Page 42 of Unstable

When Knox had dropped them at the airport, he’d taken a picture of them—from the back so his face wouldn’t be plastered all over the internet—walking into the airport on their way to their honeymoon destination.

He flipped through various photos now. Pictures of high-heeled silver shoes, a sparkly necklace and earrings, and a close-up of white satin, which he guessed was supposed to be her dress. By the time he reached that photo, even he could have guessed what she was hinting at. It was the next photo, though, that suspended the breath in his chest.

Vivi had somehow managed to manipulate the picture she’d taken in Irina’s living room and turn it into a masterpiece. In the doctored photo, Irina stood next to an ornate, brightly lit Christmas tree. He knelt in front of her, his face cleverly cropped from view. Her left hand was encased in his, displaying the sparkling diamond as he slid it into place.

His attention was drawn to Irina’s expression. Her hand partially covered her mouth, but her eyes… Her eyes were liquid and soft, full of wonder. They seemed to sparkle with pure joy, so much so that it sent a chill through him.

Had she actually looked like that, or was this some special effect Vivi had added? He tried to draw back on the moment, but he couldn’t remember. He’d been a little off-kilter himself, just moments away from marrying a woman he’d only met two weeks earlier.

He ripped his attention away from Irina’s face and scrolled down. People were speculating on their marriage, and the comments ranged from glowing congratulations to downright crass and degrading. People could be so rude sometimes.

Irina had been a trooper so far, with the exception of their little hiccup a few nights ago. A gilded cage was still a cage, and he knew it was wearing on her. With each day that passed, she smiled less and less and seemed more on edge. Since everything appeared to be safe and quiet, he figured she was due for a night out. He strode toward the couch, stopping only a few feet away.

“Do you want to get out of the house?”

Her gaze slid away from the window to meet his, and she blinked once, long and slow. He could practically see the wheels turning, wondering if it was a trick question.

The corner of his mouth kicked up in a smirk when she didn’t answer. “You would be a terrible poker player, you know.”

She rolled her eyes. “I mean, I’m not going to argue if you want to get out of the house. What do you have in mind? A walk down to the pier?”

He shook his head. “Let’s go to dinner.”

She stared at him for a long moment. “But…”

He flicked one hand in the air, effectively stopping her. “We’ll wait until dusk, after the dinner rush is over.”

“Really?” She regarded him suspiciously as she sat up straight. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “I think it’ll be good for both of us.”

In a blur of motion, she was already on her feet and halfway across the room. “I’ll go get ready!”

He chuckled as she bolted to the bathroom, slamming the door in her wake.

He knew she would be a while, so he settled on the couch and flipped on the TV for some background noise, then pulled out his phone and scrolled through his emails.

When the water in the bathroom shut off, he made his way to the bedroom and grabbed a change of clothes. Irina entered moments later, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around her torso. The knowledge that she was completely bare underneath—at least, that’s how he imagined her—hit him like a punch to the gut. His mouth went dry, and he quickly averted his gaze as she swept into the room, headed straight for the closet.

“I’m hopping in the shower.”

“Okay.” Without sparing him a glance, she sifted through the outfits hanging in a neat row, and he escaped to the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

He quickly showered then dressed for dinner. Irina was still getting ready, so he headed back to the sofa. For the next forty-five minutes, he zoned out to whatever show was on TV until he heard the soft creak of the bedroom door opening.

Irina swept down the hallway toward him, and the hard-on he thought he’d extinguished in the shower flared up again at the sight of her. She looked good enough to eat. Her long locks shined like gold, and her beautifully tanned skin glowed bronze against the bright yellow sundress that hit at mid-thigh, clinging to her curves. A giant pair of sunglasses once more covered half of her face, but they did absolutely nothing to hide her beautiful features.

He discreetly adjusted himself as he stood, forcing his gaze away from her as he busied himself turning off the TV and grabbing his phone and keys. “You ready?”

“Hell yes. Let’s get out of here.”

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. “I’ve never met anyone as impatient as you.”

“Not impatient, exactly.” She shrugged one shoulder as she made her way toward the front door, then waited for him to go first. “But when you have people breathing down your neck all the time, telling you what to do…”

He slid a glance her way. Her tone sounded defeated, and something akin to sadness had dimmed her pretty blue eyes. “I know what you mean.”

He locked the door behind them, then they cut across the driveway and out to the road. He hiked a thumb toward the north end of the island. “I was thinking maybe we could check out that restaurant up this way. Maybe we’ll catch the tail end of the sunset if we eat out on the deck.”