His Unwanted Bride

Chapter 25 : Buying rings ?

Clary's POV:

I rubbed my eyes as I blearily walked inside the kitchen, hiding a huge yawn in my palm. My hair was sticking up in all directions, and my crumpled pyjamas looked like they had seen better days. Oh, it was, but it was also my favourite one. It was the last one I had bought when she went shopping.

"Aren't you ready yet?" Leon stared at me with a frown. "God, Clary, we don't have time, and we still have so much to do with the wedding." He looked impatiently at his watch. "We are kind of short on time, you know." And then he looked me up and down, his eyes squinting. "And what is that you are wearing?"

i groaned. I was feeling sleepy and head-achy, and I was not particularly in the mood to listen to one of Leon's infamous lectures. Not today.

My head was pounding, and if I didn't do anything about that right now, it was going to burst. I pressed her fingers against my cheeks and frowned at him.

He looked as fresh as early morning snow and irritated me. In his crisp suit, neatly combed hair, and pristine shoes, he looked like he was going to walk the runway this early in the morning, and that was just not right. I looked like I just walked out of a garbage bin, and I almost smelled like it too.

"This is a pyjama, dumbhead, I said as I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Oh, come on. Can't you just stop being your annoying self for today, and nobody in their right mind would call it that?"

I yawned again and shook my head. "Whatever, Leon... If you really want to lecture someone today, there is a lizard renting our pool house. It was peeping at me the other day."

It really was a very ugly lizard, and it felt like it was staring at me when I was swimming.

"Haha. Very funny."

"What? You don't do that anymore? I mean, you were once famous for lecturing a mouse."

"Oh, but I am the one who rented the pool house to Willie—that is the lizard. So I am not going to lecture him, and, Clary, I know you are afraid of him, but he is such a standup guy, darling." He had a cheeky smile on that made the side of his eyes crinkle, and his grey eyes looked more light blue as they shone with humour, and I loved the sight of them too much.

I rubbed my eyes. "You think you are funny?" I asked as I yawned again and staggered. He grabbed me by my arm and pulled me flush against his body, and I wanted to snuggle in.

Remember the boundaries? I told myself

Oh, yes. I do remember, but... Just for a moment, I want to cuddle with him and forget it all. It was someone inside me, and this part of me was my own enemy.

And the moment would become hours and years. You are not doing that. The rational part of me made me pull away. He narrowed his eyes before he took a step back.

"My God, when did you sleep?" He asked, and I could hear the edge in his voice. I knew he didn't like it that I pulled away, but he was trying, and I was grateful that he was.

"Somewhere after 3 I had to finish a plan for Isabelle, and I had to finish it before I went to sleep."

"God, she couldn't have given you a time off? You are overworked."

"I don't want time off, Leon. She is my client, and I am doing everything in my power to do what I have to do to finish my project within the proposed time line. She is not doing charity; she is giving me a job."

"And you are wonderful at that. Couldn't she just

"You didn't ask for time off from your work, Leon, and why do you think she has to give me some time off? Because I am a woman, I am weak, and I can't take it."