His Shortcake

Chapter 10

Dustyn Franco

I woke up, disoriented from last night's events. The rays of the sun were blinding despite the curtain being half drawn. I tried to stretch my arms but instead, it met a warm slender body. Then I heard a feminine groan beside me, which made my head snap to the body beside me.

"Shortcake." I exhaled my endearment for her with relief. Fuck. I completely forgot about fetching her last night from that stupid frat party.

I pushed the stray hairs on her face back gently with my fingers. I smiled as her eyebrows furrowed before she turned her body to me and relaxed again.

"Good morning beautiful," I whispered to her ear before leaving the bed. I made sure to cover her with the blanket because I know she gets cold easily.

Dressed in my PJ bottoms, I made my way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for my shortcake. I pulled some flour from the cabinet and started mixing eggs and a bit of chocolate chip in the mixture.

As I was frying the slices of bacon when I sensed someone's eyes on me. I smiled to myself and continued cooking as if I didn't feel her staring at me. Once I was done frying, I put all the beacon on a plate and turned around.

There, my beautiful shortcake was standing, leaning against the wall of the entrance of the kitchen. Dressed in one of my old high school jerseys and a pair of pajamas courtesy of Artemis. Mara looks at me confused.

I know from her look, she doesn't remember what happened last night. Not an ounce of it.

"Hey shortcake. How do you feel?" I asked her softly as I walked closer to her. I stopped a few inches separating us. I tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear. "You had quite the night."

She blushed at our closeness and looked down at her two bare feet. "My head is pounding." She whispered.

I smiled, my arms snaking around her waist. I pulled her up on one of the stools on the breakfast bar. "Take these," I said to her. I handed her two tablets of Advil to ease her headache. Hopefully, it works. "And drink this. It'll help."

She smelled the concoction inside the mug and looked up at me in confusion. "It's honey water."

"Yes, it is, shortcake. Now drink up." I said, encouraging her to drink it. I smiled at her as she did.

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"For taking care of me last night. For not calling Alec?"

I shook my head at her. "Shortcake, I know this whole ordeal is a shock to you, but please. Don't ever do what you did last night again. You made me worried sick for you." I told her sternly. "And I did call Alec."

"I'm sorry Dy. I just felt so lost... Even after my talk with Alec the other night." She admits as her gray orbs filled with unshed tears. "I felt like.... like I was just an object being sold off. I don't know. I have mixed feelings about this whole thing."

Holding her face hostage between my two hands, I kiss her forehead. "Shortcake. I am sorry for how things turned out. But I am not sorry I agreed to marry you."

She looked at me, clearly confused by my words. It must be the headache or she just refuses to acknowledge what I have just said. It wasn't clear but I had hoped that she knew what I was talking about.

I smiled at her despite the disappointment I felt in my heart. I wanted to tell her everything. From the moment I signed the contract, it was the only constant thing on my mind besides her. I have been keeping my distance from her, afraid to scare her more than I already have.