Chapter 167: Roadside Confession

Naomi kept staring ahead because looking at him after admitting that felt impossible.

The ruined Mercedes had done something to her. Seeing it being towed away had made everything horrifyingly real. Dorian could have died.

She could have lost him before she had even figured out what she wanted from him.

Dorian watched her profile.

Then he said simply, “Then don’t.”

Naomi finally turned toward him. “Don’t what? Are you concussed? I could drive you back to the hospital. You seem like you don’t know what you’re saying. Should I turn around?” She actually glanced toward the road behind them, considering it. “Maybe they discharged you too early. You did get hit in the head, and concussion symptoms can be delayed.” She reached toward him, already examining his face again.

“Do you feel dizzy? Is your vision blurry?”

He caught her wandering hand before she could start conducting her own roadside medical examination. “Naomi!”

“Well, say something!” Naomi snapped.

“I would if you let me get a word in.”

“Oh… oh, sorry. I’m just a little jittery. I have all this leftover energy and I don’t know what to do with it. I feel like I’m shaking.” She pressed the back of her hand against her neck. “I don’t seem to have a fever.”

Dorian closed his eyes.

This conversation was managing to test the limits of his endurance.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Naomi, just stay married to me!”

Naomi’s entire body seemed to shut down at once. She flicked on the indicator, guided the Range Rover toward the side of the road and hit the brakes. She turned toward him, eyes wide. “Why didn’t you say something before we told your family, you idiot!”

Dorian stared at her in disbelief. “You’re blaming me?”

“Yes!”

“You’re the one who takes the nearest exit whenever feelings get involved in anything!”

“What do you mean, feelings?”

Dorian immediately regretted the sentence.

Living with Naomi long enough had infected him with her habit of allowing his mouth to speak several seconds before his brain approved the material.

He mentally backed away from the cliff he had just casually stepped toward. “I meant that you didn’t exactly seem interested in anything permanent. This whole thing started with you asking me for a divorce, remember?”

“That was because we didn’t know each other. You were the one who drafted a contract.”

“Yes, because at the time it made sense.”

She swallowed. “Would you have wanted to stay married if I didn’t ask for a divorce?”

“Knowing the you I know now, yes.”

“So you want to stay married because what? I drive you crazy. You call me crazy all the time.”

“And that you are. I stand by it. But no,” he continued, “that’s not all. I like being with you. And you just confirmed that you don’t want to lose me, so I’m guessing the same will apply in four months. Or a long time to come.”

Naomi looked down at her hands for a moment.

That sounded dangerously close to permanence.

She had spent months telling herself she could enjoy Dorian without needing him. That she could live inside this strange little marriage, take everything good from it and still walk away when the contract ended.

Apparently, she had been lying to herself with impressive dedication.

“Any other reason?”

Dorian immediately knew what she was asking.

There were other reasons. One enormous, terrifying reason in particular. But he was not about to tell Naomi he loved her while she was still processing the concept of staying married to him. The woman had only just stopped trying to diagnose him with brain damage.

“No,” he said. “No… none at all.”

She eventually let it go but what he didn’t know was she was trying to confirm last night’s slip up. “So what? We’re just going to tell your family we aren’t getting a divorce anymore?”

“Does that mean you’re saying yes?”

“Yes. I mean…” She glanced toward the windshield, then back at him. “I like being with you too. We connect… right?”

“Right.”

She nodded, building her argument as she went. “And the sex is great, right?”

Dorian’s mouth curved. “Could be better, but…”

Naomi smacked him lightly on the shoulder.

He winced dramatically.

“Oh my God! Sorry.”

Then she realized he was laughing.

“You asshole!” She started laughing too, then covered her face with both hands. “Oh my goodness… we are doing this?”

“Yeah.”

Naomi lowered her hands.

Dorian watched several emotions race across her face at once.

“Oh… oh… oh… shit!”

He laughed quietly.

Naomi gaped at him.

They were staying married for real.

No countdown. No future divorce waiting for them. The thought was terrifying. It was also strangely wonderful.

“I’d put a pause on telling my family,” Dorian said.

Naomi frowned. “Why?”

“Let’s not give them whiplash. We just told them we’re definitely getting divorced. Besides…” His eyes gleamed with amusement. “I’d like to see who figures it out first.”

“You are such a good son.”

“I know.”

“That was sarcasm.” She rolled her eyes and finally shifted the Range Rover back into gear.

As she pulled away from the roadside, a nervous laugh escaped her. “Oh shit. I’m going to be married for real. For real… for real… to you.” Naomi shook her head as if the absurdity of her life had finally caught up with her.

“I suppose I should get you a ring, shouldn’t I?”

“We are the weirdest married couple yet,” Naomi said, laughing as she drove. “We put the cart before the horse.”

“That sounds about right.”

Normal people handled these things in a different order. Normal people also probably didn’t marry strangers in Vegas, so that ship had sailed months ago.

By the time they reached the Heathcliffe home, Naomi had calmed down enough to stop checking Dorian every thirty seconds for signs of delayed brain damage.

She pulled into the driveway and carefully started parking.

Dorian looked out at his parent’s house for a moment before saying, “The next thing I’ll be doing is buying a house.”

Eish!