Page 19 of What Happens This Christmas
I swallowed, a lump of hysteria stuck in my throat, making it difficult to find my breath. December was officially my least favorite month of the year. Second, of course, only to January. With my pumps on, all I had to do was angle my head, and our lips could touch.
Don’t do it.
Let go of the passion.
Forget what you feel for him.
Things would never be as they once were, and it was unfair to myself, to both of us, to think otherwise.
Nick wasn’t one to back down. He knew what he wanted, went after it with a vengeance, and didn’t stop until he got it. In this case, it was our divorce. It didn’t matter where I’d stood. I’d just be collateral damage.
His warm breath hit me, and my stomach felt like it hit rock bottom. “I know a little something about difficult things.” He claimed my chin with his thumb and forefinger, prompting me to hold my head high so we were even closer.
My knees felt weak, my heartbeat unsteady.
He didn’t let me make a move, though, dropping my chin and stepping back, putting distance between us again.
I had to wonder, though, why he would go and do something like that. Never mind. I shook my head, mentally trying to remove the mist that was clearly clouding my brain. It was a good thing he did that. “She can’t find out about us,” I responded, licking my lips as a war raged inside me.
“Pretty sure she already knows about us.” He winked.
This was not the time for silly business. “I’m serious, Nick.” I cleared my throat and regained my wits about me. Most of them anyway. “I don’t want Eloise to know that we’re getting divorced.”
“Lying to these…other people is one thing, but lying to your sister…”
“It’s what I want. That was part of my terms. That no one finds out.” Not that he needed the reminder. “That includes my sister.”
His eyes glowed with frustration. “January can’t come fast enough.”
My nostrils flared as I breathed heavily, embers of annoyance burning deep in my soul. “You know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun.”
“Are you having fun, wifey?”
“It’s called faking it, which shouldn’t be too difficult. I’ve had enough practice faking orgasms the entirety of our relationship.”
It was a bold statement, and it was a false one. So extremely false, but I knew it would cut deeper than a thousand shards ofglass. Petty? Perhaps. But this was his doing. He was the one divorcing me, and he’d best remember that.
Suppressing a smirk, he nudged his chin toward the en suite. “I’m going to take a shower. While I’m gone, you might want to pray for forgiveness.”
“For what?” I spat back at warp speed, blinking rapidly.
“Lying. It is a sin, you know.”
Chapter 10
magnificent piece of meat
Candy
“It’s nice out here. Reminds me of the morning I had after boinking George Maxwell, the rocker, when I was following him on tour,” Eloise said, walking out onto the terrace where I was enjoying my morning coffee. I’d slept in, and Nick was already out of the house, doing whatever Nick did, so this was my time.
I didn’t care much for Eloise infringing on it. Especially having to listen to her go on about some man she had relations with a million years ago. Some things just shouldn’t be spoken about. This topic fell into that category. I put my mug down on the table and turned to my sister.
She was wearing fuzzy boots, sweatpants, and a hoodie that she pulled up and tied so tight around her throat, I wondered how she could possibly breathe. She looked like she was ready to tussle with the abominable snowman. “Do you remember that, Cici?” she asked, pushing me to respond to her ridiculous comment.
“How could I? I wasn’t there.” And we certainly didn’t have the kind of relationship where we talked about every little thing, especially her sexcapades.
Sighing, Eloise came and sat down next to me, stuffing her hands into the front of her sweatshirt.So, she’s making herself comfortable out here…yippee.“Oh. Well, it was goooood,” she said, her voice coming out singsong.
