Paige, taken aback, managed to stutter, "Were...weren't you supposed to be on a business trip?"
Raymond had been sitting in the dark the whole time, neither turning on the lights nor retiring to his bedroom to sleep. Paige felt a distinct chill emanating from him as she drew nearer; it seemed like anger.
Although Paige hadn't done anything clandestine, Raymond's formidable presence suddenly made her feel inexplicably guilty.
Without a word, Raymond propelled his wheelchair in the direction of the master bedroom. Paige hurried after him, feeling the need to explain her late return.
"Have you had dinner? An unexpected situation came up today, so I..." Paige began, but Raymond swiftly wheeled into his room and slammed the door, this time actually hitting Paige on the forehead.
With a hiss of pain, she couldn't help but wonder, "Is being late a reason for such fury? Maybe the reason a thirty-year-old can't find a Mrs. isn't solely due to his physical condition!"
Paige muttered under her breath when suddenly the door swung open again. She stood there, eyes wide, as Raymond reappeared before her unexpectedly. Before she could process the situation, he grabbed her wrist firmly and pulled her towards him with surprising agility.
Losing her balance, Paige tumbled onto Raymond, who, with one hand, secured her waist and with the other, continued to maneuver his wheelchair.
The bedroom was snug, barely enough room for a complete turnabout in the wheelchair. But in two deft maneuvers, Raymond lifted Paige with startling ease, transferring her onto the bed as though she weighed nothing at all.
Just as Paige was processing Raymond’s unexpected strength, she found herself pinned beneath him in an instant.
"Uh... Raymond..." The words barely left her lips before they were captured by his in a tender warmth.
Raymond's kiss was an onslaught, stealing Paige's breath and steering her thoughts into a frenzy. The moment's speed and shock left her reaching out to push him away, only to have her hands seized effortlessly and pinned above her head, rendering resistance futile.
With her hands restrained, Raymond’s advances grew more daring, as Paige could hardly fathom that the world's most restrained, even austere man, could suddenly be so wild with her. The man who typically carried himself with a cool, reserved air was now unbridled in his desire.
Instinctively, Paige wanted to push back, to resist, yet the fact that they were married and this was a natural marital need for each other resided at the back of her mind. But now...
There was a hurdle Paige hadn’t quite overcome; she had lost herself to a stranger. That episode had been so bizarre, so out of character that Paige herself struggled to accept it.
She didn’t understand why, instead of resisting with all her might, she had languished in the stranger's caress. And as Raymond's hand now traced a path from her full chest downwards, something inside Paige snapped.
All thoughts of Raymond reaching the point of no return vanished. Despite her hands still being constrained by his grip, she managed to lift one leg, which had been strategically placed between Raymond's, and with a swift, powerful thrust, she struck him at his most vulnerable part.
The sudden pain forced an involuntary grunt from Raymond, and his grip loosened in an instant. Paige seized the opportunity to gulp in precious breaths of fresh air and became acutely aware of the sudden shift in Raymond's expression.
At that moment, it dawned on her that the strength she possessed was no match for an average Joe’s.
In the heat of the moment, Paige hadn't had time to think or control her strength, and she was absolutely sure she had hurt her husband, Raymond. The guilt would weigh heavily on her if she had caused him any serious injury.
Already living with a disability, Raymond's legs were a source of constant struggle. The thought that she might have harmed even his... was an unbearable one.
Coming to her senses, Paige frantically tried to examine Raymond's legs while apologizing profusely, "I'm so sorry, I swear I didn't mean it."
Raymond's face contorted in pain, a clear sign of his discomfort, yet he hadn't made a single sound.
As Paige observed his agony, she realized she had indeed gone too far. Fearful for Raymond's wellbeing, she noticed him protectively holding his legs, unwilling to let her see.
Left with no choice, Paige pushed Raymond's hands away with force. She said in a soothing manner, "I'm medically trained; let me check, please."
Raymond's face, brimming with pain and bruised hues, he managed to withstand his discomfort and said, "Do you even know what you're going to check?"
Her silence followed his question, making her seem like some kind of hooligan. She realized he was right. By insisting on checking his legs, she was indeed trying to assess if his private region was injured.
Her cheeks flushed instantaneously, the redness spreading to the tips of her ears. But it was merely a doctor's instinct, a rush to help him in a moment of urgency!
Catching the blush that painted Paige's face, Raymond felt an inexplicable irritation that he couldn't let go of or fully express. He wanted to scorn her for being heartless, yet her genuine concern was undeniable.
With each word, her blushing deepened, and Raymond found himself softening, remembering her first time was with him. His anger about her nights out reduced significantly.
Her bravery had faltered, and the fierce determination she'd had when attempting to unravel his legs vanished. Stepping back, Paige saw his continued pain and apologized with stark guilt, "I'm so sorry; I didn't mean it. It's just that... I'm not ready for this."
Raymond glanced at Paige coldly and dismissed her with two sharp words, "Get out!"
Paige threw glances between the door and Raymond, her face flushing with a mix of embarrassment and shyness. "I... I really do know medicine," she said again.
Raymond clenched his teeth in frustration. So, what if she knew medicine? Didn't she realize that her being here just made things worse for him?
Seeing Paige's naiveté regarding matters of sex, Raymond raised his voice through the pain: "I'm fine, get out!"
Paige quickly hopped off the bed. "O-okay, I'll go. But if you need anything, just call. Uh... remember to take care; otherwise, it might... you know..."
Her words trailed off, the unsaid implications poking at a man's pride, and Raymond erupted, "Out!"