The Arrangement

Chapter 18: Tess POV

Sunday rolled around and I had promised Declan I would come over to check out his place. After all, we were married so shouldn't I know where my husband lived?

We did talk about moving in together. We were finally ready for that next step, and for things to start looking like a real marriage. Soon, we would begin our new life together. My hand slid down the glossy wood railing as I made my way downstairs. The smell of coffee and sizzling bacon filled the air. My mother was up bright and early cooking a grand breakfast that involved eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, and toast. My mouth watered at the sight of it.

"Wow, mom. You didn't have to go through all this trouble. Thanks."

"Are you kidding? It's our first Sunday breakfast since you got back. Of course I did!"

"Smells delicious. You're the best," I replied, as I took my seat at the table. She loaded up my plate. When she sat down I began shoveling it down.

My mother laughed. "Somebody's hungry!"

I was a little embarrassed when I realized I was eating very fast, and slowed down just a bit.

"That reminds me," my mother continued. I stopped eating and looked at her. She paused for a second, then said, "Angela stopped by while you were on your honeymoon." My heart sank. I really hope my mom didn't tell her anything.

My mother must have saw the worried look in my eyes because she quickly added, "Don't worry. I just told her you had mono."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Mom, you told her what?"

"I thought you didn't want her to know-"

"Of course not! But why mono? How about the flu? Or a stomach bug? You couldn't come up with anything less embarrassing?" My cheeks reddened. She probably thinks Declan gave it to me, I thought.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I really did my best. I had to think on my feet. She was ready to push me aside and barge in to see you. She wants to know why you've been avoiding her." We both knew why.

I sighed. "I know, mom. I know you tried. Just promise me next time I need an excuse you come up with anything else."

"Alright, alright," she exclaimed, holding up her hands in front of her.

I finished the rest of my breakfast fairly quickly and gulped down the last of my coffee. I made a mental note to catch up with Angela soon. Eventually, I would need to come clean and tell her everything. I just needed a little bit more time is all.

*****
I threw my 2004 Ford Taurus into park in his driveway. My jaw dropped when I saw the Victorian mansion he lived in. It was breathtaking, easily the most beautiful house I've ever seen, perhaps, even more so than the one on the private island in Rio.

The exterior was a pinkish-peach color. It had steep, gabled roofs with turrets and dormers. It was easily over six thousand square feet. It made my house feel like a box.

I walked up the white stairs leading to the front door. My first observation was the lack of a doorbell. I made a fist and knocked hard. The door creaked open and revealed a half-naked Declan.

I blushed. "Uhhh, what happened to your shirt?"

"No need to be a prude," he purred. "It's nothing you haven't seen before." He was in tight blue jeans and barefoot.

I ignored the comment. "And why don't you have a doorbell?"

He chuckled. "A guy can't want some privacy?"

"I suppose he can. But maybe, just maybe, his wife is trying to get into the house and doesn't want to have to bang down the door for him to open it," I sarcastically shot back.

"Looks like you weren't waiting that long," he said. He thought for a moment and then his eyes lit up. "But if it was such an inconvenience, I'm sure I can make it up to you..." He was awfully suggestive today.

I huffed and just pushed past him. "Good to see you, too," he grunted from behind me.

The interior was even more breathtaking. It was ornate, eccentric, and expansive. I immediately noticed a huge, wooden, spiral grand staircase leading to the upstairs. Traditional oil paintings hung in the foyer as well as throughout the various rooms. A golden chandelier hung in the center of the dining room, which held an enormous bookcase that ran the length of the entire wall. The lights of the chandelier looked like diamonds glittering in rock. The living room had a stone fireplace which was turned on; the crimson flames lapping at the real wood, burning it slowly and turning it into char.

Declan came up beside me. "Impressive, huh?"

"How... how big is this place?" I asked.

"Eight thousand square feet," he stated with a shrug, like it was no big deal. I guess when you have as much money as he does, it really isn't that big of a deal.

"Declan, it's magnificent."

"And it's all yours, Angel," he told me.

I turned to him. I stared at his chest and the way the light from the fire bounced off of it. I took my hand and slowly ran it down the front of his chest, stopping only once I reached his jeans buckle. I bent my head forward and kissed him under his Adam's apple. The tip of my tongue poked out and met his skin, and I dragged my mouth down to his belly button, getting to my knees as I made my way down. I kissed him just above his belly button before letting my mouth slide back up his body, rising once again.

Our mouths pressed together and both of ours were warm from standing close to the fire. I kissed him wildly, in a frenzy, and between that and the heat the fireplace gave off, I felt like I might spontaneously combust.

I slipped his belt out of his belt loop and tossed it aside. I fumbled with his jeans zipper and once I had it, unzipped him. He helped me take his jeans off, as he already started undoing my clothes.

He laid on top of me with a bear-skin rug underneath us. He didn't slow down. I felt fire erupting in every orifice in my body; the hot flames burning through my veins.

But all of the sudden, in the midst of our heated passion, there was a sharp knock at the door.