From Neglected Wife to CEO’s Obsession novel Chapter 1

It was pretty late by the time I got home. Remy was out on the balcony, cigarette in hand, city lights throwing sharp shadows across his face. He looked unfairly handsome, the kind of sexy that made your heart stutter.

My fingers curled around the “secret weapon” I’d hidden in my purse, and I could feel my heart pounding, hot and wild.

To everyone else, Remy Thompson was the dream husband—rich, gorgeous, successful, and always gentle with me. People thought I was the luckiest girl in the world.

But nobody knew the real story. In five years of marriage, Remy had never once slept with me. We’d never crossed that line. It was my secret heartbreak, something I’d buried under our perfect surface. No one would understand, and I couldn’t talk about it with anyone.

Trying to really become a couple, to finally mean something more, had basically become an obsession for me. I’d seen therapists. I’d made secret doctor’s appointments for him. I’d tried everything—getting us both tipsy, buying “miracle” pills, even embarrassing little tricks I never want to admit to. Every time, just when I thought it would finally happen, Remy would pull away.

Tonight I was determined. I’d come home a little drunk on purpose, cheeks flushed and courage buzzing in my veins. With the sexy little surprise in my purse, I was not backing down. Tonight, I was going to win.

“Remy, I’m home,” I called softly, leaning into the doorway, my voice as sweet as I could make it.

He turned. The city lights caught in his eyes, making them glitter. With those sharp features and that dangerous smile, he made my heart skip.

He walked over, slipped an arm around my waist, and kissed the top of my head. He wrinkled his nose a little, teasing me. “You’ve been drinking again? Your period’s coming up. Don’t blame me if you feel awful tomorrow.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing into his chest. Being this close made my heart beat even faster.

“All done?” he asked, covering my hands with his. “I made you some coffee. Want to sober up a little?”

He turned around, and his eyes landed on me. The smile on his lips froze. For a second, he just stared. Then his gaze darkened, and heat flickered in his eyes.

He smirked, a little dangerous, and pulled me tight against him, his hand sliding slowly over the small of my back. His voice was low and rough. “Avery, you know what you’re playing with fire, right?”

I grinned up at him, kissed his throat, and traced slow, teasing circles on his chest with my finger, just like I’d read in romance novels. “Fire? I don’t see any fire. Maybe you should show me where it is.”

His pupils burned. In one quick move, he scooped me up, kicked open the bedroom door, and dropped me onto the bed. He followed, his body blocking out the light, his hands roaming over the thin fabric of my slip, leaving no inch of me untouched.