She was alone because Cyrus had decided to do a walk-through of the house first before joining her upstairs. She’d used the time alone to freshen up and get dressed for bed. It felt silly to be so nervous, but she couldn’t help it. They hadn’t had sex in a long time, and if she were honest, the feeling in the pit of her stomach wasn’t only jitters but rather a fifty-fifty blend of jitters and heightened anticipation.
She pulled open one of the drawers and pulled the pack of birth control pills from the back. She popped one out and dry-swallowed, then hid the package in the back again. She didn’t look at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t proud of the decision she’d made, but bringing a child into a marriage that would eventually break apart was not an option. All she had to do was get past the six month mark, and then she could get her divorce. She knew Cyrus would keep his word.
When she exited the bathroom, she half expected to see him, but the room was quiet and he was nowhere in sight. No light under his bathroom door, so clearly he hadn’t come upstairs yet. She stood uncertainly in the middle of the room, unsure what to do. Would he expect her to be waiting naked in bed for him, or did he have seduction in mind tonight?
She was about to slide into bed when the door opened and Cyrus walked in. He raised an eyebrow at her appearance and the sensation in her stomach deepened.
“In a bit of a hurry, aren’t you? The night’s still young.” He began to unbutton his shirt.
“I didn’t know what you expected or what timeframe you’re on.”
“As much as I anticipate making love to you, have looked forward to it for days…” His voice drifted low with longing, causing a wave of sweltering heat to fan over her skin. “I’ve decided we’re going to take things slow.”
The unexpected declaration left her speechless for several seconds. “What?”
“That’s right. In fact, I won’t be touching you anytime soon.”
“Excuse me?” Not only surprise filled her voice. Could he hear the disappointment, too?
“When we make love, you’ll have to initiate it.”
He’d completed unbuttoning his shirt and it hung open to reveal a stretch of toned chocolate skin. Her eyes remained riveted there for an inappropriately long time.
She lifted her eyes to his and cleared her throat. “I didn’t even want this reconciliation, and you think I’ll initiate sex?”
“You never had problems initiating sex before. I remember you were quite adventurous, to the point where you’d interrupt my work from time to time.”
She remembered, too, and heat burned her cheeks. A few times she’d gone down to his home office and convinced him to set aside work long enough to pay her some needed attention.
“That was before,” she pointed out. Before their marriage fell apart and everything between them changed. “I happen to have self-control.”
Cyrus shrugged, appearing nonchalant. “So do I.”
“You’re going to go six months without sex?”
“I don’t think it’ll take that long, but why not?” He pulled off the shirt on his way to his bathroom. The firm muscles of his chest moved under his smooth dark skin. His body was even harder and firmer than she remembered, his waist trim and taut, and his stomach a flat washboard of grooved muscles. She bit her lip in amazement. He’d certainly been taking good care of himself. “I’ve already done three years. What’s six more months?” he asked.
He disappeared into the bathroom, leaving a stunned Daniella behind. He hadn’t had sex in three years? Impossible, surely. He had remained faithful and honored their vows all this time? She sank onto the edge of the bed.
Once again he’d surprised her.
****