Wooing His Accidental Wife (Unexpected Lovers Book 5) Read online

  Glenn’s eyes narrow into a lethal glare. “Do you love her?”

  “Fuck man, of course I do. You think I’d still be hangin’ around if I didn’t?”

  He smiles, and it’s totally disarming the way it transforms him from an intimidating behemoth to a gentle giant with kind eyes that I swear can see right into my soul.

  “Good,” he says, then releases his hold on my arm. “Go get her then.”

  Well, if that wasn’t one of the strangest conversations I’ve ever had…

  What the hell is he doing here? And what is Glenn saying to him?

  I poke my head around the corner of the stairwell again, watching Dax and Glenn engage in what appears to be a serious conversation. Glenn looks scary as fuck despite his bedazzled shirt and fabulous pearls. Dax says something, and Glenn smiles. Damn it. I was hoping he was about to kick Dax’s ass out of here.

  Dax starts toward my hiding spot, and I hightail it back up the stairs and into my office, locking the door behind me. Maybe I can pretend I’m not even here. Yeah, I’ll do that. I flick off the light then slink to the corner of the room, remaining perfectly still, waiting for him to start knocking.

  Nibbling my bottom lip, I count in my head in a vain attempt to distract myself. Not even thirty seconds pass before Dax is wrapping his fist against the door, the thud ricocheting around the room. I hold my breath, which I’m aware is completely ridiculous, but I do it anyway.

  “Ads, I know you’re in there. Perri told me,” he calls.

  I keep my mouth shut, unlike Perri.

  “You can hide in there as long as you like, babe, but I’m not going anywhere. I’ll park my ass on the stairs and wait you out, I got time.”

  The breath I was holding rushes out in a gust, and I bang my head back against the wall. Ugh, I should have known he’d say that. Unfortunately for me, he’s just as stubborn as I am. I don’t move a muscle, it’s not my problem if he wants to sit out there bored out of his brain all night, that’s on him.

  I go back to counting. One, two, three, four, five, six…

  “You and I both know you’ve got a tiny bladder, you’ll have to come out to pee sooner or later,” he calls.

  I grit my teeth, damn him and his unfailing logic. Crossing my arms over my chest, I close my eyes and strum my fingertips against my elbows.

  A soft thunk sounds through the door, and l lift my gaze to it, expecting him to say something else. But he remains as quiet as me. Time slowly ticks by, and I tug my cell from my pocket, switch it to silent mode then open a mindless card game.

  I try to concentrate on the cards on the screen, my mind refuses to compute though. I shift my eyes to the door, nibbling on my lip, I shuffle over to it, and press my forehead against the cool wood. “What do you want, Dax?”

  “You. I thought I’d made that pretty clear already.”

  I can practically feel the vibration of his voice through the door, and I melt against it, heaving a sigh as my heart clenches in my chest. I don’t want to want him. I don’t want his persistence to make my soul ache. I don’t want to feel anything for him at all, but that ship sailed long ago.

  “Adley, I am not your piece of shit father. I have never treated you with anything but love and respect. And I will continue to do so until the day I die, if you’ll just let me.”

  My heart constricts at his words, they decimate what’s left of my walls. My throat thickens as I unlock then slowly open the door to face him. He stands there, hands braced on either side of the door frame, the most earnest expression on his handsome face.

  “Please stop pushing me away. There is no distance you can put between us that I won’t do everything in my power to close, you get that? I will always come for you, and only you,” he says, his gaze locked with mine. “I love you, and I will keep fighting for you.”

  I choke back a sob as I nod. “Okay,” I whisper.

  He’s on me in a heartbeat, kicking the door closed behind him then reaching back to lock it. “Lights,” he mumbles against my lips. “I need to see you.”

  Shoving him back against the door, I slap my palm on the wall, moving it around until I feel the light switch and flick it on.

  His gaze is molten fire as he traces his fingertips over my cheek, then swipes under my eyes with his thumbs. “No more tears, baby.” He ducks his head and brushes his lips against mine in a soft caress. “I got you now.”

  I nod, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, letting his words sink in, allowing myself to truly believe them. My hands skate up over his leather encased arms and into his hair, toying with the strands that brush against the collar of his jacket. “Okay,” I whisper again. It seems to be the only word I’m capable of articulating right now.

  Dax grips my ass, then reverses our positions. He lifts me, and I wrap my legs around his waist, loving the solid weight of him settling against my body as he pins me in place with his hips. He grips the back of my neck, giving it a light squeeze before drawing my face forward and devouring my mouth with his. I moan, and he rocks his hips, grinding his erection into my core though our clothes. Being in his arms feels so good, I lose all sense of time and space as he pours all his love and devotion into each kiss and caress.

  “This is it, Ads, no more pushing me away. No more fighting what you want. No more disappearing acts. You are mine, and you’re going to start acting like it. We clear?” he demands.

  A shiver races through me at the authority in his tone, and I nod, helplessly.

  “Words, Adley. I need your words.”

  “Yes, I’m yours, Dax,” I say as I breathe out.

  The feral smile that takes over his face is utterly breathtaking. His gaze darkens and he drops me to my feet, then walks backward until the back of his knees hit the couch I have pushed against the far wall. He pauses there, unfastens his jeans, shoves them to his thighs, and palms his thick cock.

  I swallow, hard. God, he’s gorgeous.

  “Come and show me,” he says as he sits.

  Oh, hell yes!

  I reach back, sliding the zipper of my dress down, then peel my arms out of the long sleeves, and push it down over my hips, letting it pool around my ankles. Dax’s eyes blaze a trail over my body, his hand still moving over his dick.

  Stepping over my dress, I approach him in nothing but my bra, underwear, and heels. I smirk down at him as I stop between his spread thighs. “You sure you can handle all of me, husband?”

  His eyes flare at the word, and his hands shoot out, digging into my hips as he tugs me onto his lap. “Fuck yes, baby,” he growls into my throat then sucks at the sensitive flesh below my ear.

  I grind down on his dick, shuddering in his arms as his palms skate over my shoulders. He flicks my bra open then peels it from my body and tosses it to the side, his hungry mouth dropping to suck on one of my hardened nipples. I writhe against him until he moves a hand between my legs.

  With a flattened palm, he cups my pussy as he drags his head away from my chest. A wicked smirk curves his mouth, then his tongue slides out to lick his bottom lip. “I can’t decide if I want to eat you out or fuck you senseless.”

  “Why not both?” I grin.

  His smirk reappears, and he stands with me in his arms, takes two long strides before he deposits my ass on the edge of my desk then pushes my shoulders back until I lie flat for him. He spreads my legs apart and proceeds to kiss his way from the inside of my ankle to the dip behind my knee.

  He sucks softly on the tender spot, then moves to the other side, giving it the same attention.

  “I thought you meant my pussy when you said you wanted to eat me,” I snark.

  His eyes lift to meet mine and he grins. “So impatient, wife.”

  I shrug, owning it. “I know what I want.”

  “Oh, yeah? And what’s that?” he drawls, trailing his lips up my inner thigh.

  Instead of answering him, I lock my fingers in his hair and tug his face between my legs. He chuckles against my pussy and I shudder at the
sensation. Then he licks a long line over my now soaked underwear. His palms glide up my legs then curl into the sides of my panties. He tugs them off.

  His face is right where I want it, no barrier separating his talented tongue from my most sensitive parts. It flicks over my clit, traces a gentle circle around my entrance then slides inside me. I moan, my back arching up off my desk.

  Dax wraps his hands around my ankles, holding them open as he devours me. My hands fist in his hair as my hips undulate, riding his face, chasing my release.

  I’m right on the edge, about to detonate, when he reefs his head out of my grasp, pins my hand to the desk on either side of my head, and thrusts into me. My eyes roll back, a sharp cry erupting from my lungs as I come on his cock.

  He fucks me hard and fast, long and deep. I writhe beneath him, loving every one of his skilful stokes. I’ve barely come down from my orgasm when another begins to build low in my belly. My legs quake, and he releases my hands, dropping one to my outer thigh, the other to the back of my neck, dragging me up to meet his mouth in an all-consuming kiss.

  “So hot and wet for me, Addy. I fucking love being inside you, baby.” He groans into my mouth.

  I wrap my arms around his neck and he digs his hands into my hips, holding me in place as he pushes me closer and closer to— “Ohmygod!” I cry as wave after wave of pure ecstasy crash over me.

  Dax drops his head to my shoulder, panting heavily as he drives into me one last time.

  I don’t know how long we stay like that before he lifts himself from me, pulls out and disposes of the condom. When he turns back to me, the look in his dark eyes melts me further as he cleans me up, then hands me my dress and helps me redress.

  Once I’m fully clothed again, he tugs me into his arms, holding me close, and I close my eyes as he nuzzles his nose in my hair. A contented sigh slips pass my lips as I rest my head against his firm chest, allowing myself this minute to just be with him.

  “So, Vinnie’s been telling Tia he’s going to pluck her,” he says casually.

  My head pops up, amusement filling me as I meet his gaze. “Seriously?”

  He nods. “Yep. And I had to take the fall for it.”

  “Oh.” I frown and nibble my bottom lip. I hadn’t anticipated the feathery demon picking up on my threats.

  Dax shrugs. “It’s okay, but I won’t lie to her again. We’re going to tell everyone this weekend, okay?” He levels me with an intense stare, letting me know how serious he is about this.

  I swallow, then nod. It’s time to come clean. “Alright,” I whisper.

  He takes my face in his hands and brushes his lips against mine. “This is a good thing. I promise.”

  I nod again and lick my lips, grinning. “I believe you, but I might, maybe, need a few more of those kisses. Just for reassurance purposes.”

  He smirks down at me, his eyes full of filthy promises. “You got it, babe.”

  Family dinners are now held at Tia and Bates’s place, since it’s the biggest and is the only one that can accommodate our growing family these days.

  Adley fidgets nervously as we sit side by side in the back of an Uber on our way there. I take both her hands in mine, bringing them to my mouth where I kiss each of her knuckles, paying extra attention to her ring finger where she is finally wearing her wedding band. “Babe, it’s going to be fine,” I assure her.

  She shakes her head. “I’m the worst friend in the history of friends. We’ve been married longer than Bates and Tia, and I haven’t said a word. Let alone the fact that we’d been sleeping together on the regular for the two years prior to that. She’s going to hate me.”

  I tug her into my side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “No, she’s not. It’s not in Tia’s nature to hate anyone. She’ll understand after we explain.”

  Ads tucks her head under my chin and murmurs, “I hope so.”

  When the Uber pulls up at the end of the long drive, I climb out then offer Adley my hand. “Come on.” I can read the indecision on her face, clear as day, so I crouch down and take her hands again. “It’ll be fine, I promise.”

  Her eyes lock on mine as she takes a few deep breathes then slides out of the car. We walk up to the front door, hand in hand, and Ads carries a gift bag for Atticus and Kinsley’s new baby girl Aria, that we’ll be meeting for the first time today.

  I lift my fist to knock on the front door just as it swings open. Bates stands on the other side, a shit-eating grin on his face as he announces, “I called it! Pay up, suckers!”

  Adley and I stand there, shocked to shit as Bates laughs his ass off.

  “Wha—” I start, but Bates shakes his head and tugs both of us into a massive hug.

  Adley’s panicked gaze flicks to me the second he releases us, and I curl my arm around her waist, tugging her into my side.

  Tia appears with Vinnie on her shoulder, and she smiles so big and beautiful, I know without a doubt she’s happy for us. She whacks Bates in the chest with the back of her hand. “Step back and let them inside already, big man.”

  He obeys, shuffling out of the doorway, still grinning like a maniac.

  We move inside, finding that we’re the last to arrive. Amá, Danika, and Kinsley are all sitting together on one of the large, overstuffed couches, while Arlo stands by the lit fireplace, rocking his new baby sister in his arms. Sebastian, Emory’s man, stands beside Arlo with his son, Darcy, who’s doing his damndest to crawl out of his daddy’s arms to get to the baby. And Atticus and Archer are seated on another couch, beers in hand while Lennon and Emory hover nearby, whispering.

  Adley and I stop in the entryway, staring at our friends and family, stunned that none of them seem the slightest bit shocked by our arrival here together.

  “Am I missing something?” I ask the room.

  Arlo turns to us, a smirk on his annoying face as he says, “I told you, guys, subtlety was not your strong suit.”

  I flip him off and he gapes, quickly turning his back to me then glaring at me over his shoulder. “Not in front of Aria, bro! Her little brain is like a sponge.”

  Kinsley laughs, and Atticus rolls his eyes. “She’s asleep, mate. I think she’s safe.”

  Arlo shakes his head at his father. “You can never be too careful.”

  My eyes ping-pong back and forth between the father and son as they stare each other down. “Wow, anyone would think she’s your daughter, not your baby sister.” I chuckle.

  An evil grin lights Arlo’s face and he says, “Well, if things had gone differently, she could have been.”

  “Wait, what now?” Adley asks, seeming to have finally found her voice.

  “Oh yeah, didn’t you know, the old man virtually stole Kins right out from under me,” Arlo says matter of fact.

  All eyes in the room immediately fly to a furiously blushing Kinsley. She swallows and ducks her head, mumbling, “It wasn’t quite like that.”

  I am generally not one for drama, but this is too good to let go. “What in the ever-loving-juicy-gossip is this all about?”

  Atticus clears his throat, drawing the attention off his poor wife as he glares at his son. “Arlo may have technically seen Kinsley first, but he had no idea who she was at the time, and when I found out, I made it my mission to make her mine.”

  “That explains absolutely nothing,” Adley says.

  Lennon laughs as she approaches us. She hooks her arm through Ads’s elbow and leads her over to the other women. “I’ll tell you later, trust me, it’s the best story you’ll ever hear.”

  I frown. “Hey, what about me?”

  They ignore me as they pull out beanbag chairs and close ranks in a circle excluding all the males in the room. Well, that’s just rude. I dart my gaze to Atticus who rolls his eyes and waves me over to sit. I drop onto the couch beside him. “I’m going to need more details,” I demand.

  He shakes his head. “You won’t get them from me.” Then he gives Arlo a pointed look and continues, “Or my son.”
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br />   Arlo chuckles and goes back to making goo-goo eyes at Aria. He’s going to be a great big brother. Perhaps a tad overprotective, but a great brother all the same.

  Bates hands me a beer and we all fall into relaxed conversation about anything and everything. Nobody even mentions the wedding band on my left hand. When I glance over at Adley, I can’t help the all-consuming happiness that radiates throughout my entire body as she lifts her hand, showing off her own ring.

  Lunching with the ladies has become a bi-monthly event, and surprisingly, I don’t hate it.

  If I’d been asked six months ago to lunch with a bunch of chicks on a regular basis, I’d have rather poked out my own eye with a rusty spoon. But these women have become an essential part of my life now that I’ve allowed myself to be happy and enjoy it.

  Turns out, it wasn’t just Dax I was keeping at a distance all these years, but everyone. At Dax’s insistence, I started seeing a therapist and it took her all of two sessions to help me realize that little fact.

  These days my life is so full I don’t know how I survived before. But I never have to go back to being that hard and lonely person ever again.

  “Hey, Earth to Adley.” Emory waves her hand in front of my face.

  I shake my head, snapping myself out of my morose thoughts. “What?” I ask, my gaze flitting around the table over the amused expressions of my friends.

  “You zoned out, girl,” Hannah says, grinning.

  Hannah has only just started making regular appearances at our lunches since she cut back on her hours at the aquarium.

  She rubs her pregnant belly and shakes her head at me. “Anyone would think you’re the pregnant one here, with the way you’ve been drifting off with the fairies all morning,” she jokes.

  I, however, choke on my cocktail. “Ha-ha,” I deadpan. “That’s not happening, like ever.”

  “Amen to that, sister,” Lennon says, lifting her hand for a high five. I oblige, slapping my palm against hers.