Uncomplicated: A Vegas Girl's Tale by Dawn Robertson, Jo-Anna Walker Page B

guess,” I shrugged. I was trying to give him the cold shoulder. I guess it was the way I dealt with all of these emotions that were slowly starting to come to the surface. I swore when we were at the airport earlier, he caught my loving look. How can you love someone you know nothing about? And I mean nothing. I didn’t even know where he was from, how is that for wife of the year?
    “You know, Mathis. We know nothing about each other. Absolutely nothing.”
    He smiled as the last piece of his clothing fell to the floor and he climbed into the tub behind me. His hardening erection pressed gently against my ass, but not in a sexual way. His attraction and admiration of me is clear, but his respect is even clearer. It was a fine line we were both learning to dance. I wasn’t used to respect in the sexual manner since I had been nothing more than a plaything to the men in my life.
    “Then why don’t we spend our time together tonight learning about each other. Jenny, love, let’s make this work.” My husband’s hands softly massaged my shoulders.
    His words took me off guard. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of truly making whatever this game was turn into something more. He brought out something in me I had never felt before and as much as it scared me...I could tell he was just as scared.
    “Why me, Mathis. You could have any woman in the world. But you picked me.” It was an honest question. Something I truly needed to know before opening up to him any further. His answer would determine our future together whether he realized it or not.
    “My life has been missing something for a long time. It wasn’t until I saw you across that club that I realized exactly what it was. It was never about sex, or money. It was about the way you made me come to life that night. From the moment we met, I knew you would be a challenge,” he paused for a moment, only to place a kiss on my neck. “But every minute since then has been worth it. I’ll never want anyone else the way I want you.”
    A chill surged through my body. In that moment, I was pretty sure I melted right into his body. If this was what love felt like...I was in love with Mathis Verlinden, and I was in way over my head.

    “Favorite food?” he smiled up at me like a child as we lay in bed continuing our ‘getting to know you’ phase.
    “Hmmm... Sushi. You?” I couldn’t take my eyes off of him as he looked so damn young tonight. His wild hair was still damp from the bath we shared. He wore nothing but a pair of black lounge pants and for the first time, I saw him with glasses. Adorable, black framed glasses that made him look sexy as hell in a smart way.
    “Italian, but real Italian from Italy. None of this fake Americanized bullshit.” His snobby answer made me laugh.
    “Sounds like something I need to try one day.” Before he could squeeze in another question, I threw one at him. “Tell me about your childhood. Your home, family. Tell me about you, Mathis.”

H ISTORY AND S HIT
    (Mathis)
    I thought a moment. My childhood. What the hell do I say? It was fucking depressing. Growing up poor, with an abusive father who liked to use your mother as a punching bag daily made being a kid fucking suck.
    “Mathis?”
    Our eyes met and I smiled at the look of concern on Jennifer’s face. Her brows furrowed. I entwined our fingers and kissed her knuckles. “How much do you want to know?”
    “Everything. I want to know you .” Her hand caressed my face, cupping my chin and her lips met my cheek in one of the most intimate acts of my life.
    I took a deep breath and began. “I grew up in a poor town. My dad was in the military. He was a hard ass and treated my mother like shit.” I could never recall a good memory of my father. He was a monster, an animal who often haunted my nightmares. What kind of parent could treat little children the way he treated Yan and I?
    “Do you have any siblings?” she asked, rubbing her thumb over the back of