It was a hot sunny Sunday and a very quiet one.

Annabelle had stayed indoors in the bedroom doing some work in her laptop while David was on his study.

She yawned as hunger took over and stretched her stiff limbs. With her reading glasses still on, she stepped out of the room and padded to the kitchen to get some food.

She stopped at the corridor where David's home office was located and decided to ask him if he was ready to eat as well.

It meant a lot to her that he was here in the house with her today. In fact, since that day they had slept in the same bed, in each others arms for the first time, David had been coming home often. He never spent a night outside the house again and she was grateful for that. She didn't know if he still saw Chanel during the day but even if he was, it was better than spending the night with her.

She knocked on the door and he permitted her to enter.

He looked up as she entered ignoring the files that almost covered the table and the laptop.

"Hey." She said with a small smile and he returned the gesture. "I was wondering if you were feeling hungry, because I am and I'm ready to eat."

He nodded.

"Alright, just give me a minute. I'll be out shortly."

"Okay." She replied and left the room, happy that he didn't turn her down.

After the meal, in which polite conversation was had, David retired to his office once more and Annabelle sought the swimming pool.

The day was still quite sunny, so she applied sunscreen and picked a two piece swim suit in black, a white towel, sunshades and a pack of juice.

She lay down on one of the lounges which had a shade and sipped her juice while watching posts on Instagram. Minutes later, she stood up, took off the towel, counted to ten and dived into the refreshing water.

***

David had noticed movement through the window that overlooked the swimming pool and turned to see who or what it was.

He saw his wife lying on the lounge and sipping a glass of juice as she operated her phone. A white towel was wrapped loosely around her body and he found himself imagining her without it.

As if she had felt him watching her from the distance, she stood up and took off the towel.

Holy balls! He didn't know when he stood up and walked to the window to get a better view of the sexy vixen. She was in nothing but a black bikini which revealed a very generous amount of light creamy skin and killer curves.

He noticed a part of his body getting hard and erect between his legs and groaned.

If he walked out there right now, carried her in his arms into the house and their bedroom and make mad love to her until she forgot her own name, would it be wrong? She was his wife, right?

He didn't know he was still gaping until she splashed in the pool, moving those curves in perfect rhythm like she was born for the water.

For the umpteenth time, he wished he was at least, in bed terms with his wife. So that he could ravish her without second thoughts in times like this.

He thought of her ex, Dominic Samuels and a scowl covered his face. If he were a killer, he would have killed the bastard a long time ago.

So this was what the idiot had been enjoying and was probably still enjoying. His wife! His!

He kept watching her swim. He couldn't believe he hadn't touched her since they were married. He, David Maxwell had been in a house alone with a very beautiful woman for over a month and hadn't touched her. Hell, they haven't even kissed!

Well he was going to remedy that soon.

He frowned when he noticed a man walking slowly towards Annabelle with a smirk on his face.

Derek.

David didn't like the way his friend was looking at his wife. It was as if he wanted to pounce on her and ravish her. The same thoughts he had been having. Unfortunately, he was not the only man with eyes.

He left the room immediately and headed outside, towards the swimming pool.

Annabelle was enjoying the feel of the refreshing water when a familiar male voice spoke.

"From the distance, I was actually wishing that this sexy water goddess I was seeing wasn't my friend's wife but an unmarried woman so that my eyes could feed on her body as much as I wanted and probably my hands too if I was lucky."

She smiled as she turned to face him.

"Good afternoon Derek. I'm sorry my husband didn't tell me he was expecting you."

"Good afternoon Mrs Maxwell." Derek smiled. "And no, he's not expecting me. Something came up and I had to see him. Tried calling his phone but it wasn't reachable so I decided to come over."

Annabelle smiled at him and wanted to say something when a voice interrupted.

"And coming straight to the pool to watch my wife swim, was what you were supposed to do, Derek?"

Annabelle's eyes snapped to David's tall form standing on the other side of the pool and Derek slowly turned to him with a stupid grin on his face.

"Ah my boy. " Derek smirked. "You always appear at the wrong time."

"I know," David said drily. "And I'm glad I always do. Why are you here? You didn't tell me you were coming."

Derek whistled. "Now now David, rude much?"

"I wasn't expecting you." David insisted.

"That's because I tried calling you on phone but your dirty line didn't go through. The maid didn't know of your whereabouts when I came in but told me your wife was here."

Derek turned serious. "Something important came up and I had to talk to you."

David frowned and both him and Derek glanced at Annabelle who was still listening to their conversation.

She started and swarm to the edge of the pool and climbed the first stair.

"I'll give you two some privacy."

"Don't worry about it." David cut in gently. "We'll just go to my study."

"I'm done swimming, anyways." She replied and made to come out but David stopped her. He walked over to the lounge, picked up her towel and handed it to her.

Annabelle collected it from her, not missing the teasing grin that graced Derek's face.

She wrapped the towel around her body and got out of the pool.

Picking up her stuff, she left the two men there who had sat down on the poolside table and was unaware of the piercing dark eyes that followed her.

"You're falling for her." Derek commented as he followed David's gaze.

"I only want her in my bed." David snapped.

"If I remember vividly you idiot, you've never admitted to wanting her like this."

David smirked as he signalled to the young newly employed maid to get them drinks.

"I've always wanted her. Even before we were married. Now," he said seriously. "What were you going to tell me?"

💖💖💖

Annabelle lay on the bed thinking about what her mother had told her. The annoying woman had called her just as she came upstairs from swimming, demanding to know how far she had gone in her, as she called it, mission.

She didn't know how she could upgrade to the post of President while David was still alive. And she didn't want her mother to kill David, for she knew the woman could do it.

She sighed as she straightened her white cotton nightgown and plopped the pillows her head was resting on.

Feeling thirsty for orange juice, she got up and walked to the small fridge. She opened it but didn't see an orange juice, so she left the bedroom and walked downstairs to the kitchen to get some.

She halted sharply in her tracks as she found David in the kitchen. Cooking and shirtless! Exposing well sculpted abs and wide muscular chest that would make Peter Okoye go green with envy.

She stood there watching him as he worked and moved from place to place without seeing her and she imagined herself running her hands up and down those fine abs and chest while he touched her back and kissed her and...

She shook her head to clear it of such thoughts.

She thought he was asleep by now! She contemplated turning back and going to her room but on second thought, decided against it. He was her husband and she needed to get used to seeing him even naked. She scolded herself inwardly. What had brought naked into the issue?

She changed her mind again and made to leave but it was too late because he had seen her and she had no choice but to walk into the kitchen.

"Uh, I didn't know you're still up."

She said nervously.

"I was hungry." He replied gently turning to face her and crossed his arms over his chest making his broad shoulders, chest and muscular arms more pronounced.

She licked her lips involuntarily and nervously.

"Oh okay. I noticed you didn't eat much at dinner."

"Yeah, I didn't like what was prepared." He said.

"Oh am sorry, I didn't know it wasn't what you felt like eating." She replied.

"No it's not that." He said. "I just don't like that meal, it's one of the foods I don't like to eat."

"Oh," she nodded. "Now I get what you mean. I didn't know."

"It's not your fault. Abigail knows I don't like it so she should take the blame."

"It's not her fault as well." Annabelle said. "I was the one that asked her to prepare the meal."

"It's okay. I noticed you liked it, even Derek too, that was why I said nothing." He said, then turned back to turn off the cooker and dished out the noodles. "Please join me."

Annabelle was full and besides that, didn't eat late night food but that David had asked her politely to join him got her saying yes and she found that she really wanted to share with him from one plate.

David's eyes kept straying to her lips as she ate and even strayed downwards to her creamy slender neck and the firm mounds on her chest that rose and fell with her breathing, not missing the outline of her nipples that pointed at him.

The meal ended silently and he picked up the plate to place in the dishwasher but she collected it and walked over to the dishwasher unaware of the innocent sway of her hips and the effect it had on him.

She went over to the refrigerator to get the juice that brought her downstairs. And as she bent over to take the drink, he sucked in a breath as his thoughts ran wild and naughty, imagining himself taking her from behind.

He tore his eyes away from her before he did something as stupid as giving in to his urges right there and then.

"I'll be retiring to bed now." She said after taking the drink.

"Same here." He replied. "Come, let me escort you to your bedroom."

Annabelle almost told him that it was their bedroom but held her tongue.

The hallway was dark since the lights were turned off, so they couldn't see that much.

Annabelle sucked in a breath in pain and winced as her ankle suddenly got twisted on one of the stairs.

David caught her as she fell back.

"Are you alright?" He asked anxiously.

"My ankle." She whispered and the pain hit her again when she tried to walk.

Before she could protest, he swept her into his arms like she weighed nothing and carried her up the stairs.

Annabelle felt like she was floating in his arms and she closed her eyes savoring the feeling and the clean, heady scent of him.

He gently placed her on the bed and sat back to check her ankle. With light fingers, he applied slight pressure and she winced a little. Then he started to caress her ankle ever so slowly and lightly and Annabelle fought the urge to close her eyes and enjoy the feeling.

"The pain would go away in a short while." He said huskily and she nodded.

He got up and hovered over her while Annabelle watched him with wide eyes and her heart beating heavily against her chest.

Then he bent and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight." He said and was beginning to straighten when Annabelle caught hold of his arm. He looked at her questioningly and held his breath in anticipation of what she wanted to say or do while his heart and blood pounded loudly.

"Stay." She whispered.