“Baby,” I murmur, seeing tears in her eyes when she starts toward me. Holding my arms out, she comes right to me and drops her face to my chest while wrapping her arms around my middle. “I hate the tears. Please stop crying.” I do hate them; they are something I have no control over, something that makes me feel helpless when it comes to her.

“She… she saw us.”

“I know,” I confirm, and her forehead bobs up and down against my chest.

“Let’s get into the office where I can put this shit down and hold you.” I kiss the top of her head.

“’Kay,” she agrees, taking her drink from my hand in the one still holding the paper bag full of her treats, and twining my fingers with her free ones.

Walking the few feet to the office, I let her go to unlock the door then let her in before me, only stopping briefly to shut off the alarm. “We have patients coming in soon,” she reminds me as I wrap my hand around hers and lead her to the back, without doing the normal routine of turning on the lights and starting up the computers.

“Matt can do it when he gets in,” I say softly, once we’re in my office and the door’s closed. Taking her drink and the paper bag from her grasp, I drop both to the top of my desk, along with my coffee. “C’mere.” I take a seat in my chair then maneuver her into my lap, with her legs over my thighs, and wrap one arm around her back. “Now tell me what she said,” I say as I push a large hunk of hair over her shoulder so I can see her face completely.

“She told me she loves me, that she’s still angry.” She pulls in a deep breath, and I can see a fresh wave of tears swimming in her eyes. “Then she said she’s happy for us.” A single tear falls down her cheek, and I catch it with my thumb while my teeth clench shut.

I knew her parents would both be happy for us. I knew if I could ever make Ashlyn see me for more than her boss and a dick we would have something beautiful. Something like what my parents had before they died. Something her parents have now. I know I shouldn’t have married her in Vegas. I knew when she suggested we get married as a joke, I should have taken her back to the hotel and put her to bed so she could sober up. I didn’t do what I should have done. Instead, I took her directly to the nearest wedding chapel, where I bought us each a ring from a cheep plastic display case, and then stood in front of a guy who looked a lot like the Hulk.

She laughed herself silly up until it was time for us to say our vows to each other. During that part of the ceremony, I would have laid down money she was sober. Her words were clear, her eyes too; she was in that moment with me, completely conscious of what was taking place. I know I took advantage of her, but I regret nothing. I wanted her to admit there was something between us, and I got my way in the end. I just hate that the relationship between her and her parents was collateral damage.

“They’ll come around,” I assure softly, tucking her head under my chin then wrapping my arms around her middle, holding her tighter against me.

“I hope so.” Her quiet, sad voice grates at my skin. I know I need to give her parents time to come to terms with what happened, but with the way she sounds right now, I know I won’t give them much. I can’t stand seeing her this sad, especially when I know the reason why she’s so hurt. “We really should get out front before Matt thinks we’re in here having sex.” She pulls her head back and smiles a beautiful smile, and I grin back then look at the door.

“Or we could just have sex,” I suggest. Dropping her face, her forehead rests against my chin as she laughs, and her hands twiddle with the front of my shirt.

“I didn’t think I could ever be this happy,” she quietly says after a moment, and I pull in a breath, swallowing down the shards in my throat. I didn’t think I could ever be this happy either, not until her. Dipping my chin, I kiss her forehead and help her off my lap, stopping her when she starts to walk away, grabbing her hand.

“You gonna be okay?”

Her face softens as she turns toward me, stepping between my thighs. “I’ll be fine.” She bends at the waist, resting her palm on my cheek, then touches her mouth to mine, pulling away far too quickly. I want to drag her back into my lap, but I know we don’t have time. Letting her go, I stand and watch her pick up the paper bag and pull out a white cake pop covered in sprinkles, shoving the whole thing into her mouth.

“I’m not even going to be mad at you right now,” I mutter, then laugh when she shrugs and sashays out of the office with her cup of coffee in her hand and the bag tucked under her arm. Standing there I watch her as she goes, enjoying the view of her ass in a tight pencil skirt that shows off her curves, and the heels on her feet that make her legs look unbelievably long.

Before we were married, I made it a point to put my foot down about her choice of office attire. She’s beyond gorgeous, and I fucking hated seeing men check her out. I hated the way their eyes would glaze over when she spoke to them, the way they would watch her come and go from a room. Even more, I hated knowing that if one of them ever built up the courage to ask her out, she could say yes and there was not one goddamn thing I could do about it.

Until now. Now, she’s mine. It’s my ring sitting on her finger. It’s me who she’s in love with, and it’s my cock that makes her breath catch every time I enter her. Men can look and fantasize all they want, but none of them will ever experience firsthand what it feels like to have her. None of them will ever know what it feels like to have her love, because every part of her is mine.