CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 30

Joshua’s POV

I returned to my stew and tasted it. Wow, so good. I turned off the stove. All I had to do now was go and take a bath and put on something nice.

I was so going to win. I turned to look at my pregnant wife who was still stirring her stew. I chuckled quietly. She should get ready to be in bed with me. Moments later, I left the kitchen.

Quinn’s POV

I watched Joshua leave the kitchen. I ran to his pot and opened it.

Jesus!

The sweet aroma filled my nose. Joshua can cook? I took a spoon, scooped a little so he wouldn’t notice, and tasted it.

It tasted so good. He’s going to win.

What do I do? What ingredient did I miss?

He’s surely going to punish me for every prank I’ve played on him.

I closed the pot and went to mine. What do I add to make it as good as his? I added more pepper and spices. I stirred it and tasted it. I think it was better, except that my tongue was burning from the pepper.

I ruined it. He’s going to have his way. I sighed and closed my pot.

Joshua’s POV

"Ready, wifey?" I asked Quinn as she came downstairs after taking a quick bath, unlike other days.

"No. Let’s forget the contest. I broke my wrist and I think I have a headache," she said, wincing.

"Seriously?" I scoffed. Liar.

"How can you back out now? What’s wrong? Afraid I’ll beat you? Are you suddenly a chicken?" I asked, trying to tease her.

She grunted in a funny way, and I thought it was really cute. What would our baby look like?

"Fine," she said and carried her food. I smirked and carried mine. I couldn’t wait to get her in bed.

We left our duplex for the next house. A heavy-set woman with four kids lived there. Her husband was a commissioner or something. She smiled upon seeing us. She was friendly, but there was one thing about her I didn’t like: she liked Quinn’s hair.

"So do you wash it every day, both night and day?" she asked Quinn, beaming.

"Yes, ma’am," Quinn replied, blushing.

This lady might take her side...

"Okay, that’s enough discussion. Taste both foods and tell me the one you like best," I said, dropping it on her dining table.

She took a spoon and scooped from Quinn’s plate. "Mmm, so much pepper," she said and drank some water.

Quinn, the queen of pepper!

The lady scooped from mine and tasted it. "Oh my goodness, so delicious!" she commented, taking another scoop.

Joshua’s POV

We went to the next neighbor’s house. I had no idea who lived there. Quinn seemed less bothered. Was she okay with me winning her? Maybe she wanted me to.

She rang the doorbell, and a tall guy stepped out. He stared at Quinn with adoring eyes. Does he have a thing for my wife?

Quinn smiled. "Hi, Brandon," she said, blushing.

Oh, jeez. They know each other?

"Hey, Quinn," the jerk said to her. He then looked at me. "Hi," he said, trying to shake my hand. I just stared at him sternly. He lowered his hand and chuckled like an idiot.

"Um, sorry to bother you. We just need you to do something for us. Taste the two beef stews and tell us which one tastes better," Quinn said.

"A couple cooking game. Cute," the Brandon guy said and took a spoon.

He tasted mine and shrieked. He shook his head.

Then he tasted Quinn’s. "Wow, so good. I love yours, Quinn. One hundred percent," he said, smiling broadly.

Quinn smiled. "Thank you," she said, smirking.

This is cheating! They know each other, and the guy seems to like her!

Anyway, one more neighbor to go. I looked at the two and saw Brandon trying to hold Quinn. Does this guy value his manhood?

I quickly took her hand from his and held her possessively. "Okay, we’re done here. Come on, wifey," I said, taking her with me as we left for the next neighbor’s house.

AT THE NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE

"So good! I love to eat food with so much pepper," the woman said after tasting Quinn’s.

I think Quinn is going to win. I won’t have her in bed...

The woman tasted mine and squealed. "So good! It’s so tasty!" she said.

Huh? Whose side is she on?

"But, ma’am, which one do you like best?" I asked.

She smiled. "I can’t choose. They both taste good and yummy. I don’t have a winner," she said, and I frowned.

Seriously?

"Try, ma’am. You must have a winner," I pressed. She shook her head.

"You both did a great job. Everyone is a winner," she said.

I felt like emptying the remaining stew on her head. After all the stress, we had a tie. How annoying!

"Let’s go home, hubby. Nobody won," Quinn said, and I knew she was happy.

AT HOME

"This isn’t fair, Quinn. Let’s do it like this... I’ll give you half of the money, and you’ll give me half of the day," I said to Quinn, who was loading her tummy with cereal.

"Hmm," she said, as if deep in thought. "If we do it like that, I’ll feel like a prostitute."

I sighed. "I’m going to Maya’s house. I’ll be back in an hour," I said, taking one of my car keys.

"What?!" I heard my pregnant wife yell from behind me. I stopped and turned.

"If you call my dad, I’ll tell him you’re keeping yourself to yourself," I said.

She came to me. "You can’t tell him that. He’ll be mad at me," she said in a low voice.

"Well, what do you want me to do? I’ve been starving myself for weeks now. It has to end. If you won’t let me have you, then you have to let me have others!" I blurted out.

She sniffed and started to cry. Seriously?

"Why are you so harsh on me? Do you think this is easy for me? You got me pregnant when I wasn’t ready, and you’re still complaining?" she said, crying.

Fake tears.

"At least before you go, carry me upstairs to my room. My head hurts so much," she said, sobbing, and I started to feel sorry for her.

She’s pregnant, for God’s sake. Why did I yell at her?

I carried her in my arms, and she wrapped her legs around my waist. She buried her head in my chest and held me while I had one arm on her waist and the other on her backside.

She sniffed and sobbed as I went up the stairs with her. I got to her room and dropped her gently on the bed. She pulled my arm, and I was forced to lie beside her.

I wiped away her tears, and she stopped crying, staring into my face with those puppy eyes of hers. She’s cute but annoying. Beautiful but incredibly troublesome. Pretty but a little crazy. But that doesn’t make her any less of a person, and it certainly doesn’t make her any less of my wife. I smiled, watching her look at the picture on my T-shirt of SpongeBob SquarePants.

"Quinn, you can have all the money in the briefcase," I mumbled.

"Really? All of it?" she asked, surprised.

I nodded.

She fluttered her eyelashes. "It’s too much... I don’t need it. What will I do with—"

"It’s okay. You don’t have to spend it all now. Just know it’s yours," I said.

She smiled. "Okay, thanks," she muttered.

She stayed still, and we were very close now.

"Um, hubby, let’s do it," she whispered.

"Do what?" I asked, confused.

Quinn’s POV

"Do what?" he asked.

I hit him on his chest playfully, and he chuckled.

I sat up and took off my shirt. He kissed me on my bare back, trailing up to my neck. Someone couldn’t wait.

He sucked on my earlobe, and it felt so good. These were new feelings and pleasures I couldn’t explain. We didn’t get the chance to enjoy this when we weren’t married. It all felt new.

He unhooked my bra and got rid of it. He stopped sucking and kissing my body parts and looked at me. He drew close and took my lips into his.

Goosebumps...

It felt so... I’m speechless.

He helped me remove my pants and underwear. He took off his shirt and belt.

He was on top of me, but he kept his hands behind my head for support. He kissed me so sweetly, and I moaned into his lips. It was so intense, and I could hardly catch my breath. He sucked on my lower lip, and I wished he wouldn’t stop.

I felt his two fingers on my warm body. I shuddered.

He broke the kiss and brought his lips to my left side. He sucked on it, and I moaned helplessly, rubbing his curly hair.