VALOROUS (A Quantum Novel)(64)

“How about I open it for you, and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to keep it.”

“What kind of BS is that? Of course I’m going to like it.”

“Do you ever actually swear? BS doesn’t count unless you actually say it.”

I get very close to his face and say, “Bull. Shit.”

He takes full advantage of my closeness to kiss me. “I love you, Mrs. G, and I love to pick out shiny things I think you’ll like. You’ll hurt my feelings if you make me take it back, so I suppose you ought to just open it so my feelings won’t be hurt.”

“Oh my God. You’re really going to play the hurt-feelings card?”

“I believe I just did.”

I snatch the velvet box out of his hand and open it. I think I actually go blind for a second or two from the shine of diamonds sitting in blue velvet. “Flynn… What? I mean…” I sigh, deeply. He’s too much for me. I lost this battle before it ever began.

He takes my glass and puts both of them in cup holders so he can remove the dazzling diamond bracelet from the box and affix it to my wrist. “There. Now I’m happy.”

“It’s beautiful, but—”

Laying a finger over my lips, he stops me before I can finish the thought. “No buts. You’re my wife, and that gives me the legal right to buy you anything I want whenever I want.”

I raise a brow. “The legal right?”

“Uh-huh. And the law says you gotta take whatever I buy for you, no matter what it is.”

“Where does the law say that?”

“Like you want an actual paragraph or something?”

“That’d be good.”

“I’ll ask Emmett to get it for you.”

“You do that.” I look down again at the bracelet. “It’s too much, Flynn. I’m not comfortable with being spoiled like this.”

“Give it time. You’ll get used to it.”

“No, I don’t think I will.”

“Why do I suddenly fear there’s a deeper issue afoot here?”

I take a moment to collect myself, swallowing the knot of emotion that has gathered in my throat. “You’re so incredibly generous. I’ve never known anyone who thinks of others as selflessly as you do. I don’t want you to ever think I don’t appreciate your thoughtfulness or your generosity, because I do. I appreciate it very much.”

“But?”

“But it makes me uncomfortable to be showered with things like diamonds when I can barely buy you dinner right now.” A glance at my online bank balance earlier in the day left me feeling rather ill. He mentioned me getting paid for my work on the foundation, but that hasn’t kicked in yet.

“Wow. Well, I don’t even know where to begin to reply to that. You’re my wife, Natalie, which means everything I have is now yours, too. You can buy me anything you want to. You can buy yourself anything you want or need. Tomorrow, we’re getting you access to money. I should’ve done that sooner, and I’m sorry that I didn’t think of it before now.”

“I’m not asking you to do that.”

“I know you’re not. I’m telling you that that’s what’s going to happen.”

I’m not sure I like being told. I decide to let it drop for now so we can enjoy this special evening, but the subject is far from closed.





Chapter 15





My beautiful, sweet wife is worried about money? It makes me f*cking crazy to hear her say she can’t buy me dinner. She has no idea what she’s married into or the resources that are now hers—and that’s entirely my fault. Why didn’t I think of it sooner? Of course she’s worried about money. She lost her job because of me, for f*ck’s sake.

I feel like I’m learning every lesson with her the hard way, and once again I’m berating myself for not anticipating her concerns. She’s gone quiet, which means she’s pissed. My Natalie is a fighter, and she doesn’t back down. Silence, where she’s concerned, is not golden.

“Nat.”

She looks at me.

“I didn’t mean to say it that way. You have to understand where I’m coming from. To have what I have and then to hear that my wife is worried about money… That sort of hits me right here.” I lay my hand on my heart.

“I’m not worried about it. I’m just out of it because I’m not getting paid anymore.”

“You’ll be getting paid soon from the foundation work, and you’re far from out of money, sweetheart. We’re married now. Your worries are my worries. If you have bills to pay or things you need to take care of, you only have to tell me and it’ll be done.”

“I don’t want to take advantage of you.”


“I’m your husband. It’s my job to take care of you.”

“This is not the Stone Age, Flynn. I’ve always been independent, and I’ve always taken care of myself. I don’t know how to be any other way.”

“I understand and respect that tremendously. It’s extremely refreshing to be with a woman who wants to earn her own way. I’ll never stand in the way of you following your dreams. What you want, I want. But you will never, ever, ever worry about money again. Are we clear on that?”