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He clenched the back of his neck and rubbed absently as he paced helplessly around their bedrooet ready for bed All he could see was an e him as he slept

She was his security blanket The only solid thing in his world where everything else was uncertain He’d taken her for granted, had shit on her repeatedly over the last two years, and he’d never realized the extent of his neglect Until now

He’d done what he’d vowed never to do: Made her feel unwanted Invisible Just as her parents had done Self-loathing ate at hi chasine a future without her? He was scared shitless Fear like he’d never experienced gripped hilehold on his throat

Never, never would he forget the look in her eyes when he’d glanced up from his potential client--hell, as her na in an endless cycle was Chessy’s stricken, devastated look when she’d seen hiht when Chessy had been forced to leave after cold food had gone wasted and she’d withstood the hu stood up On their anniversary

God, she’d asked if he was cheating on her, and he’d never even given her an answer And even he had to admit how bad it looked for him To have been with another woman in the sa bastard did it make hiht it was the best way to have his cake and eat it too Court a prospective client over drinks for fifteen minutes and then walk a few yards farther into the restaurant where his beautiful aited and then they’d kick off their anniversary weekend and have thole days to love and celebrate another year

Was she even now lying in bed in the guest rooht that he’d been unfaithful to her? He couldn’t stand the idea of her thinking it a e down there, confront her now and get everything out of the way so they both slept easier tonight

But that was his selfish, inconsiderate side rearing its ugly head, and it was clear he’d been selfish for far too long in their relationship She’d asked for tioddamn it, no matter how it ate at hiive her the ti to be sorted out

Then again, he knew this wasn’t so to be resolved with one simple conversation or a few hours of heart-to-heart communication It would take time and effort on his part to win back her trust--and her love The tent hand in hand in his book All solid es enjoyed both Love and trust One couldn’t exist without the other She hadn’t really answered his question as to whether she still loved him All she’d said was that she’d always loved him Past tense

That scared the holy hell out of hiine his life without Chessy He loved her with his heart and soul But he hadn’t shown her his love in a very long time, and actions spoke far louder than words, a token "I love you" froe of her love and he’d put her second, maybe even third or fourth on his priorities, a fact that shamed him to his soul and a mistake that would likely haunt hih thetreat area, all decorated with Chessy’s loving hand and eye for detail She’d made their house more than just a residence, a place to exist She’d made it a comfortable home that ih the door after a long day at work Because it had her stamped all over it Every piece of furniture Every decoration, picture All of it represented her Just being in one of the roo her presence there even when she herself wasn’t in the room, and it had always co home to her was the best part of his day And yet he hadn’t let her know that in a long tiotten hie trouble

He left their bedroo of the best line of attack It was the wrong word but this wasto be a battle He’d be a fool not to think it would be the biggest battle of his life and so he’d planned accordingly

He tiptoed down the hall and silently cracked the door of the guest room to peek in on Chessy He saw her in bed, the covers kicked off and tangled at her feet as if she’d slept restlessly He let his gaze travel up her body to her face, which was turned his way, and winced at her tear-ravaged face Jesus¸ she had cried herself to sleep, if she’d slept at all until recently

There were definite shadows under her eyes, bruises against her pale, beautiful skin

Silently, he retreated, heading for the kitchen to make breakfast, the first in his plan of "attack," for lack of a better word to use Wooing? Courting her again? Making her feel loved and special to him? Yeah, all of that

Normally he’d serve her breakfast in bed, but she wasn’t in their bed And he didn’t want her hiding there the entire day, refusing to face hi to save it, because daht

It was gaht to reflect on all histhem now