and down.
“Hey, Mandy,” he said, hugging her and quickly relieving her of his niece. “Rosa, happy birthday,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
Sophie watched their interaction, Mandy beaming proudly, her eyes only on her little girl. Michael talking to Rosa like she’d never heard him talk to anyone before—sweet and playful, even the tone of his voice a little different as he teased the little girl who looked back at him like he was the king of the world. Her chest tightened and she would have taken a step back, a little lost, if it hadn’t
Chapter Ten
“I wish we didn’t have to go,” Sophie said, looking over at Michael in the reflection of the bathroom mirror. She slipped her earring into place and closed the clasp. It was Sunday afternoon and his parents had organized a birthday party for Michael’s niece who was turning one. Amanda, Michael’s sister, had always been friendly toward her. She was younger than Michael by two years. His older sister, Karen, was a different story. Between Karen and her mother-in-law, Sophie’s stress levels were at an all-time high. When they’d lived in the States, she’d only have to see them twice a year. Now that they were in Holland however, more and more invitations were pouring in, intruding on the quiet life she and Michael had made for themselves.
Michael slid the razor up along his throat, over his chin, and up to his lip before glancing at her as he rinsed the foam from the blade. Sophie looked at him expectantly. These conversations always added a layer of tension to their marriage. A layer that always made her uncomfortable, to say the least.
He rinsed his face and pressed a towel to it before turning to her. Once he’d wiped away the moisture, he set it on the counter and put his hands on her arms, rubbing once, then squeezing. His blue gaze searched her eyes and he reached down to kiss her lips.
“You know we can’t get out of it. You know my mother,” he said, trying to tease her. “Besides, it’s for Mandy. You know there’s nothing I’d rather do than keep you tied to the bed all weekend.”
She smiled, exhaling, and reached up to wipe off a strip of shaving foam he’d missed.
“We’ll just stay a little while, not too long, I promise.”
“Okay,” she said. “Who’s going to be there? Just your family?”
“I’m not sure, to be honest,” he said, turning away and walking into the bedroom. “Some friends of my sister’s, old neighbors I guess. We’ll just go give Rosa our gift, eat something, have a drink, and I promise to get you out of there as fast as I can.”
“Before your mother descends?” she asked, following him into the bedroom, regretting the words as soon as they were out.
Michael stopped, looked at her, then pulled his shirt over his head. “Soph,” he began, his voice impatient. They’d had this argument before. More than once.
Sophie walked to the closet and chose her dress, her heart beating hard, waiting for his reaction.
It wasn’t what she expected though. Michael came up behind her and turned her to face him. “I know she’s… difficult,” he said.
Sophie tried to smile, to make light of it, but failed. She looked at him, her eyes wide, wanting him to tell her… what?
“I’m sorry, Michael,” she said.
“You don’t have to be sorry. I know between her and Karen, it’s not easy for you, but we don’t see them that often and it’s my family. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
“I know. It’s okay. I’ll survive.”
“I promise, just an hour, two at the most.”
She nodded, dreading that hour or two or three or four it always managed to turn into.
* * *
“Michael!” Amanda’s voice came from the garden. The day was warm and sunny enough for the group to gather outside. Michael turned to meet her as she crossed the yard toward them, Rosa’s blonde curls bobbing up and down.
“Hey, Mandy,” he said, hugging her and quickly relieving her of his niece. “Rosa, happy birthday,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
Sophie watched their interaction, Mandy beaming proudly, her eyes only on her little girl. Michael talking to Rosa like she’d never heard him talk to anyone before—sweet and playful, even the tone of his voice a little different as he teased the little girl who looked back at him like he was the king of the world. Her chest tightened and she would have taken a step back, a little lost, if it hadn’t
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