Read Consequences for Free Online Page B

noticed me holding my head and immediately his expression softened. “Are you hurt?” He walked over and took a closer look, clearly concerned. One thing about my husband, he would never raise his hands to a woman.
    I shook my head and lied. “No, I’m fine.”
    He kissed my cheek and stood in front of me. I took a moment to take a good look at him, standing there in nothing but boxer briefs. My husband had a body, so it was truly a beautiful sight. However, I suddenly noticed he was starting to lose weight, so the briefs didn’t hug his butt the way they used to and he knew how much I loved gripping that ass. There were also the dark bags under his eyes, and he had two-day growth at his chin. Where the hell was the gorgeous man who had held me in his arms and made love to me less than a week ago?
    â€œHelp me to understand . . . what are you doing in bed? Did you even go into the barbershop today?” I asked.
    Donovan scrubbed a hand across his face and shook his head. “I didn’t feel like it.”
    I wanted to scream at his ass to snap out of it. He hadn’t felt like it in over a week and it was starting to annoy the hell out of me. I guess what I wanted was for the man who had left for Afghanistan fifteen months ago to come walking through that door, not this alien invasion who was impersonating him.
    I took a deep breath, then stepped closer to Donovan and gave him a huge hug and was pleased not to smell the stink of stale alcohol. “Baby, you’ve gotta snap out of it.”
    â€œSnap out of what?” he shouted, then backed away from my grasp. “I just got back, Nikki. Damn! Give yo man some time to adjust to being at home. You expect everything to just be the way it was. Well, guess what? It ain’t. I need time to get used to being home.”
    I looked into his eyes, hoping he could see evidence of how worried I was about him. “It’s already been three months. How much longer is it going to take? I’m trying to be patient. Really, I am, but Aiden and I need you.” Lord knows I was trying to be a loving and supportive wife, but this was getting to be a bit much.
    Donovan closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his hands. I know he was tired of having this same discussion. Well, guess what? So was I. I wanted my husband back. He had been my rock. The old Donovan had always had my back and his goal, first and foremost, was to make sure his wife was happy. Before he’d been deployed we’d made love almost every night and had an insatiable appetite for each other, but now it was hit and miss. I ain’t gotta have it all the time, but can I get it at least consistently? Last night, I reached over and grabbed what I wanted and he had pushed my hand away. What man does that?
    I lowered onto the bed and forced myself to take a deep breath before I ended up saying something I’d later regret. “You forgot to pick Aiden up from daycare.”
    He swung around and I saw the look of confusion before my words suddenly registered. “Oh, damn! Baby, I’m sorry. I guess I should have set an alarm or something.”
    Seriously ? Was that all he had to say? He should have set a damn alarm. I raised a finger, ready to light into his ass, then thought better of it. Arguing was clearly a waste of precious time that I did not have. Thanks to him.
    â€œI’ve gotta get back to the bookstore. Are you going to be able to watch Aiden until I get back?”
    â€œWhy the fuck you ask me that? Of course I can watch my son.” He shook his head and sucked his teeth, but I didn’t care.
    â€œI’m just asking,” I said with attitude. “By the way . . . one of the daycare assistants mentioned she smelled alcohol on your breath yesterday.” I raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and searched his face for some kind of reaction.
    â€œWhich one? The chick with the wide forehead?” Donovan rolled his eyes.