Page 1 of Checkmate
Chapter 1
Marcus
“Good morning, beautiful.”
Marcus brushed the hair away from his sleeping wife’s face. She stirred at his touch, but not enough to wake, giving him a moment to admire her beauty.
Growing up in the pageant circle, Sophie was an expert at making herself look good. From the way she styled her hair and the clothes she wore; she knew exactly how to accentuate her features to make sure all eyes were on her.
Moments like this, where she lay so perfectly still in slumber, Marcus had to ask himself how he had got so lucky. Why had she chosen him when she could have anyone? He knew as well as she did—she had settled.
“Sweetheart? Breakfast is getting cold.”
She made a soft noise as her arms came out from under the duvet, stretching above her head. Her back arched off the bed, exposing her chest to his eager gaze.
“And here I thought it was your birthday,” he teased, trailing his fingers down her arm. “Happy birthday, Sophie.”
She sat up, resting against the headboard, as blue eyes finally met his. “What time is it? It’s still dark out.”
“Five thirty,” he replied, pushing the breakfast tray towards her. “I figured I’d wake you a little early to celebrate your birthday before work.”
“Why is there bread on the tray, Marcus?”
Ignoring her disgruntled tone and giving her the grace of having early morning blues, he rolled his eyes. “The toast is mine. You think, after all this time, I can’t make you breakfast correctly?”
“I suppose you have a point,” she said, poking at the egg-white omelette with her fork.
Once upon a time, her actions might have annoyed him. After all, his mother had raised him to appreciate the thoughtful actions of others. But they had been together for over four years now, married for one. Marcus had used that time to learn all Sophie’s oddities and how to navigate them.
He’d long given up trying to teach her about a real healthy diet, but Sophie was sure that carbs were the devil. She believed that one piece of bread would leave her bloated and ten pounds heavier.
And God forbid, something about her appearance changed.
It didn’t matter how many compliments he showered her with; she was resolute in her no-carb rule. He now embraced her guidelines and did his best to cater to her needs.
“Did you get me a gift, then?” she asked, taking a single bite of the omelette before pushing the plate away. “Birthdays mean gifts.”
“You don’t consider breakfast in bed a gift?” He raised an eyebrow. Something about the way Sophie looked at him in that moment made his hair stand on end. But he couldn’t figure out why.
One thing was certain, however, breakfast in bed was not a gift.
When receiving tokens of love, Sophie did not enjoy acts of kindness. She wanted something she could show off to others, so she could bask in their admiration. Something sparkly and pretty, with a hefty price tag to boot.
He reached over to his bedside table, leaving his toast on his pillow. He rummaged for the jewellery box he had hidden there. Suddenly nervous, he handed over the box, the intricate gold pattern set into the blue velvet immediately giving away the price range he’d spent.
For a woman who took so much pride in her appearance, Sophie was up to date with whom sold what and for how much. When you wanted to wear designer clothes on a high-street budget, it paid to know who had the best bargains.
“Is it the silver and emerald ring?” she asked, reaching for the box with excitement. “Or the diamond earrings I pointed out?”
Marcus chuckled, relaxing with her enthusiasm. “Why don’t you open it and stop guessing?”
With a squeal, Sophie opened the lid, the light from her eyes dimming as she looked over the contents. “Oh. Oh, well, these are beautiful, Marcus.”
“Do you recognise them?” he asked, clearing his throat. He hadn’t missed that look of disappointment on her face. He just hoped that once the penny dropped, she would fall in love with the gift the way he imagined she would.
“I’m not sure,” she admitted, her fingers tracing the chain that held the teardrop opal. “It looks familiar.”
“It’s your grandmother’s set,” he said, shifting his weight. “You kept saying how it was a shame they got damaged. So, I asked the jeweller to fix them up and add your birthstone.”
