Page 31 of Storm in a D Cup

Julian sighed, ran his hand through his hair yet again and started on the dishes. I got up and put myself between him and the sink. Something I rarely did.

‘OK, I’m sorry,’ I apologized. ‘Maybe that was uncalled for. But I hate having her here. She’s… obnoxious.’

‘It won’t be for long. Three more days. I promise.’

Three more days, for a total of one week. Was that how long herwin-Julian-backplan was supposed to take? If so, she definitely had loads of self-confidence. And I found I had less and less each day. It had taken me a lifetime to feel secure in this relationship, and look at me in the space of a few hours.

‘She wants you back. Big time,’ I huffed.

‘But I’m married,’ he said, leaning in to kiss me, pushing me back against the butler sink. ‘And in love.Big time.’

‘Yeah, yeah. Tell Genie Stacie that.’

‘I will.’

*

But I was still mad at the whole situation and at bedtime I made a big show of reading a book. And ignoring him. He looked at me for a moment, then sighed and lay with his hands behind his neck, staring at the ceiling.

I slapped the page over and flattened it with my fist as if it was Genie Stacie’s face. Julian turned to look at me again.

‘Still mad?’

I shrugged, not trusting my voice.

‘Erica, honey, please. Don’t let a lost woman like Genie Stacie scare you. She may be famous for the long legs, but I much preferyoursaround me – any day or night.’

Ha. It figured he’d revert to sex to butter me up. He always did. Slimy, sleazy bastard. Boy, it sure worked.

I huffed in exhaustion. ‘I just think she’s such a flake. And the influence she’s having on Maddy is scaring me. I flew my daughter across the ocean so Marcy wouldn’t damage her and…’ I gulped back the words down my throat, my eyes feeling like two flooded warehouses full of wet baggage. I couldn’t get another word out.

‘She’s leaving Tuesday night. Then we won’t see her ever again, if I know her. Just be patient for a little while longer – please?’ he whispered, tracing my thigh with his index.

Uh-oh. I was succumbing to his charm again. Damn. Not to give him any satisfaction, I huffed and turned around onto my back again, crossing my arms over my chest as if to tell him there was no way we were having sex tonight. He took his cue like a pro, pulling my arms away from my body and nuzzling my face. I sighed again, this time a little less loudly. The bastard knewexactlyhow to butter me up.

‘OK,’ I whispered. ‘But Tuesday she’s gone and out of our lives, agreed?’

‘Oh, yeah,’ he moaned as his mouth found mine.

10

Goodnight Vienna

Gene Stacie would do anything to cling to Julian. Now she’d just come up with a story about a phone call from a producer friend of hers in Hollywood and talks about Julian’s new novel becoming a movie, and was he interested in writing the script? And also, if that wasn’t enough, she needed his help about somethingvery delicate.

Butt out,I wanted to say to her.We’re trying to keep our family together and you’re not helping.Especially because whenever she was around Julian and I ended up arguing.

Don’t get me wrong. I was thrilled for Julian. He deserved his novels to be made into movies, and more. But Genie Stacie could not be a condition necessary for that to happen. I realized that she had managed to make us argue just hours after giving us the news.

She was talking to producers and one in particular (I can’t remember his name because you could only believe half the stuff she said) was watching Julian’s sales closely and interested in talks about a movie. Not that I didn’t believe a producer was interested because Julian’s books were beautifully written, and his sales certainly warranted such interest. You don’t become aNew York Timesbestseller for nothing.

So, given all this interest in Julian, Genie Stacie had – wait for it –bookedhim a flight back with herto meet said producer. Without even checking with him if it was OK. Evidently it was.

‘What do you think?’ he asked me when we were alone in our bedroom.

I shrugged, still wary of her. She could be lying. It could all be a ruse to get him back to the States where I couldn’t watch her like a hawk.

Support your man in all weathers,I told myself, although it was storming brutally between us at the moment. But I guess if it was all bona fide, then he had to give it a shot.

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