Page 22 of A Merciless Husband
I’m used to bizarre sleep schedules. That’s why I’ve invested in the best black out curtains money can buy. I’m still on New York time just the same as Amy, but even if I wasn’t, having her in my arms would be enough of an allure, even if Iwasn’table to fall asleep. With her scent filling my lungs, there’s no way Icouldn’tfall prey to her enticement of rest.
I had planned to heat up dinner, tell her everything I’ve found out about her friend, relax with her the rest of the night, and then maybe ask her to shower with me. I want the first time I ravish her to be an all-consuming event, where I lavish my love on her with every part of me— hands, mouth, and cock— until we both collapse from exhaustion.
But, just as she always does, my sweet Amy derails my plans. I should’ve known that she’d be exhausted, especially after the week she’s had. I feel a bit stupid that I didn’t anticipate her needs, nor did I evennoticehow tired she was. She hides those things well around others and when we’re in the rush of events. It’s like she runs on adrenaline.
Not that I’m blaming her. I’m just learning her, understanding her, which is what I’ve been craving to do since I first learned of her existence. It’s a relief to be able to be nearher, to hold her, to notice the signals of her body. Someday I’ll be able to recognize them even before she’s able to.
I didn’t mean to fall asleep, not really. Maybe doze a bit, but after sleeping on the plane for the entire flight, I hadn’t expected to sleep again for a while. I only intended to lay here with her, enjoy her warmth and smell until she fell asleep. But that’s the magic of Amy, drawing me in and lifting me higher until I can taste heaven on my lips.
When I rouse who knows how long later, Amy is still fast asleep. She’s tucked herself into my side, hair strewn across the pillow. The sight brings a smile to my lips, and I comb her hair with my fingers. They snag quite a few tangles, and I know she’s going to have a mess to clean up in the morning. She’s still dressed in her clothes from before we left New York City, so she might feel gross when she wakes up, but I know she was far too tired to do anything about it last night.
I get up as quietly as I can, trying my best not to jostle her. I stretch and head to the bathroom, realizing Amy’s not the only one who’s been too occupied and tired to attend to her hygiene. Once I’m showered, I set out towels for Amy, thinking she’ll probably want to shower when she wakes up, too.
The sweet angel is still sleeping when I leave the room to head downstairs, closing the door softly behind me. I left my phone on the kitchen counter in my rush to get Amy to bed. It’s been many years since I’ve gone without checking my phone for that long. Instead of panic, I feel strangely relieved.
Based on how dark it is outside when I step into the kitchen, I’d guess it’s still the middle of the night, based on the darkness outside. Since we went to bed in the afternoon, that means I slept a long time again. I’m not sure what Amy does to me that gets me to rest so much, but I can’t say it’s a bad thing. I feel better physically than I have in a long time.
The coffee machine gurgles to life, and I look at my phone in the meantime. There’s check-ins from my men stationed around the property, just the usual telling me it’s all clear. Kensington has also messaged, informing me he’d be back here in the morning to help out. Nothing from Jack and Liam, which is good. I’m glad they’re making the most of their night off.
Everything is okay. I exhale slowly, feeling a deep sense of rest settling in my bones, something I haven’t felt since my mother died. A sense of safety, of security.
Once I have my coffee in hand, I start making my rounds. I check over the house, all the windows, looking for any subtle signs of tampering. Finding nothing, I head outside to talk with the guards stationed across my property. They are all doing fantastic work, as they typically do.
It’s still pitch black outside when I slowly ascend the staircase to check on Amy. I’ve lost track of how many hours she’s been sleeping now, but I’m not going to wake her unless I absolutely have to.
Lucky for me, when I crack open the door and peek in, I find the bed empty. I step in and close and lock the door behind me, just in case. The sound of steadily streaming water flows from behind the closed bathroom door. The thought of Amy naked in there, helping herself and getting comfortable in my home, is enough to stir my cock to life and make me smile.
I take a deep breath and step up to the window on the opposite side of the room as the bathroom, trying to calm down a bit. I don’t want to rush in there like a crazed man and scare her. There will be time for that soon enough.
Instead, I head back downstairs and start heating up the stew my aunt made on the stove and start setting the dining room table. Even if it’s just the two of us, I want it to be special. To show Amy thatshe’sspecial to me.
I’m just lighting the last candle when I hear the soft thumps of bare feet coming down the stairs. There’s hints of dawn outside of the windows, but it’s still dark enough that the candles brighten the room considerably.
“Kerry?” Amy’s voice calling my name makes my chest feel warm. It’s coming from the kitchen, so I walk into the archway between the dining room and the kitchen and clear my throat. She jumps a bit but relaxes when she sees me. “Sorry I slept so long.”
I arch a brow. “Why would you apologize for that? I’m glad you did. Seems like you needed it.”
Amy pauses, as if she hadn’t expected that response from me. Another spark of anger ignites in me at the thought of just what has caused her to expect people to be mad at her forsleeping.“I know. I did. I just…know I should be adapting to the time zone better.”
I shrug. “There’s plenty of time for that. It’s not like it’s a big deal if you take longer to adapt to it. Besides, youalmostslept through the night. That’s close enough, isn’t it?”
She raises her eyebrows. “I did?”
I nod. “It’s almost five. Not quite dawn, but…it’s working on it.”
“Oh.” She lets out a long breath. “That’s even longer than I thought.”
I shrug, leaning against the doorframe between the kitchen and the dining room. “About twelve hours, I’d say. I probably slept for a good eight of that. Which is…shocking.”
Amy gives me a soft smile that makes me inhale sharply. “Well, I liked it. It felt nice to have you next to me.”
I push off of the doorframe and step up to her, pulling her in by the hips. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” I can see the nervousness enter her eyes, the hesitation that has her lips parting as she studies me. “You disagree?” Hervoice is quiet, as if she’s scared of breaking something fragile with her question.
I chuckle and pull her in tighter, wrapping my arms around her. “No. There’s nothing about me that disagrees at all. Sleeping next to you felt like a dream come true.”
Her expression softens, all of the doubts fading from her face. If there’s one thing I’ve figured out about my leannán, it’s that when she’s worried about how she’s handling social interactions, direct and overt adoration serves best to remove those fears. It’s not hard, all I have to do is let my obsession come out to play, and it calms her immediately.
