Unwanted Wedlock

Chapter 14

     For a while later they were closer than ever. Lyla opened up more, expressing her opinions everytime she had conversations that required them. Ryerson was working his way out of his bossy and cold exterior around her, and instead, as much as Lyla cringed at saying it, he was rather...sweet. 

     She couldn't help but find that there was a part of her that yearned to show affection to him. It was almost like there was a new air to their relationship. Ever since he seemed to even slightly understand her, Lyla was satisfied.

     She had known for a long time now that it was time for her to start on a fresh page; escape from her exhausted mind, her dark thoughts, all that guilt and depression behind. Ryerson certainly wouldn't be the solution to it all, but he would be a help for her; a step in the right direction. It would happen eventually, as their love grew in the way she knew it would. And she would have to work on it, pave this new idea for herself. But Lyla had that trust in herself, she would be able to do it. 

     "Are you free on Friday evening?" Ryerson asked, snapping Lyla out of her thoughts when he walked into the house after a long day at work.

      The truth was that after they got married Ryerson had escaped to the office as a mechanism to avoid his wife. But as he overcame his ego, frustration and, quite frankly, had accepted his attraction for Lyla, he realized there was no point working till two to three in the morning and leaving the house at eight in the morning the next day. But he couldn't deny that all those extra hours he had worked for the first few months of their marriage had been extremely productive and beneficial for his company.

     Also, Lyla had demanded that he come back home at reasonable hours.

     What can you say?

      Happy wife, happy life.

       It had been a week, and he had made sure to be home by eight in the evening, it was the best he could do but it worked.

       "Why?" Lyla asked as she stirred the pasta sauce.

       "We have a business party to attend," Ryerson replied, shamelessly dipping his finger into the sauce and tasting it. Lyla slapped his hand away but he still basically moaned in approval, a little smirk was thrown her way, "we just hit a milestone." he reasoned for the party, "hence, the celebration."

        Lyla frowned.

       "Why don't you tell me things like this?" she asked.

       "Well, I'm telling you now," Ryerson answered, "so, you're free, right? It wouldn't look nice if the CEO didn't have his wife with him." Lyla's back was turned to him and she smiled a little at how he addressed her.

        "Yes, I can come."

        "Good, becuase you didn't have any choice anyway," Ryerson said, already walking into the bedroom. She stared incredulously at the back of his head.

        "Then why did you even ask me?" she asked. Ryerson only chuckled as an answer.

       "I ordered, and you just listened," Ryerson said, a slight smile on his lips. 

      "Oh what a gentleman!" Lyla exclaimed sarcastically. Ry smirked her way. 

       "You want me to be a gentleman?" he asked, moving towards her with a slight smirk. She watched silently as his eyes darkened, as he licked his beautiful pink lips, and his jaw clenched it what looked like self control. Ry's eyes focused on Lyla's own lips, "you want me to act like a gentleman?" 

        He was holding her in a way where the small of her back was against the counter and he was just in front other, barely any space to move. He looked like he wanted to do something, say something, considering how his hand had moved out to caress her waist but then it dropped, and his piercing gaze softened. It was like in the moment he was confused on what he wanted to do and what he should do and in the end he simply took her hand, kissing the back of it lightly and stepping back, "M'lady, will you please go to this boring-ass celebration with me?" 

      Lyla chuckled, but somewhere in her, it twinged that he didn't do whatever he looked like he wanted to, "of course, good sir. Now would you please give me the pleasure of showering so I don't have to smell your stink?" Ry's fingers slipped out of her carefully, as if trying to linger his hold before he stepped away completely and went to shower. 

        Fifteen minutes later, when Ryerson had showered and had entered the living room with wet hair and a growling stomach, Lyla set their dinner on the table. There was a silence as they ate before she spoke up.

        "I had something important to ask you," Lyla started. Ryerson raised an eyebrow, a sign for her to continue, "what do you expect of me from this marriage?" The question was so abrupt that Ryerson had to pause for a long minute before he replied.

       "What do you mean?"

       "I mean, I don't know what you or your family expect of me," Lyla answered, "the contract only said that I had to marry you by the time I was twenty five if I was already unmarried and that I had to, at some point, bear your children." she didn't meet his eyes as she said the last part, "so what do you expect from me?" from a family full of expectations, she wasn't prepared for the answer Ryerson gave her.

       "I don't expect anything from you," he told her, "the...children can wait a bit," his ears turned hot as he said this, "and I guess there's nothing else, you're more than welcome to work or study or pursue anything you want, and I will support you through it, just like how you'll support me through any ups and downs that might hit." Lyla's eyes brightened.

      "So, just to confirm, I'm allowed to work, yes?" Lyla asked. Out was weird asking for permission for this - she was going to work anyway - but she wanted to know what he thought. 

      "Did you really think I'd say 'no'?" Ryerson had to ask, a little offended.

       "I didn't know what to think, besides our families are a little old-fashioned and I thought you would be the same," her restlessness was a clear sign that she wanted the words to come out of Ryerson's lips.

       "Yes, you're more than welcome to work, my family might be relativley old-fashioned, given the arranged marriage and things, but they don't have anything against you working," Ryerson said, he barely blinked before Lyla's excitement took over her and she leaped towards him wrapping her hands around his neck and pressing a long, firm kiss to his cheek. Ryerson froze, his ears turning hot again, but before he knew it she had withdrawn again.

      "I-I'm so sorry," Lyla apologized, so surprised she hadn't been able to control her actions, "I didn't mean to do that, I just-" Ryerson shook her head, and she broke off, a little nervous but also slightly encouraged seeing his pink ears. The rest of the night was in an awkwardness, silence, and dare she say it, sexual tension. Either way, she didn't regret that kiss.

     Ryerson was never going to wash his face again.

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