After a moment, when he could catch his breath, Davis leaned over Nicole’s body and kissed her long and hard. She tasted her essence in his kiss. It was erotic. Nicole loved it.
She purred, “Wow.”
Davis picked her up from off the dresser and carried her to the bed. “Good thing you’re already pregnant; otherwise, I’m sure we would have made a baby tonight.” He gently placed her in the center of it and got in next to her. “I’m giving you ten minutes . . . then it’s on for round two.”
*****
It was after midnight. Davis had made good on his promise. Not only did they make love again, but once more after that. The man had stamina. She lay in the crook of his arm. Her cheek resting on his chest. “I’m glad you’re home. We missed you.”
Davis hugged her tight. “I hate being away, but it couldn’t be helped.”
“I know. But you work entirely too hard. Once the baby is here, you’re going to have to slow down.”
“That’s my plan. You know I’ll do anything for my family.”
Nicole lifted an eyebrow. “Anything? Really?”
Davis didn’t crack a smile. “Anything.”
She saw the seriousness in his answer, and her heart swelled. He was always much too serious. There was no need for that. Nicole attempted to lighten the mood. “Well . . . we didn’t eat. I’m staaaaarving.”
“Hungry, huh?”
“Yesss.”
Davis threw the covers back and got out of bed. He stood before her in all his naked glory. “Your wish is my command. I’ll go make you something.” He started to walk out of the room.
Nicole sat up and pulled the sheet to her chest. “Davis! You are not leaving here butt-ass naked?”
He winked. “Rayna’s asleep, and we’re home alone. Why do I need to put on clothes when you’re just going to take them off me again?”
“True.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “Not even a robe?”
“Too much time. Do you want food or not?”
“Yes. Pleaaaase.” Nicole clasped her hands together as if she were praying and laughed. “You’re terrible, but you do have a great ass.”
“I do, and you wouldn’t want me any other way.” Davis winked then strutted out of the room on a mission to find his wife something to eat.
Chapter 2
Present Day
Dana,
I apologize that it has been a while since my last letter. Thank God, my mind is finally clear enough to write, but that clarity has given way to such a heavy heart. I’m a mess but getting better every day. Since I have been here alone—without Davis—on our island, I have had plenty of time to think. A month can seem like an eternity when you are by yourself, away from everyone you love, with only your thoughts for company.
I have had nothing but time to reflect on how things went so horribly wrong—how I arrived at this place and became this person. Five years ago, things were so different. If you told me then that my life would look like this, I wouldn’t have believed it. I mean, seriously, I was caught up in the hype. I convinced myself and everyone around me that Davis and I were living the fairytale—but not everyone. You knew better, even if you were tactful enough not to say anything. I know you did. How? Because you understand that fairytales don’t actually exist. Still, I’m grateful you didn’t burst my bubble and left the façade that was my life intact. It was something I had to figure out on my own. I only wish the make-believe Gods were just the tiniest bit more honest. I wish they would have told me before I got married that a husband couldn’t fix what’s broken inside. I wish they would have told me the true Hollywood story of the fairytale—that successful love stories are really quite messy, require a lot of hard work, and a lot of forgiveness. Instead, they tell you to find your prince, and he will keep you safe, protect you from harm, and make everything perfect. Perfect? Really? What a load of bullshit.
While this is cliché, it is the truest statement I’ve ever heard—if only I knew then what I know now—maybe I would not be in this situation. The one where I allowed myself to focus on things that masked my own brokenness. Where I knowingly believed the lies in my life. Where I believed what I wanted to and not what was staring me in the face. I never knew those cracks could only be hidden for so long before they showed up and showed out. There wasn’t one space in my life that wasn’t affected by them either—especially my relationship with Davis. The marriage I wanted, what we had once been to each other, became so strained that we became people I didn’t know, unrecognizable to each other, and only fragments of the us I once knew. But I don’t blame him. I can’t. I take full responsibility for my part in how things turned out. Just thinking about it makes my chest tighten almost unbearably, knowing that it was me who caused a lot of the damage. That it was my actions that had the most effect on those around me. You cannot imagine the weight of responsibility that I feel for tearing my family apart. And the worst of it, I have no idea if I can ever make up for
