Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 34

The need to kiss him was overwhelming, but he was right, she did need sleep. "Sorry my bed isn't as big or comfy as yours," she whispered, her voice shaking as she ran her hands through his hair, messing it up. "And I'm sorry that my house isn't what you're used to," she blurted, her concerns coming back now that they were alone again. She hadn't wanted to appear anxious at all, but she couldn't help it.

His whiskers grazed her cheek as he kissed her into silence. "It doesn't matter. You're here. Jasmine's here. Your home is... cute," he grinned and Sophie cringed at the word. "Little, but it has the important things. A coffee machine, a bathroom, a bed," he growled, standing up to change into a navy t-shirt and stripped cotton sleep pants. His words made her feel slightly better, but she knew that it would only be a matter of time before he went crazy in her tiny house. He'd end up being like a caged lion - feeling trapped and wanting to get out. She just hoped she'd be enough reason for him to stay.

She looked into his dark eyes as they lay in bed, feeling relief at his words. "Where have you been all my life?"

He frowned a little, his hands moving up to cup her face gently. "I could ask you the same thing."

That was the last thing she remembered before falling asleep in his arms.

"I'm sorry Mr Sanderson, but it's just not going happen. It'll only create more problems -"

Tom hung up on the company's lead architect and threw his phone on the little desk in the little spare room. But it was the only room in Sophie's house where he could sit down in relative quiet and actually get some work done - when he wasn't in his office at the Sanderson Hotel Group's Melbourne headquarters. And if Jasmine wasn't trying to get his attention - sitting on his lap and playing with his phone or laptop. He honestly didn't know how he got anything done when she was around. She was distracting, and he was exhausted just being around her. Or maybe that was just lack of sleep.

The stress he was feeling from work didn't help. It'd been one problem after another since arriving in Australia two months ago, and Tom had had numerous trips to Cairns to sort out the plans, the site, and the legalities of building a resort.

What he really needed was to go for a run, or a swim - it'd help him relax and take his mind off the development for half an hour. But with the freezing Melbourne winter, he'd be risking frostbite. In that moment, he actually missed his home in Hawaii, where he could escape in the ocean or for a trip in Tristan's seaplane or helicopter for a while and unwind. He could swim, or run without freezing his ass off. What had he got himself into? Maybe marriage had been a bad idea. He had no idea how to manage it all. He just hoped it would get easier.

Turning his phone off, he collapsed on the sofa, his head back and closing his eyes, trying to take some deep calming breaths.

He'd never expected living with someone would be so hard. He supposed having Jasmine made it harder - he could no longer walk around naked, or in his underwear, and he had to deal with noise and mess and toys everywhere. Plus there were so many things the three of them didn't know about each other. If they snored, or hogged the covers. But there were also the little things, like how she drank her tea, what foods she and Jasmine liked and what they didn't. Plus the fact that they ate at home every night - something Tom was definitely not used to. If he saw another chicken nugget again it'd be too soon.