Wanted: A Good Wife & Great Sex (A Bargained Marriage)

by SL Beabhar

  No wife. No kids. No responsibility.

  And now he was responsible for caring for his elderly aunt, plus he had a pretty wife who he was expected to keep at a distance. Things were well beyond complicated at this point. So what would one more complication matter?

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Phoebe hovered outside the bathroom door. Her hand was braced against the frame, while her ear was nearly pressed to the door. She was waiting for the water to turn off.

  When it did, she knocked abruptly on the door, then pushed it open. A thick cloud of steam greeted her as she stepped inside the bathroom. She walked to the tub, but hesitated to pull the curtain back.

  "Hand me my towel," Reggie ordered, sticking her hand out from behind the shower curtain.

  Phoebe yanked the bright pink towel from the rack and handed it to her. Reggie draped the towel around her body while Phoebe pushed the shower curtain back. Then Phoebe leaned forward to wrap her arms around Reggie's waist. "Ready?"

  Reggie braced her weight against Phoebe's shoulders, then lifted her leg to climb out of the tub. When both of Reggie's feet were safely planted on the bathroom mat, Phoebe stepped back to allow Reggie to finish drying off. Phoebe hovered near the wall until Reggie reached for her clothing. Once again moving closer to Reggie, Phoebe offered an arm, which Reggie gripped as she wiggled into her underwear.

  After a few days of Reggie bickering and refusing to work with Phoebe, they had settled into this routine. Phoebe had learned to stand back and wait until Reggie reached for her. Otherwise, if Phoebe tried to initiate help, Reggie would outright reject it. Phoebe knew Reggie hated feeling dependent on her assistance, so she kept as silent and unobtrusive as possible, which seemed to work just fine for Reggie.

  Phoebe lingered to watch Reggie finish dressing. "You got it from here?" Phoebe didn't wait for an answer, but walked to the bathroom door and turned the doorknob. "I'll be out in the hall."

  Phoebe left the bathroom and spun the wheelchair so the seat faced the door. She locked the wheels, then gripped the handles as Reggie opened the door. Waiting patiently, Phoebe watched as Reggie twisted and sat down in the chair.

  "I've made the usual. Scrambled eggs, dry toast, and coffee." Phoebe propelled Reggie's wheelchair to the breakfast nook, stopping at the head of the table. Then Phoebe grabbed the frying pan and scraped Reggie's eggs onto her plate. While Reggie lifted her fork, Phoebe walked to the coffeemaker and grabbed the coffee pot. She returned to the table to pour coffee into Reggie's cup, then she sat down at the table. "I've been thinking--"

  "I bet that came as a surprise," murmured Reggie, lifting her coffee mug.

  Hiding her smile, Phoebe leaned back against the chair then dug her hand into her pocket. She removed it and dropped a folded wad of money onto the table. "It's payday. How about you and me drive down to one of those casinos and play a little bingo?"

  "Gambling is a waste of money."

  "Okay." Phoebe grabbed the money and stuffed it back into her pocket before picking up the sugar bowl. She spooned sugar into her coffee, all the while studying Reggie's plate. She'd scrambled one large egg, made one slice of toast that she cut in half, plus six orange slices. From what she could tell, Reggie had eaten only a quarter of the egg, a few bites of toast, and all six slices of orange. "Would you like some more fruit?"

  "I'd much rather have juice." Reggie turned and pointed at the fridge. "Don't we have any orange juice? Apple juice?"

  Phoebe shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

  "Why?"

  Quirking her brows, Phoebe folded an arm against the table then lifted her mug to her lips. "Ash didn't pick any up from the store. I can text him and ask him to pick some up on his way home."

  "Don't do that," snapped Reggie. She dropped her fork against the plate, then gripped the wheels of her chair and maneuvered herself away from the table. She went to the fridge and pulled open the French-style doors. "C'mere." She pinned Phoebe with a look until Phoebe placed her mug on the table and did as she said.

  Coming to stand beside Reggie, Phoebe looked into the fridge. It was pitifully empty. Reggie looked up at Phoebe, then inclined her head towards the fridge. "You see how poorly he shops? The boy never learned to shop ahead. He always just bought what he needed to get himself through a couple of days." She shut the door. "That's because if it wasn't for you and me, he'd be eating out all the time."

  "Got it." And Phoebe did get it. Ash had confessed to her that he only knew how to make spaghetti, canned soup, and sandwiches, so she shouldn't expect him to know how to keep a well-stocked kitchen. "Okay. Well. Change of plans. Instead of going to a casino, how about we take an inventory of what's in the kitchen, and what's not in the kitchen. Then we'll head out to the store and pick up some groceries. How's that sound?"

  Reggie squinted. "And I can get some juice?"

  "I can't see why not. There's some pretty good juices with no added sugar."

  Phoebe noticed Reggie's jaw tighten, but she said nothing. Instead, Reggie extended her hand for a handshake. Phoebe straightened and without hesitation took Reggie's hand into hers.

  "We're agreed," said Reggie.

  "Good." Phoebe left Reggie's side to return to the table, where she grabbed the breakfast plate and coffee mugs. She quickly rinsed them off in the sink, then placed them into the dishwasher. She washed her hands and grabbed her purse from the counter. Removing a notepad, she slapped it onto the counter and clicked her pen. "I already know we need fresh vegetables. Maybe a few boxes of cereal."

  "No more cookie dough." There was a sour expression on Reggie's face. "Ash is getting fat."

  Phoebe smiled. "He looks fit enough to me. I don't think a few pounds will kill him."

  "No," said Reggie, "but a few pounds could kill his career."

  "Seriously?"

  Reggie nodded. "Seriously. The military has strict standards. Ash has to maintain a certain body fat ratio and meet physical fitness expectations."

  "I didn't know that." Phoebe wrote down various veggies and fruits, then added ground turkey and hamburger to the list. "Anything else we need?"

  "Condoms."

  Phoebe blinked, then pinned Reggie with her eyes. Turning to press her back against the counter, she squared her shoulders. "Condoms? Anything I should know about?"

  Reggie tilted her head. "Not for me." She pointed at Phoebe. "That's for you."

  Phoebe closed the flap to the notepad and shoved it back into her purse. She didn't respond to Reggie's comment, instead she placed her purse strap over her shoulder and removed her car keys. "You ready to go?"

  Resting her elbows on the chair's armrests, Reggie folded her hands. "One more thing."

  Phoebe removed her keys from the purse, then walked to the closet where Reggie's walker was located. She pulled the walker from the closet and placed it in front of Reggie. Phoebe gripped the bar as Reggie pulled herself to her feet.

  "Now I'm ready," said Reggie, taking hold of the walker.

  Phoebe fell back, allowing Reggie to walk in front of her. Reggie's left leg dragged in comparison to her right leg but, overall, her gait was improving, as was her endurance. Reggie made it through the living room without Phoebe's assistance, but when they reached the front door, Phoebe bolted around Reggie and grabbed onto the knob. She opened the door, and then pushed open the screen door so Reggie could walk onto the porch.

  They continued this back and forth pace until Reggie safely made it to Phoebe's car. When Reggie stood at the passenger door, she scowled at Phoebe. "Are we taking this piece of shit?"

  "You have another plan?" Phoebe unlocked the door then climbed into the driver's seat. She reached across and pulled the lock of the passenger door. She started to climb out of the car, but she heard Reggie call out.

  "I got it. Just get my walker."

  Phoebe returned to Reggie's side and held the door. She waited until Reggie was settled in the seat, then she closed the door. Grabbing the walker, she collapsed its sides, then knocked o
n the glass until Reggie reached behind her to unlock the back door. Phoebe grabbed the door handle, wiggled it a bit to the left, then yanked it until the door opened.

  "Jesus," Reggie muttered, "what a dump."

  Phoebe restrained the eyeroll that threatened to have her eyes fall from their sockets and roll into the street. Instead, she shoved the walker into the backseat, trotted around the car, and climbed into the driver's seat.

  She made the quick drive to the local grocery store. She placed the disabled parking permit on her rear-view mirror, then climbed out of the car. She removed the walker, set it outside of Reggie's door, then retreated to wait near the front of the car.

  Reggie climbed from the car and took hold of her walker. She then joined Phoebe, and they walked into the grocery store. Phoebe went to grab a motorized shopping cart, but there were none on their side of the store. Phoebe was about to go to the other side when Reggie motioned for her to stop.

  "I think I can make it." She shook the walker between her hands. "I need the exercise."

  Phoebe bit the inside of her cheek, but she nodded. "We'll try to make this quick."

  "I'm going to go grab a few things," Reggie said, unexpectedly. She had a stubborn look in her eyes, and Phoebe knew better than to challenge her.

  "Okay. I'll come look for you when I'm done with the list."

  Reggie pushed her walker and left Phoebe standing near the entrance. Shaking her head, Phoebe removed the notepad and went about gathering the items on the list. After twenty minutes, she'd picked up everything she had written down, plus a few things that Ash might like. She was standing near the checkout lanes when she noticed Reggie walking towards her. As Phoebe greeted another customer, she heard Reggie drop a few items into the cart.

  Phoebe pushed the cart to an available lane, then unloaded the groceries. As Phoebe watched the cashier ring up each item, she realized that it hadn't crossed her mind to check the items Reggie had chosen.

  It was the “Ultra Ribbed Pleasure” that flashed across the checkout screen that had Phoebe regretting her mistake.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  "Ashley Cooper, what's your intention with that girl?"

  Ash immediately recognized the ringing authority in Reggie's tone. Her words were still a little slurred, but her speech was improving day by day. And that was due to Phoebe's insistence on engaging Reggie in conversation even when Reggie was at her surliest. Tossing his phone aside, he turned in his aunt's direction.

  "What are you asking me, Reg?"

  Reggie stood behind the armchair, bracing her weight against her cane. Determination shone in her eyes, and he knew this was going to be a rough conversation. He pointed to the chair.

  "Have a seat."

  Reggie's jaw stiffened, but she walked around the chair and sat. She rested her cane against the chair's side, then slouched into the seat. She pulled a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of her flannel, and she struck the pack against the side of her hand. "You heard me. What's your intention with Phoebe?"

  Ash placed his feet against the table and folded his arms across his chest. His head fell against the back of the couch, and he closed his eyes before drawing in a heavy breath.

  "We've been through this before, Reggie. She and I have an agreement. She's your live-in caregiver."

  "She's also your wife."

  Ash smirked and dropped his arms. "That bothers you, huh?"

  Reggie pulled a cigarette from the pack and stuck it in her mouth. "I better not hear shit about this."

  "Should you be smoking?" asked Ash.

  She shrugged. "I don't know, and I don't care." She lit the cigarette, then dragged in a deep breath before blowing the smoke out through her nostrils. She gripped the cigarette between her thumb and forefinger, placing her hand on her thigh. She sniffed and wiggled her nose. "Shit. That feels good."

  "Coating your lungs with tar feels good?" Ash grinned and dropped his legs from the table. He rested his elbows against his knees. "That's not what all those studies show."

  "Don't be a smartass, Ashley."

  The grin dropped from his face. He straightened in his seat. "No, ma'am."

  "It feels good to do whatever the hell I want." She plopped the cigarette back into her mouth. It bobbed with each word she spoke. "Why didn't you just pay her out of pocket for my care?"

  He cocked his head to the side, then ticked off the digits of his hands and held up nine fingers. "Do you know what this means?"

  Reggie's mouth twisted, and she looked away. She grabbed onto the handle of her cane and stationed it between her legs.

  "You know what it means." He slid to the corner of the couch and placed his hand on top of hers. "I tried the paid caregiver route, and they all didn't work out. If I hadn't done what I've done, do you know what I would have had to do?"

  Reggie turned back to level him with her hard eyes. "You would have put me into a home."

  Ash recoiled in surprise. He shook his head, as if freeing it of nonsense. "You could've let me go to a foster home. You and I both know it. I wasn't the easiest kid back then, and it was much easier for the girls to find a suitable home." He squeezed her hand before pulling his hand away. He yanked at his jeans and squirmed. "But you didn't do that, even though we disrupted your life. Why? Because you're family."

  "So what would you have done?"

  He screwed up his features and braced himself for an explosion. "I would have moved Jack in."

  "Fuck."

  "Well, you had left me with no choice, but thankfully, I got this idea instead."

  "I'm not sure which is better." Reggie shook her head. "That's not true. Phoebe hovers a lot, but she's a decent girl." Her lips disappeared into a line, and she leaned in his direction with her finger pointed. "Don't you dare tell her what I said."

  He resisted the urge to smile. "I won't say a word."

  "Good." Reggie withdrew her finger and fell against the back of her chair. "Which is why I don't approve of what you're doing." She pulled the cigarette from her mouth and held it between her fingers. "She's got a good heart, and I don't want you breaking it." She motioned towards the floor. "I've seen you leave a trail of broken hearts in your wake. I keep my mouth shut because you're an adult. They're adults, but Phoebe's more vulnerable." She stuck the cigarette back into her mouth. "You know she cared for her sister until she died."

  He nodded. "She mentioned that."

  "At least you and your sisters had me and those shitty grandparents of yours. All she's got left is a cousin." Reggie finished her cigarette, then snuffed the butt against her rubber shoe sole. She handed the used cigarette to Ash, patted his shoulder, and grabbed her cane to walk to her first-floor bedroom.

  Ash watched her go, absorbing her words. He didn't need Reggie to tell him how vulnerable Phoebe was. He could see it in the solemnness of her eyes.

  He knew she'd cared for her sister who had died just a few months ago. He also knew she wanted to become a registered nurse, and she didn't have many options available to pay for that education. As far as he was concerned, they would both benefit from this arrangement.

  His aunt would remain with him until she recovered or--he hoped it never came to this--passed away at his home. If he had a job that allowed more flexibility, he wouldn't have had to bring in Phoebe. He could have taken paid or unpaid leave, but the military didn't really have that option, particularly for extended family members.

  He knew he was an asshole, but he didn't try to be malicious. He liked and respected Phoebe, and he knew that he should keep his distance; however, every time she came within reach, he found himself wanting to draw her close and shield her from further pain.

  Holding the cigarette in his hand, he pushed up from the couch. He walked back to the kitchen and dropped the butt into the trash. He quickly washed his hands, then left the kitchen and trotted up to the second floor.

  The hallway was dark. He looked towards Phoebe's door and noticed a light on. Lifting his hand, he walked to her doo
r, but let his hand drop to his side. Instead, he tapped one finger quietly against the door, then he turned away to walk to his room.

  He heard the door opening behind him. He spun around and found Phoebe peeking out into the hallway.

  "Is something wrong?" She stepped out of her room, the light glowing around her. Her long black hair hung in loose waves to her waist. She wore a thin cotton nightgown with floral designs along the bodice. In the right light, the gown probably did an admirable job of shielding her body. However, the bright light behind her streamed through the billowy fabric and illuminated the curves of her breasts. "Is Reggie okay?"

  He heard Reggie's warning echo through his mind, but his feet moved of their own volition. "Everything's okay. She's gone to bed." As he approached Phoebe, his eyes trained on her dusky areolas that showed through the cloth. He ran his fingers through his hair and scratched at his scalp. "Did I wake you?"

  She shook her head, then crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "I was watching a movie on my laptop." She craned her neck and pointed at his head. "Would you like a massage?"

  He would like much more than a massage. Stepping closer to her, he fluttered his lashes. "Excuse me?"

  She smiled. "I give really good scalp massages." Her eyes scanned his face before her finger traced his jawline. "You look tense. Bad day at work?"

  It was a simple touch. One that lasted only a second, but he found himself craving more. "Well, if you're offering, I'm accepting."

  Phoebe smiled and extended her hand. She waited until he took hold, then she pulled him into her room and pointed at the bed. "Sit. I'll grab my essential oils." As she walked to her dresser, she called out over her shoulder, "Would you like lavender or peppermint?"

  He pushed the door closed then sat on the end of the bed. "Which do you prefer?"

  She returned holding two small bottles. She looked at them both before returning one. She came back with a bottle between her fingers, brandishing the label for him to read.