Wild Side (Rose Hill, #3)

by Elsie Silver

The one who, farther down the front walkway, turns to peek back over her shoulder. For a few beats, I catch her looking. Or she catches me looking. To be honest, I don’t care which one it is. I just know that usually I go out of my way to hide from too much attention. But I don’t mind the way she looks at me.

I wish I could say I don’t think about Tabitha. But that would be a lie. Because much like the very first time I met her, I can’t get the woman out of my head. Haven’t been able to for the past two years.

This woman needs a target for her anger. Someone to blame so that she hurts a little less. And without even thinking it through, I decide I can be that person for her.

I drop my chin, and a smile curves my lips. Because I’m pretty sure that—in her own way—Tabitha Garrison was just nice to me.

“Just fucking let me take care of you. Where is it?” He glances up at me, and my stomach bottoms out. All those dark features homed in on me. Him on his knees for me. Wanting to take care of me.

Over the past weeks, it’s become clear that the only person looking out for Tabitha is Tabitha. And fuck if it doesn’t make me want to look out for her too. If there’s no one else to take up her cause, it might as well be her husband.

Because yes, I’ve kissed plenty of men. But none of them have felt like that.

It makes my heart squeeze so hard that it takes my breath away. But more than that, it makes me feel like we’re really fucking lucky to be stuck with Rhys.

Then I’m forced to stand around making small talk when what I really want is to be at home. Alone. With my wife.

“Her name is Tabitha, not that you need to know. Because you? You’re going to keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.”

wish you weren’t seeing me like this.” My brow furrows. “Like what?” “At my worst.” I tip my head toward her. “Then it’s all uphill from here, baby. It’s going to make seeing you at your best so damn special.”

Does love start off as obsession? Because that’s what I am. Obsessed with my wife.

“I think if she’d made any other choice, we might not be sitting here together at all.” It makes me wish I could tell her thank you for bringing me Tabitha.

I usually enjoy being alone. I’ve never been the girl who does everything with her boyfriend. Typically, I’ve always felt a separation of “mine” and “yours,” so it hits me hard, as I sit here staring back at my big, burly husband, that I don’t feel that way with Rhys.

She smiles as I turn, and my heart stutters in my chest. I feel like I should pinch myself when she looks at me like that.

All I know is that I fall asleep with the warm weight of his eyes on me… and wake up under the same loving gaze. And when I ask him if he slept at all, he shrugs and says, “Best sleep of my life.”

Every eye in the stadium is on him. But his eyes are on mine the whole time.

All I can hear is that voice in my head telling me I don’t deserve her. This loyalty and dedication feels… uncomfortable somehow. Intensely personal.

“What about people who aren’t in the hospital bed who desperately want to bludgeon their husband for being stupid and stubborn as hell? Is that something you see very often?”

pinky promise to always come back.”