Chapter 54

**Blue**


After I found Artemis outside on the phone I was expecting him to tell me that he would have to leave and deal with something for work. It wouldn’t have surprised me at all, and I wouldn’t want to keep him away if they really needed him. I’ve learned a lot more about coding thanks to him and it makes sense why it can be time consuming and drive you a little crazy when things don’t go your way.

Don’t get me wrong, I would hold it over his head for a long time for sleeping with me and then ditching me. So, imagine my surprise when he ends the call and carries me off to bed again. I let him have his way with me one more time before I couldn’t take any more. It felt amazing but my lady bits were sore and making it hard to enjoy anything by the end. Spoil sport! Still getting to see a naked Artemis was worth the pain. I passed out again after the second round and didn’t wake up again until late afternoon.

When I wake up I decide a good soak in the bath was in order. It didn’t matter that I had already showered because we didn’t use protection which meant I was a mess again.

God…what if I get pregnant on the first go? I’m not sure if it will happen yet since I’m do for my period in about a week, but its still crazy that we are even considering having a baby already. It’s been full steam ahead for us, but it doesn’t feel wrong. Besides it’s like how I told Artemis, we would need to get around to it sooner or later. So what’s the point of trying to prevent it? I guess you could say it’s because we’re probably not ready, but Artemis is thirty now.

I’m sure he doesn’t want to wait too long, and I sort of like the idea of being a mom. I want to be a better mom than I ever had, and I want the chance to show a child the sort of love I never had. The idea of a little baby that looks like Artemis and me makes me smile. My new husband is freaking hot, so let’s hope the kids take after him.

Once my bath is full and I’ve added a giant bath bomb thing inside I take off Artemis’s shirt and slide in. The water is a little too hot at first but once I’m fully submerged it feels amazing on my sore body. I guess it isn’t just the muscles between my legs that got a good work out.

“Blue?” I hear from the bedroom.

“In here!” I call back before laying my head back and closing my eyes.

“Are you okay?” Artemis asks, sounding concerned.

I crack open one eye and see his usual frowning face.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

“I wasn’t exactly gentle…you know when we…” He waves a hand in the direction of the bedroom as if I wouldn’t understand the hints, he was giving me.

Although I don’t understand why he’s suddenly acting shy about it. He wasn’t shy when we were doing the deed…not at all.

“I’m fine just a little sore, and why are you acting so shy about it?” I ask bluntly.

He sighs and sits on the edge of the bed. “I don’t usually spend time with a woman after we’ve hooked up so this is new for me. I’m not sure what to say.”

Okay…

“Well, this wasn’t just a hookup…right?” I need to double check the facts here.

“Of course not!” He sounds mad that I would even suggest it.

“Okay, then just be yourself. I’m not sure what is supposed to usually happen after sex, so there are not expectations on my side. I mean if you left without a word and never called then maybe I would be pissed, but since you didn’t do that I’d say we’re good.” I shrug and relax again.

He’s quiet for so long that I figure he’s left until I feel his fingers brush the side of my neck. “I left a few marks on you.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.” I mutter and let myself get lost in the warmth of the bath and the feeling of him touching me.

“You don’t care that people will see them?” He asks.

I smile. “Not at all.”

“I like that people will see you’re mine.” He says.

I open my eyes again and see him staring at the part of my neck that he had made his mark.

“With how intimidating you look I’m sure no guy would come within a hundred feet of me. One look from you would have them shitting their pants.”

“Good. Now, what would you like to eat? I haven’t done a good job of feeding you and I want to remedy that.” He doesn’t stop running his fingers along my neck and it’s starting to stir things up.

“What do they have available right now?” I ask him.

“I’ll grab the menu.” He stands and walks out of the room.

I can’t help but rub my legs together to get rid of that feeling of need and then I’m hit with a small throb of discomfort reminding me that I can’t go for another round just yet. Artemis walks back in and I stop moving so he doesn’t see what I’ve been up to. He’s holding a small book and sits back down on the edge of the tub to show it to me. I look over the choices and find something that sounds amazing, but probably a weird choice for being in a tropical location.

A pineapple charred hamburger. Oh that sounds good.

“What? You see something you want.” Artemis says and I look at him a little surprised.

How did he know?

“You looked at it the way you looked at me when I stood naked in front of you. Something I find a little disconcerting by the way.”

I can’t help but laugh at the sneer in the corner of his lip.

“Oh, calm down. I would like to try that burger. Is that weird?”

“No and even if it was, I would still get it for you.” He says before standing and leaving the bathroom again.

Man when he says things like that I almost think he can’t be real and he says them so easily. Like it’s easy for him to want to do nice things for me and it sort of feels weird. I guess I’m not used to it yet, but it also doesn’t come naturally for him. I don’t want him to change to make me happy though especially if he feels forced. I never want anyone to do something they don’t want to do because then it doesn’t feel genuine.

“Food should be here in half an hour, and I asked for them to bring us a variety of deserts as well.” Artemis says as he walks back into the room.

He takes the same seat on the tub and looks at me. I look back at him and try to work out what could be going through that head of his. Does his mind work like a computer working through code? He said Max has been helping him, but does he use that information as a test? Does he do things just to see how I react to them? Am I subjected to be studied and broken down? I’m not sure I like that idea.

“You don’t want to get some work done while you wait?” I ask hoping to get him to leave so I can stew in my self-doubt alone.

“No.” he says before standing and dropping his boxers…again. “Slide forward.”

I sit up and do as he asks. When I’m far enough the water sloshes and I feel him slide in behind me.

“Move back.” He commands and I do.

When I move back but don’t touch him he grabs me by the waist and pulls me against him. I freeze up at first because this feels oddly more intimate than sex did.

“Relax.” He whispers close to my ear and then leaves a kiss on my neck that makes me shiver.

I try to get out of my head and relax like he says but this feels strange. His hands move from my waist and settle on my stomach. His hands are so big that he can cover the whole thing and I have this random image of him doing the same thing but my stomach is rounder and a little foot is kicking them. Why is it so easy for me to imagine us being a family like that? Shouldn’t I be more afraid or nervous at the thought?

“Blue relax. We don’t have to do anything but sit here.” Oh.

He thinks I’m worried that he’ll make a move on me. How cute. Doesn’t he know that girls have a million thoughts running through their heads all at once? That isn’t even in the top ten things I’m obsessing over right now, but I lean back against him and try to relax the best I can.