Chapter 37

Hannah Thunder crashes over the house in the middle of the night, and I wake up in Tobias’s arms. It’s still not morning, and it’s only been two hours since we fell asleep after our steamy sex session.

I should fall back asleep, but I hate storms. I press my ass further back into Tobias. He mutters.

something in his sleep and presses his big palm harder against my stomach, which flutters in response.

I have yet to tell Tobias that I will have another reason for calling him daddy soon. It will be done in the morning. I meant to tell Tobias the big news after the sex, but we fell asleep. Smiling, I press myself further into Tobias, about to close my eyes, but his phone’s sudden light makes me glare at it. A message? I know I shouldn’t… his phone is private-

There is a slight vibration from it, another message, and I reach out my hand to pick it up from the bedside table. My stomach is twisting and turning, knowing this infringes on Tobias’s privacy.

Still, I don’t put the phone down. I swipe my fingers over it, remembering the unlock code. from watching Tobias open his phone plenty of times, and then I see the messages.

Some are from earlier today, and I decide to read them all from the beginning to understand what is happening.

Sarah: You’re a fucking fool.

Sarah: I’m dying, and you won’t even take me out to dinner? Do you understand how selfish that is?!

Sarah: You loved me once, and now, because you married that slut, it suddenly means nothing? I swallow thickly. My heart is thumping quickly, and my hands are shaking at the names Sarah calls me in vibrant letters. I’m skimming through more of her messages, but I already get the gist.

Sarah has cancer.

Tobias refused to take her out to dinner.

But… if that is the case, where has Tobias been? He didn’t respond to text messages for two days. I wasn’t going to bring it up. Like, I get that he might have been busy, but… I’m worried.

now.

I clutch the phone and turn tense when I feel Tobias shifting behind me. He is awake and reaches around me to put on the light. For some reason, that makes me nervous.

Will Tobias get angry that I snooped and went through his text messages? Probably. I wait to see what he says.

”

“I should have come directly home…” Tobias says from behind me. I can feel his breath on the skin between my shoulder blades. He takes the phone and places it back on the bedside table. I should have talked to you, but I didn’t, and I’m sorry.”

“What did you do instead?” I ask in a voice full of suspicion and turn around in the bed to face him.

I’m half-convinced that Tobias went to a bar, which wouldn’t be good. Drinking isn’t the answer, and I dislike that all movies and tv series make it seem like the solution when you’re feeling down.

Tobias grins once our eyes meet. “I didn’t go drinking if that’s what you’re thinking.”

I’m surprised. “So, where did you go?” I narrow my gaze, willing myself not to fall victim to his beautiful eyes. “It doesn’t take two days to travel back from Europe… a few hours, yes, I and get that sleeping and waiting for flights take time, but-” I inhale. “Were you avoiding me?”

“At first, yes.

That answer makes me sad. “Well, that sucks… but I’m glad you’re admitting it to me.”

He grimaces. “It won’t happen again…”

Despite my inner turmoil, I laugh. “I fucking hope not. You’re only getting out of this because I know how hard it must have been for you. Sarah was your first love, and any other man might have cheated.”

“I didn’t cheat.”

“I get that from the text messages…” I give him a half-smile. Sarah’s anger shouldn’t amuse me, but it does. “Sarah seems very upset that you didn’t ruin our relationship for the sake of one night with her.”

Humor is written over Tobias’s handsome face. “You’re a little rat for checking my phone.”

True. Checking your partner’s phone is disgusting and proves I don’t trust Tobias as much as I should. I don’t want to be one of those jealous girls who micro-manage their partner.

“I’m sorry for doing that…” I mean it.

Tobias breathes a laugh, smiling. “I don’t mind. It’s not like there is something I’m trying to hide from you.

I lift an eyebrow. “Okay, excuse me for asking this, but if you got nothing to hide, what did you do before coming home?”

“The first few hours were spent staring out into nothingness and trying to figure out what I wanted. The conclusion is that even though Sarah is dying, I still don’t wish to let her back. into my life. Not even for a second. All I want is you. But, I decided I needed to compensate since I momentarily got sidetracked and spent hours staring into a wall when I should have come home to you…

“And you’re compensating by getting me this gift?” I ask.

“Yes,” he smiles wickedly. “That’s exactly it. I went somewhere to get you a present. Proof of my devotion. The price was low, but the woman who sold the damn thing to me was persistent that I came and met her in person. She almost didn’t want to sell it to me. It was like an interview, the hardest I’ve had since the woman’s trust couldn’t be bought. She didn’t give a damn that I was a billionaire; she wanted to know if my heart was good. But after coffee, mowing her lawn, and basically pretending to be better than I am, she finally sold the thing to me.” 1 “What the heck did you buy?” I’m extremely curious right now and can’t keep the laughter from my voice.

That easy, lazy smile plays over Tobias’s lips as he lies outstretched in the bed like a Greek god. “Why don’t you head downstairs to see for yourself? It’s waiting for you in the hallway.”

“I will definitely check out what you got me,” my lips curl into a smile, and I climb off the bed without hesitation.

“I will wait here…” Tobias says and pulls the blanket up to his chin. There are dark circles around his eyes. “If you don’t mind?”

“You can fall back asleep. I will be right back.”

He chuckles. “You can bring the gift into the bedroom. The only reason I didn’t is that I wanted to have sex.”

By now, my curiosity is through the roof. “What did you get me?”

“Go check for yourself.”

“It must be something good if the woman wanted to meet you in person and held an interview, “I pause.

“It’s not drugs, is it?”

Tobias snorts. “You think I would get you drugs?”

“No, but whatever you bought me better be good.”

“It is.”

Tobias’s confidence makes me smile, and I walk toward the door. “Be right back then.”

“Don’t forget about me.”

Why would the gift make me forget him? Don’t presents usually work the other way around?

Hmm?

Tobias’s words confuse me, but I know that staying here won’t help settle my growing curiosity. So I set course for the stairs, running them down until I’m standing in the hallway. Everything is dark, but I hear something… moving? Wait. Is that whining? Could the present be a…?

press the light switch, and my mouth falls open at something pink thing looks like a bag but is as large as a cage. Since I know nothing about dog transporting, I have no clue what to call the bag.

But what I do know is that Tobias bought me a dog.

I stalk towards it, dazed and happy as I peer down at a dachshund dapple dachshund -a grey and brown speckled little thing. So utterly adorable. My heart swells, and then I hear Tobias shouting in a amused voice from upstairs.

“A house isn’t a home without a dog!”

I laugh at that because I agree, and then I meet the curious eyes of the little puppy. It’s adorable. I don’t know its gender, but I’ve already fallen in love, which means Tobias might be in trouble.

Cuddle with my husband?

What husband?

All I see is a puppy that will be the victim of my love, and with my motherly instincts coming to play, the puppy might drown with all the love I have to give it. Then, once the baby comes, I will ensure the dog and the baby get along-under my supervision, of course!

I squat down in front of the dog. “You’ve come to the right family, love. We are all dog lovers here.”

The dog stares at me with a shaking body, but he or she is wagging its tail, and I just know we will get along just fine.