Buying My Forever Wife novel Chapter 180

A furious blush instantly scorched her cheeks.

Too embarrassed to even glance back over her shoulder, she let out a breathless, 'Okay,' and practically sprinted out the door.

Alaric shifted his gaze back to the plate of pasta, suddenly feeling like an absolute idiot.

What kind of petty grudge was he holding, skipping dinner just to force his young wife to come up and coax him?

Was this how a powerful man in his thirties was supposed to act?

He was losing his damn mind.

Realizing he was actually starving, Alaric pulled the plate closer and devoured every last bite.

The dark, suffocating cloud that had ruined his evening had magically evaporated.

After heading back to his room and taking a hot shower, he stepped out to find his soft, sweet-smelling wife already tucked into the center of his massive bed. A wave of profound satisfaction washed over him.

He slid under the covers, noting how she had buried her face beneath the duvet, too shy to peek out.

Alaric reached over, casually tugging the edge of the blanket down. "Aren't you suffocating under there?"

Ivy slowly emerged, her face bright red, her gaze darting everywhere but at him.

"I'm fine. Are you finished with work?"

"Yeah."

"Then... let's sleep. Goodnight."

Ivy squeezed her eyes shut, desperately feigning sleep.

But Alaric just propped himself up, staring at her, quietly studying the delicate curve of her jaw as his mind raced.

He had actually spent an entire evening agonizing over the fact that she was sitting next to another man.

Why was he suddenly so emotionally invested in this marriage of convenience?

Why was she getting under his skin so easily?

Alaric hated this strange, vulnerable contradiction inside himself.

He had absolutely no idea what he was doing.

He couldn't let this continue.

He was supposed to be a lifelong bachelor. He had no business losing his heart to a girl.

From now on, he firmly decided, he would stop caring about who she spent her time with.

If she actually fell for someone else and walked out of his life, it would be for the best.

With his mental fortress firmly rebuilt, all lingering desires vanished. He lay back on the pillows, maintaining a perfectly respectable distance.

Ivy, however, noticed the shift.

Every muscle in Alaric's body snapped taut. His dark brows furrowed sharply.

"Do you want me?"

He asked the question with zero filter.

Honestly, he hadn't planned on touching her tonight.

But if his wife was demanding his attention, he was more than capable of fulfilling his marital duties.

Ivy's face felt like it was on fire, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.

"No, I don't! I just wanted you to experience it for yourself. Hugging really does make the stress go away."

She kept her arms locked around his torso, holding her breath, completely terrified to exhale.

Her entire body felt like it was burning up.

Alaric had to admit, having her wrapped around him like this definitely made him forget his previous stress.

But it instantly created a brand new, highly demanding problem.

With a sudden, predatory surge of movement, he rolled over, pinning her effortlessly against the mattress. His dark eyes flared with raw, undeniable hunger in the shadows.

"Liar. If you want it, I'm giving it to you."

Before she could even gasp, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, punishingly thorough kiss.