Page 46 of Healing the Heart

“While you grab my stuff, I’ll start one for my insurance claim. Pillows, linens, and a new mattress are at the top because I’m never sleeping there again.”

“We’ll get him, Fiona,” he repeated, the steely determination in his voice leaving no room for doubt.

Chapter 13

More than Good

UNLIKE HER MODEST TWO-bedroom, two-bath apartment that shared a breezeway with three other units, Noah’s condo in Brentwood occupied half of the entire top floor. It was warm and inviting, decorated in warm tones and with cozy furniture. There was light hardwood flooring and ceramic tile throughout, but each room had plush area rugs so thick she left footprints where she walked. They helped muffle the sound, which his downstairs neighbors had to appreciate.

“Make yourself at home. I have to make a call then I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping.”

Sadly, not with him, so it seemed.

While he was occupied, she wandered around his living room, which had several floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on the giant sycamores lining the street. They brought a touch of nature into his space along with shade, the full leafy branches filtering the light rather than allowing in the glaring bright sunshine. It gave the impression he lived in the woods rather than in the second largest metropolis in the US.

She trailed her fingers across the back of the woven upholstered couch, noticing the faint scent of vanilla and possibly sandalwood from an air freshener plugged into the wall.A framed photo on a bookshelf, one of the few personal touches in the room, caught her eye.

When she picked it up, she gazed at a much younger Noah in a tux, grinning at his bride. She was stunning, with long, straight blonde hair and blue eyes. She was also petite, contrasting with her own 5’9” frame, but she shared the same softly rounded curves.

“That’s me and Claire, eight years ago, on our wedding day,” he said, having come up behind her without her noticing.Maybe the rugs muffled the noise too well.

Where he’d bounced from angry to concerned before, his expression now looked closed off and guarded.

“You look happy.”

“We were.”

She glanced back at the picture, running her finger along the beveled edge of the frame. “She was beautiful, and curvy like me. It reminds me I owe you an apology for misjudging you and being... well, for lack of a better word, a bitch. I truly thought you had a disdain for... um, fluffy girls.”

“I’m a physician and have studied the human body extensively. I find it fascinating, especially the female form, which, in my opinion, is beautiful no matter what size or shape.”

“From my experience, you’re a rare breed. Jordan said you called me Fat Fiona that night and worse, a fat—” She couldn’t bring herself to say the C-word, but hearing the rest aloud reinforced how big a fool she was. Closing her eyes, she stifled a groan. “He lied, but I’m the idiot for believing him.”

“You’re not an idiot. And you’re not fat. You’re voluptuous, a body type that, as a dominant, I’m quite fond of. He picked up on your insecurities. You’ve heard comments like that before, haven’t you?”

“Yes, although less foul than his. I despise the C-word. But they were still painful, starting back in the fourth grade with Gina Malloy.”

“A ten-year-old mean girl,” he stated with a sigh that said without words,what is this world coming to?His hands curled around her shoulders, and he turned her to face him. “Your self-esteem has taken a beating for a quarter of a century. It’s understandable you’d have trust issues. As for Jordan, he clearly has a host of problems. Trey and I were having a drink that night when he joined us, uninvited. As you now know, he was the one who made the offensive, hurtful remarks.”

“You looked angry. I thought it was directed at me for eavesdropping.”

“Not at you, kitten. At him. His behavior pissed me off. You know humiliation of any kind is against club rules unless part of a negotiated scene.”

“I can’t believe there are women who actually enjoy that.”

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