Unwanted Wedlock

Chapter 12

      "Get ready," Ryerson ordered her the next morning. Lyla looked up at him, her silent question already transmitted. Even with the gesture last night they never talked so much, "we're going to the movies."

      "Why?" she asked. Ryerson shrugged, "But, what about your work?" What happened to the workaholic?

      "I'm taking you out, why are you complaining?" he asked, "just get ready." Lyla nodded, hesitantly, going to the bathroom but not before she heard him shout, "and don't wear those god awfully short shorts!" 

       When she came out, she was wearing a thick oversized grey sweater that went loosely just past her backside and leggings. But not regular leggings he noticed, her legs, which were something that he could never take his eyes off of anyway, were in skin tight black leggings. They perfectly fit her to show the shape of them. Was she doing this to torture him? 

      Technically, since Lyla was covering herself up so Ryerson couldn't say anything, she wasn't dumb to not be able to tell why he was asking her to change from leggings. He was a goner for the day. They left the house, Lyla felt a wave of relief seeing that he wasn't wearing any of his dress shirts but instead a dark overcoat over a simple shirt and plain blue jeans. Lyla honestly didn't think he had something this simple in his closet. They parked into the parking lot of a movie theater, "the movie starts in fifteen minutes. You go get some snacks." he commanded.

     "Why do you do that?" Lyla asked him as they unbuckled the seatbelt and made their way inside.

     "What am I doing?" he asked, a bit offended.

     "You're always so weird. So bossy."

      "I'm not bossy," he responded, "I'm the boss." Lyla gave him an unimpressed look but she looked amused, trying to suppress her laughter at that.

     "It's always 'Lyla do this, Lyla do that, Lyla come here, Lyla go there, Lyla be here'," he wanted to laugh at the imitations of his voice by her.

     "Just go get the snacks."

     "You see?" Ryerson's lips twitched and Lyla laughed in accomplishment, "what do you want?" she asked. He shrugged, he couldn't remember the last time he had come to relax by just coming out and watching a movie.

     "Here," Ryerson said, giving her a credit card, "use this." Lyla raised an eyebrow.

     "I don't need-"

     "Just use it," he ordered. Was this man bipolar? One second he's taking her out and smiling even the slightest bit the next he's bossing her around again? Lyla took the card for him, with no intention to use it. She got in the line for popcorn and smiled when the cashier greeted her.

     "Good morning," he greeted. He must have been the same age as her, and he had the handsome features with the good ol' brown combination. Brown hair, and brown eyes and freckles dotted on his face, he was kind of cute. Lyla gave him a friendly smile and asked for her order which was a popcorn and a couple of candy bars she thought would be Ryerson's preference. The cashier, Noah, by the badge, looked down at her left hand, and smiled a bit to himself, seeing no ring, not even a promise ring. There was no one behind Lyla so he struck up a conversation with her. To be polite she prolonged it.

      Ryerson was not happy. 

     No, not at all. 

     That cashier man, who did he think he was? Ryerson could destroy him with a snap of his fingers if he wanted to and that man was flirting with his wife? Couldn't the man tell that she was married? 

     Oh wait, Lyla still wasn't wearing the ring after she took it out the day he came home wasted. He was momentarily distracted as he saw Lyla give the man a twenty dollar bill instead of the card. Why was she simply holding it and not using it? He stopped thinking about that when he saw the man's hand brush Lyla's as she took a bucket of popcorn. Ryerson's blood boiled. Just what were they talking about?

     "So, sometime later, would you like to go on a date with me?" Noah asked Lyla. She looked at him surprised but then shot him an apologetic smile.

     "I'm really sorry, but I have a boyfriend," of sorts, she added to herself.

     "Oh," Noah looked a bit put out. Not knowing what to do she said:

      "I don't really know what's going to happen, so I'm just going to be leaving now," she spoke awkwardly, Noah laughed at that and shook his head. Maybe Lyla was being a bit harsh, apologizing and leaving immediately but in her defence she couldn't remember a time where a guy even glanced at her, let alone asked her out. She didn't know how to reject them, "bye. Thanks, by the way, Noah." she stood back next to Ryerson handing back the credit card.

     "I gave it to you for a reason," Ryerson told her bitterly.

     "And I didn't use it for a reason," Lyla replied back, popping a popcorn in her mouth. He wanted to smile.

     "Why not?"

     "Because I can't use your money. I don't want to."

     "I'm your husband," Ryerson emphasized, looking at her in incredulity like she was a five-year-old, "and I'm billionaire, any money you spend won't even be looked at," he told her. Lyla stared back at him.

     "So? I just don't want to use your money."

     "How much money could you possibly spend, especially with that mind of yours? You-"

     "Why are we arguing about this?" she interjected.

      "We're not arguing, I'm just telling you!" he protested.

      "And does it look like I'm listening?" Ryerson sighed, he wasn't going to win this so he got to the more important topic.

     "Who was the man?"

      "Noah. Nice guy, he was," she walked into the movie theatre with that. Ryerson processed her words, turning after her abruptly when he understood.

     "Wait, what-?"

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