Chapter 19: Pillow talk (Brielle's POV)

I think he's pushing off work because of me. Or for me. He's gotten multiple phone calls and it's only around one in the afternoon but he's denying and ignoring all of them. He's just sitting up in his room with me.

We talked for a while earlier, and then he helped me unpack as much as I could, Ms. Jenny did too.

"Ms. Jenny, I think we can do the rest," he said, smiling at her.

"Oh, but there's still one suitcase left."

"That's okay, we've got it," he chuckled.

"All right," she stood up. "Just call me if you need any help." She left after that, closing the door on her way out.

I finished setting up the nightstand which was now meant to be mine. Oh, this is so weird. We're about to share a room for the rest of our lives, apart from some exceptions of arguments, I guess. Or sometimes, just needing space. I think it's normal for people to need space from each other, it doesn't mean it's over.

"What's in the last suitcase?" he asked, pulling it onto the bed and unzipping it.

"It has the last of my clothes and..." My eyes widened. I climbed onto the bed, pushing the suitcase shut when he tried opening it.

"What are you doing?" he laughed.

I moved forward, sitting on the suitcase. "I'll do this one on my own. You should definitely go work or... something. I mean, don't put work off just to help me, I'll do it on my own," I rambled.

He looked at me weirdly, leaning down and putting his hands on the sides of the suitcase and either side of me. He leaned in only a few inches between us. "What are you hiding?" he asked.

"Nothing," I squeaked, shaking my head. Oh, but I might not even know where to put those without asking him. Oh god.

"Fine." He pulled back. "I'll do some work then. Come find me if you need anything, I'll be in the study." He turned to the door. When he left, I stood up and walked to his dresser, opening the second drawer because the first probably has his underwear. The second one has his socks.

If I go by that, then the last two drawers should have enough space for my socks and underwear. I opened the second last drawer, finding it empty. And so was the last drawer.

"You could have just asked."

I jumped, getting startled and spinning around.

He chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. "I emptied out the last two drawers after the engagement party."

"Thanks," I mumbled, beating him to the suitcase.

He laughed, trying to pull it to him. "I'm about to marry you, why are you hiding it?"

"Because I can," I retorted, sitting back down on the suitcase.

"I won't open it," he smirked.

"I don't trust you with that," I scoffed. He still isn't moving. I sighed, "Please just let me unpack so that I can go shower."

"Fine, I'm really leaving this time." He pulled back and walked to the door, opening it. He spun back around, pointing a finger at me. "Find me if you need anything."

I nodded in understanding and he left, closing the door behind him properly this time. I stood up and quickly set my socks and underwear in the drawers and then unpacked the last of my clothes, which were all pajamas, leggings, all the comfortable clothes, basically.

Then I grabbed fresh clothes, deciding to wear pants and a loose, flowy button-up. I went and showered, washed my hair carefully even though I couldn't feel any more glass, and then grabbed a towel, drying off and then getting dressed. I grabbed my blow-dryer which I only use when I don't have the patience to wait for my hair to dry on its own. I dried most of it and then brushed it, throwing it in a low bun, pulling out some pieces, and then putting the blow-dryer away.

I walked out into the room and pulled on black pumps before going out.

Now, what the hell do I do to entertain myself?

I found my way to the kitchen where Mr. Garry was cleaning the countertop with Ms. Jenny. "Hi, honey," she smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," I sighed, sitting on the barstool.

"Would you like anything?" Mr. Garry asked.

"She wants fruit," Ms. Jenny said knowingly, walking to the fridge and taking out a fresh bowl of grapes. "I already washed these for you. Here."

"Thank you," I chuckled, taking it from her. "Mr. Garry, where's the study?"

"Down the hall, the double doors to the left."

"Thanks," I smiled, taking my grapes with me and heading to his study. I got there, knocking on the door while looking through the window at the very end of the hall which had a view of the pool in the backyard.

"Come in!"

I pushed the doors open and walked inside, closing the doors behind me.

He was reading through papers, marking things, and then grabbed the landline, dialing a number. I leaned against the door, watching him. "I read through the contract and highlighted all the key points and points of negotiation. I'm sending you the document, just be prepared to discuss that with the builders and the owner of the company the next time you see them." He put the phone down without even waiting for a response and typed away at the computer. "Yes, Brielle?" he sighed, looking back and forth between the paper, typing quickly.

"Are you busy?" I asked, pushing myself off the door and walking over to the giant bookcase behind him, looking at all the business books while eating the grapes.

"I just need another fifteen minutes then I'll be done for today," he mumbled, his typing not pausing.

"Can I help with anything?" I don't like feeling useless.

"That depends, can you type fast?" he asked, spinning his chair and looking at me. I turned around to face him too, watching as his eyes went down then came back up. "You look like a business-woman," he chuckled.

"I wish I was," I rolled my eyes. "And I think I can type pretty fast," I nodded.

"Then type out all those points." He stood up, taking the bowl from my hands and moving to the printer.

I sat in the chair, looking back and forth between the paper, and typed it all out, not actually bothering to understand what it all said. But when I finished and read through it, I realized this was a contract with a company for their builders to make a new hospital in a more rural area of Ashbourne. "You're building a hospital there?" I asked, looking at him.

He was walking around, reading through more papers.

"Yeah," he mumbled absentmindedly.

"I finished typing it up." I walked over to him taking my grapes back which were now half-finished thanks to him. "You should go shower before lunch." I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Which is in fifteen minutes. It'll be two."

He walked back to his chair, sent the email, and left the new set of papers on the desk before turning everything off. "Okay," he nodded.

I blinked in surprise. I'm not used to him listening to me so easily like that. "That was... weird," I mumbled.

"What was?" he asked, walking over, taking more grapes.

"You listened to me so easily."

"I should listen to my wife though, shouldn't I?" he smirked.

"I'm not your wife yet," I scoffed.

"So? You will be in a week. Come on."

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I washed my face and patted it dry, looking at the bruise which was getting a little worse but my lip on the other hand was healing very quickly. That's good. I just hope the bruises heal before the wedding.

He knocked on the door. "Coming in!" He pushed it open and started brushing his teeth while I put moisturizer on and then braided my hair, grabbing a hair tie from the drawer I put the entire pack in. He finished and then looked at me. "Put Vaseline on that," he nodded, grabbing the tub of Vaseline and opening it. He dipped his pinky into it and dabbed it onto my lip before I could even get a word out. He flicked the lights off as we walked out and to the bed. "Do you actually need me to sleep with a shirt on?" he sighed, opening the closet while I climbed into bed.

"Yes," I answered.

He huffed, blindly grabbing a t-shirt and pulling it on. I stared in confusion while he pulled the red v-neck on.

I looked down at my red tank top. "You do that on purpose, don't you?"

"I keep telling you, it's fate," he smirked, lying down beside me, both of us turning our lamps off.

"Night," I mumbled, rolling over so my back faced him. He poked my lower back and I rolled over to face him. "What?"

"Are you really sleepy already?"

"No, but what else will I do? So, I'm trying to sleep."

"Why? We could have pillow talk."

"What?" I scoffed. "You know pillow talk is meant to be intimate, right? There's nothing intimate between us, even as we lay in the same bed," I said smugly.

"So? We could have normal pillow talk?"

"Go to sleep." I rolled my eyes, even though he probably can't see in the dark.

"Don't roll your eyes at me."

I blinked in surprise.

"I didn't," I lied.

"I know you did. I'm bored, please find something to talk about."

I let out a laugh, rubbing my eyes while rolling onto my back. "Aren't you going to ask me what color my dress is?" I asked.

"Dress for what?"

"The wedding."

"Oh yeah, what... funny, very funny," he scoffed.

I laughed, turning my head to look at him, even in the dark. "You're so stupid."

"Shut up, Bri."

"Is this good for your pillow talk?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's just fine," he laughed.

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Chapter 19

Ngl, I forgot why I made the title pillow talk so I had to just slip it in there at the end lmao

next chapter: vows