Contract Marriage: I’ve Always Loved You

Steve’s P. O. V.

As Grace bathes Evan in the bathroom, I spend quality time with my little princess.

I sit cradling her in my arms, speaking to her in a soft tone, and she gazes at me with a constant, adorable smile on her face. The way she loses herself while looking into my eyes is an indescribable feeling, unlike anything else in the world.

“You know, you’re so beautiful. Your tiny blue eyes, I love the most.” I take her hand in mine and kiss all over it. “And your little hands are so soft that Daddy wants to kiss them all the time. I want to eat you up!” I hold her out in front of me and give her a kiss on the nose, and she sucks on my cheek, making me laugh.

After a few minutes, Grace emerges from the bathroom, holding little Evan in a bathrobe with his name embroidered on it.

“It’s your turn to take a bath, little princess.” She gives Evan to me and takes Giana from me.

She heads to give Giana a bath, leaving me with Evan. As I carefully cradle him in my arms, I talk to him, my heart overflowing with love.

“Look at you, my little champ. Your mom and I are so lucky to have you and your sister. You’ve brought so much joy into our lives.” I kiss his forehead, relishing the softness of his delicate skin.

Evan looks up at me with his innocent eyes, captivated by the sound of my voice as I dress him in his tiny clothes, conversing with him.

I finish up by putting on a cute onesie. “There you go, buddy. All dressed up and looking handsome.” I hold him up to admire the result. He gurgles in response, a delightful sound that warms my heart.

A smile flashes on my face as I hear Grace humming a lullaby as she tends to Giana in the bathroom.

Today, it feels so good and refreshing. It’s like I’ve got everything I could ever dream of in my life right now.

However, something has been weighing heavily on my mind ever since I inquired about Grace’s past. I can’t shake the memory of her trembling body and her grip tightening on my shirt in fright. It shocked me to the core because I had never seen her so afraid before. At that moment, all I wanted was to make disappear whatever was troubling her, even without knowing the details, so I decided to give her pleasure. But our twins interrupted us with their cries, and I couldn’t fully satisfy her or erase her dreadful thoughts.

When I wonder what she went through that transformed her into a heartless and emotionless person, I feel a pang of fear deep within me. I want to seek into the darkest corners of her soul, to know the depths of her pain, and the reasons behind her guarded heart. But I also fear that the truth may be too painful, too difficult for me to bear.

Yet, I also know that I love her unconditionally and want to support her through whatever she may have experienced.

That’s why I’ve planned a surprise for her to make her feel special and help her forget about everything else.

***

As Grace feeds the twins, they fall to a peaceful slumber, and we lay them in the crib.

Olivia enters after knocking on the door. She greets us with a warm smile and asks, “Did you call me, sir?”

“Yes, Olivia. Grace and I are heading out for an hour.” I glance at Grace through the corner of my eyes and see a hint of surprise crossing her face. “Please take good care of the twins, and if they cry, call us immediately.”

Olivia nods, reassuring me, “Of course, sir. I’ll make sure they’re well taken care of. Enjoy your time.”

As I take Grace’s hand in mine and come out of the room, she enquires in a curious tone, “Where are we going, Steve?”

“I have planned a surprise for you, love. It’s our reunion day, I want to make it special.” As I tell her with glee, her eyes shine up.

Seriously, I can go to any lengths to witness that spark in her brown eyes, and planning a surprise is just a tiny part of it.

“Wow! I didn’t know Steve Grey was so thoughtful.” She lets out a chuckle.

I tap her nose, “You know nothing about me, Wifey. You have seen my hatred for you, now I’ll show you my love.”

“I’m quite excited now. Just show me my surprise.” She squeals, causing me to laugh.

“Follow me, my love.”

With that, Grace and I head to the terrace. I can see the curiosity in her eyes as we step into the cool evening air.

I take her hand and lead her to a beautifully set-up terrace with fairy lights. A small table is adorned with her favourite flowers and a meal prepared by the chef.

Grace smiles at me, “Steve, this is so romantic!”

“It’s just the beginning, love.” I peck her cheeks before pulling out a chair for her.

She settles down, and I take my seat beside her. The gentle breeze plays with her hair as we start our special breakfast. As I tuck her brown locks behind her ear, she fixes her eyes filled with affection on me.

It feels like I’m dreaming because Grace and I used to argue all the time, but now we’re madly in love with each other. It’s quite unbelievable.

As we finish our meal, I entangle my tiny finger with hers, gazing into her eyes. “To us,” I say, raising my glass of wine with my other hand.

“To us,” Grace echoes, clinking her glass against mine.

I stand up and extend my hand to her. “Care for a dance, Mrs. Grey?”

She looks surprised, “A dance? Right here?”

As I nod, she places her hand on mine with a smile on her face. I clasp her hand, and she stands up. I play soft music on speaker, and we sway together, my hands placed on her waist, hers resting on my chest, and our eyes locked with each other.

This dance reminds me of our dance at the twins’ welcome party, where I was yearning to taste her lips but had to restrain myself. It’s such a relief because now I don’t have to suppress my desires anymore. I can kiss her lips, claim her, and do whatever I want with her whenever I please.

With a contented smile, Grace whispers, bringing me back to the earth. “This is perfect, Steve. Thank you for making our reunion so special.”

As the dance comes to an end, I draw her into my warm arms. “There’s more to come, my love.”

“Really?” She asks in a disbelief tone.

“Yes.” I nod, grinning before pulling out a small, beautifully wrapped box from my pocket. She looks at it with excitement as I present it to her.

“What’s this?” She asks with a smile, taking the box from my hands.

“Open it and find out,” I reply with a twinkle in my eye.

She carefully unwraps the box, revealing two half-heart-shaped diamond pendants inside. They are engraved with the initials “S & G” of our names.

“Steve, these are beautiful.” She exclaims, her eyes widening with surprise.

I take the pendants in my hands and explain, “When you join them, they form a complete heart. Watch.” I bring the halves close to each other, and sure enough, they join, creating a full heart. “It’s like us,” I whisper, my voice filled with emotion. “We complete each other, just like these pendants.”

Her eyes glisten with tears of joy as she holds the completed heart pendant in her hands. “Steve, this is so thoughtful and meaningful. You’re making me feel so special.” She looks at me with profound gratitude and love.

“Get used to it because I’m going to spoil you with my love. You have no clue how many things I have planned for my wife to make her feel loved.” As I pull her cheeks, her laughter fills the terrace, warming my heart. It’s one of my favourite melodies, so soothing to the ears.

“I guess I’m so lucky to be your permanent wife from the temporary one.” As she utters, we both let out a chuckle.

“Now let me make you wear it.” After standing behind her, I take the pendant with the initial “S” and gently place it around her neck. The touch of my hand sends a subtle shiver down her spine, and I admire the graceful curve of her neck.

After securing it, I lean in and press a tender kiss on her neck from behind, snaking my arms around her waist. She clutches my hands and her body trembles as she feels my lips on her skin. I like the way she reacts to my touch.

As I take a step away from her, she turns to me, grinning, and I retrieve the pendant with her initial “G” and fasten it around my neck.

“It’s a symbol of our love and unity. Whenever you wear it, remember that you have my heart, and I have yours.” I murmur, holding her pendant.

“I’m never going to take it off, Steve. It’ll be buried with me when I take my last breath,” she declares, her eyes locked with mine.

“Likewise, Wifey,” I reply, moving closer to her, and our pendants dangle close, drawn by magnetic force. As the initial “S” and “G” draw nearer, we look in amazement.

A smile plays on her lips as they join seamlessly, completing the heart shape with the initials “S” and “G” nestled side by side.

“Our hearts are forever entwined, just like us,” I whisper before clasping her face and capturing her lips in a soft kiss, filled with love.