Episode 527: Bed Of Roses

"Yeah." Adria frowned at him. "I confuse it all the time with the Taj Mahal."

He grinned. He hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep since she’d left him. But things were looking up. He had her in his sights. Within reach. Potentially close. "If you hate living here so much you could always leave."

Her eyes yearned to go home with him. Naturally, she climbed into bed. "I’m not the one who has to sleep on the floor."

"I can live with it. I won’t live without you."

"You’re not as smart as you look," she solemnly noted, and switched out the light.

"My wife is beautiful and talented." He settled his head on the pillow and drew his coat over him as a blanket. "And she’s far and away the love of my life. I’d say I’m a damn smart man to ignore the little bee in her bonnet."

"It’s not a little bee. It’s a big truth. You deserve better."

"I’ve already got the best," Ryley snapped. He hadn’t meant to. He’d wanted it to sound more like the romantic declaration it was. It just made him so mad to hear her cut herself down like that, to know she really believed it. "You’re worth permanently damaging my spine." His back did ache. The discomfort didn’t bother him much though, not as much as he wanted it to bother her.

"It’s really that bad?" Adria asked, her voice thready, obviously as concerned as she’d been when she’d thought he was hurt, and when she’d decided to invite him in.

""It’s excruciating," he replied, no qualms playing on her sympathy, using her love for him as a means to an end. A happy ending with her.

She stared at him in silence. "Get into bed."

Episode 528: Big Shot