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“Oh, are we leaving?” she asked with facetious surprise.
“You want to stay?” He held her simmering gaze without flinching.
“Does it matter what I want?” She stalked ahead of him to the door.
He waited until they were in the back of the car to say belligerently, “I didn’t like what he said.”
“I didn’t like whatyousaid. Can I push you in the pool?”
“Will it get us over this spat as quickly as possible?”
“Is that what this is? Tell me I’m overreacting, Saint.I dare you.”
He waited a beat, then spoke in an ultra-calm voice that was so condescending, she wanted to hit him. “The news was going to come out eventually.”
“I asked you for one thing.” Fliss’s voice shook despite her best efforts to keep it level. She removed her necklace and earrings and dropped them into the cup holder that was closest to him in the console between them. For good measure, she toed off her shoes and pushed them toward him with her foot.
“Really? You’re going to go barefoot to prove a point? It was his disrespect toward you that got under my skin.” Saint was speaking through his teeth again. “Now they know where you stand in my estimation.”
“Do they?” she cried. “You have no idea how hard this is for me, do you? That I have to useyourmoney to pretend I belong here when I absolutely do not and everyone knows it? They see straight through me, but I soldier on, pretending for your sake that I can’t tell they can barely bring themselves to speak to me.I’mtrying not to embarrassyou. And I keep telling myself that it’s okay that you don’t know how hard this all is because youcan’tknow. You’ve never been in this situation. So I accept your ignorance.”
He opened his mouth, and she held up a finger.
“It’s the part where you don’tcarehow hard this is for me—and just went ahead and made it harder—that I can’t forgive. Yes, I know exactly where I stand in your estimation, Saint. Guess where you stand in mine?”
They didn’t speak again until they were back in their suite, but all Fliss said was, “I’m going to bed.” She removed her makeup and did just that.
She was so tired she fell into a deep sleep immediately, but after a few hours, her turmoil of emotions conjured an old dream that was nightmare and memory combined. Granny was gathering her into her arms, speaking before she’d fully awaked.
I’m sorry, pet. I’m so sorry. At least you were safe here with me and not in the car with them.
“Fliss, wake up.” Saint’s voice was a hard snap that had her gasping and fighting the blankets and his arms, trying to sit up. “Are you okay?” His hand slid across her back as he gathered her closer, but she pushed away from him, heart pounding, skin clammy.
“Don’t.” She realized her cheeks were wet and reached to the nightstand for a tissue.
“Was it just a nightmare or...?”
Just?All of this was a nightmare!
She grabbed her pillow and swung it around, managing to catch him by surprise enough that he took a face full of silk and feathers before he cursed and grabbed the pillow, throwing it off the bed.
“You sounded like you were in pain,” he said with fresh frustration. “Tell me you’re okay. Is the baby okay?”
“The baby is fine.Iam not okay. I thought I could count on you alittle. But all you did was tell everyone the only reason you’re keeping me around is because your previous lover sabotaged your birth control.”
“I did not say that.No oneknows that part of it.”
“Iknow it!” And recalling that particular detail provoked a fresh sense of abandonment that was so acute she could hardly bear it.
Fliss rose and went into the bathroom for a robe, tying it over the pajamas she wore.
“Where are you going?” he asked as she ghosted through the dim room toward the sitting area.
“I want some tea.”
“I’ll phone for some.”
“Oh, mygawd. This maid is already up.” She slid the belt of the robe higher on her waist so it was more comfortable. “There’s no use waking another to boil a kettle.” She resisted the urge to slam the door on her way out.
