herself wouldn’t help put life back on track where she was comfortable.
“Well, this is nice to see.” Stefan entered the closet, eyes roaming over her matching lace bra and panty set she was left standing in. But when his gaze landed back on her face, all joking and sexual looks vanished. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
He closed the gap between them, taking her in his arms and holding her against his chest. And wasn’t that just like him? Always ready to comfort, always ready to rescue the distressed damsel?
Victoria sniffed. “I’m just being overly dramatic today. Chalk it up to being female.”
“Well, honey, you’ve been female the whole time I’ve known you, and it takes a lot to bring a strong woman like you to tears.” He eased back, swiped at her damp cheeks and stared into her eyes with the compassion she’d always known from him. “Want to talk about it? Is it work?”
She had to be honest. He was her husband, after all, so they should share everything. And in some ways he knew her better than she knew herself, so he would most likely know if she was holding something back.
“I think everything just hit me,” she told him. “Work, marriage. It’s all moving so fast, I don’t feel like I’m in control anymore.”
He kissed her forehead. “You’re in control, Tori. You just always put this pressure on yourself to excel and be the best, which is great, but sometimes you need to give yourself a break.”
She studied his face, that handsome face that so many women dreamed about, and smiled. “Is that what you would do? Take a break?”
He shrugged. “Probably not, but I don’t like to see you upset.”
“You don’t get upset?”
“Upset? No. I do get angry, which fuels me to work harder.”
Her smile spread wider and she tilted her head.
“I get it,” he said, laughing. “Those were angry tears?”
“Frustrated tears,” she corrected. “But at this point, same thing.”
He leaned forward, kissed her gently and stepped back. “Why don’t you throw on some clothes and meet me downstairs.”
Comfortable with her body, Victoria placed her hands on her hips. “Now I know the honeymoon’s over.” She laughed. “I’m standing here nearly naked and you’re telling me to throw on clothes.”
Heat instantly filled his eyes as he raked his gaze over her. “Oh, believe me, I’m having a very hard time being noble here, but sex isn’t what you need right now. Just get dressed and come downstairs. Or wear that, but my guard will see more of you than I’m willing to share.”
Stefan turned and left, leaving her staring after him.
Some married women didn’t have a tenth of the connection she had with Stefan. And even though they married under less than traditional circumstances, she knew she had a good thing going...if she could just keep her emotions in check.
She threw on a pair of white shorts and a flowy green top. After sliding into a pair of gold sandals, she made her way downstairs. She didn’t see the guard by the door, but she knew he wasn’t far. Thankfully he did try to stay out of sight and give them privacy.
Victoria saw Stefan through the patio doors. She crossed the living room and walked out the open set of French doors to the warmth of the evening SoCal sunshine.
Stefan sat on one of the plush outdoor sofas she’d recently added and Victoria took a seat next to him.
“What’s that?” She pointed to the small folder he held on his lap. “Did you draw some secret, magical designs you’re willing to share with me?”
He laid the folder on her legs. “Open it.”
Intrigued, she pulled back the cover flap and gasped. “Stefan...” Page after page, she shuffled through designs and even some of the crazy doodling she’d done as a teen. “Where did you get these?”
“I kept them.”
She eyed the papers, yellowing around the edges, and looked at him. “But...why?”
With a shrug, he turned to face her. “When you came to visit, you
“Well, this is nice to see.” Stefan entered the closet, eyes roaming over her matching lace bra and panty set she was left standing in. But when his gaze landed back on her face, all joking and sexual looks vanished. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
He closed the gap between them, taking her in his arms and holding her against his chest. And wasn’t that just like him? Always ready to comfort, always ready to rescue the distressed damsel?
Victoria sniffed. “I’m just being overly dramatic today. Chalk it up to being female.”
“Well, honey, you’ve been female the whole time I’ve known you, and it takes a lot to bring a strong woman like you to tears.” He eased back, swiped at her damp cheeks and stared into her eyes with the compassion she’d always known from him. “Want to talk about it? Is it work?”
She had to be honest. He was her husband, after all, so they should share everything. And in some ways he knew her better than she knew herself, so he would most likely know if she was holding something back.
“I think everything just hit me,” she told him. “Work, marriage. It’s all moving so fast, I don’t feel like I’m in control anymore.”
He kissed her forehead. “You’re in control, Tori. You just always put this pressure on yourself to excel and be the best, which is great, but sometimes you need to give yourself a break.”
She studied his face, that handsome face that so many women dreamed about, and smiled. “Is that what you would do? Take a break?”
He shrugged. “Probably not, but I don’t like to see you upset.”
“You don’t get upset?”
“Upset? No. I do get angry, which fuels me to work harder.”
Her smile spread wider and she tilted her head.
“I get it,” he said, laughing. “Those were angry tears?”
“Frustrated tears,” she corrected. “But at this point, same thing.”
He leaned forward, kissed her gently and stepped back. “Why don’t you throw on some clothes and meet me downstairs.”
Comfortable with her body, Victoria placed her hands on her hips. “Now I know the honeymoon’s over.” She laughed. “I’m standing here nearly naked and you’re telling me to throw on clothes.”
Heat instantly filled his eyes as he raked his gaze over her. “Oh, believe me, I’m having a very hard time being noble here, but sex isn’t what you need right now. Just get dressed and come downstairs. Or wear that, but my guard will see more of you than I’m willing to share.”
Stefan turned and left, leaving her staring after him.
Some married women didn’t have a tenth of the connection she had with Stefan. And even though they married under less than traditional circumstances, she knew she had a good thing going...if she could just keep her emotions in check.
She threw on a pair of white shorts and a flowy green top. After sliding into a pair of gold sandals, she made her way downstairs. She didn’t see the guard by the door, but she knew he wasn’t far. Thankfully he did try to stay out of sight and give them privacy.
Victoria saw Stefan through the patio doors. She crossed the living room and walked out the open set of French doors to the warmth of the evening SoCal sunshine.
Stefan sat on one of the plush outdoor sofas she’d recently added and Victoria took a seat next to him.
“What’s that?” She pointed to the small folder he held on his lap. “Did you draw some secret, magical designs you’re willing to share with me?”
He laid the folder on her legs. “Open it.”
Intrigued, she pulled back the cover flap and gasped. “Stefan...” Page after page, she shuffled through designs and even some of the crazy doodling she’d done as a teen. “Where did you get these?”
“I kept them.”
She eyed the papers, yellowing around the edges, and looked at him. “But...why?”
With a shrug, he turned to face her. “When you came to visit, you
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