Текст книги "Reciprocity"
Автор книги: K. I. Lynn
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Текущая страница: 2 (всего у книги 14 страниц)
CHAPTER 3
It took a while to recoup from our activities and to resume cooking dinner. A nap followed by a shower killed a few hours. The sun had set long ago, and there wasn’t much left of the day.
My leg muscles quivered as I stood at the counter. They were weak from all the things Nathan did to me, and threatened to give out. As I pulled the pasta out of the pantry, I looked at the trash can. I had to throw everything out, and even considered pitching the burned pot. Nathan boasted about his ability to clean it, and I was giving him the opportunity to prove it before throwing it away.
He also promised to clean up the…mess by the kitchen table.
The cracking noise of the pasta breaking as I put it in the pot covered up all other sound, so I didn’t hear Nathan as he stepped up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Trying again? I thought we’d just order in.”
I shrugged. “Pasta is quick and easy, and I’m hungry.”
His lips pressed against my neck. “Me too. I worked up an appetite.”
He let go and backed away, heading over to the now warm bottle of wine and placing it in the fridge.
I grabbed a slotted spoon from the drawer and stirred, breaking up the pasta so it didn’t clump. “Guess that will have to wait until tomorrow.”
“It’s not going to go bad.” He pulled out the butter and pasta sauce and placed them on the counter. “So, now that I have income again, let’s talk about the wedding.” I stopped stirring the pasta and turned to look at him. He arched his brow at me. “What?”
“I… Well, what kind of wedding do you want?”
He shook his head. “This is your thing. Plus, I’ve already done it. Isn’t it what women dream about and begin planning in the womb?”
I pursed my lips. He’d already had a big wedding when he married Grace, but did he want another one? “Maybe normal women, but I’m not exactly normal.”
“You are normal, but the way you grew up makes you unique.” His eyes softened the way they always did when I talked about my upbringing.
Hopefully that would change soon, and my abusive past would fade away. Adam’s trial date was set, and we were all ready to give our depositions in a few weeks.
“Oh, you’re a smooth talker tonight.”
He chuckled and ran his hand up and down my arms. “Honeybear, I just want to marry you. I don’t care how it happens. I’m sure you’ve thought at some point about getting married.”
I shook my head and returned to cooking. “I was pretty sure it wasn’t in the cards for me, so why waste my time dreaming about something that was never going to happen? There was no Prince Charming in my fantasies.”
“Well, there’s one in your life now.”
I quirked my brow at him. “You, charming?”
“I am very charming.” His lip twitched as a smile grew on his face. “In fact, I bet I can charm you right out of your clothes.”
“Hasn’t happened yet,” I said and stirred the pot.
His eyes went wide, and he stepped back. “Ouch! You’re feisty tonight.”
I sighed and looked up at him. “Can we just go to the courthouse?”
His lips formed a straight line and his brow crinkled, the light in his eyes dimming. “Is that really what you want?”
There was a pain in my chest from the expression on his face. “What else would I want besides you?”
He shrugged. “Flowers, friends and family—a beautiful dress?”
My mind whirled with that information. Was that what I wanted? Or was the quick and simple trip down the street the way to do it?
The more I thought about it, he was right—at one point in my life, I did think about a wedding. Long ago, back when I believed in Disney fairy tales, before the monsters of Grimm-like creations took away my childhood innocence, replacing it with fear-induced obedience and solitude. The days when my mom was still alive.
I sniffed and brushed a tear from my eye. “Maybe we could do something small.”
He smiled and leaned forward, kissing my forehead. “Small sounds perfect. With small, we could even do a destination wedding.”
I blinked at him, and images of blue skies and turquoise waters filled my mind. Our Florida vacation had been the best time I’d ever had.
I stepped toward him without even thinking about it. “The beach?”
He smiled down at me and brushed his fingers against my cheek. “I love that idea.”
I grinned and wrapped my arms around him.
“Any beach in particular?”
I stared at him and whimpered. “You’re overloading my brain with girly things.”
He laughed out loud and kissed me. “Do I need to get my mother and Teresa to help?”
I nodded furiously. “Otherwise I might have a panic attack even thinking about all the stuff I don’t know that has to be done.”
“First things first—where?”
Reaching up into the cabinets, I pulled down two plates. There was only one beach I’d ever been to. Was one beach better than another?
“All I’ve got is beach.” I gave a half-hearted smile.
“Okay, we’ve got time. We’ll look this weekend. How’s that?”
“Sounds perfect.”
He smirked at me. “By the way…where are your panties?”
“The ones from today?” He nodded. I bit my lip. “They’re in your pillowcase.”
“Fucking hell, baby.” He licked his lips. “Are you trying to make sure I fuck you while you’re sleeping tonight?”
“Maybe.” I shrugged.
“Next time, bring your wet pussy to me. You know I’m always up for taking care of you and your needs.”
“Oh, I know. I just wanted to see your reaction.” I winked at him and returned to finishing up dinner.
Owen slammed his hand on his desk, startling me. “Do you know what time it is?”
I glanced at the clock. “Five.” My lip curled up as I also noticed that I was only halfway through the file I was working on. It was going to be another late night.
“You know what five means, right?”
I quirked a brow at him. “Isn’t that the time normal people get to leave work?”
“Yes!” He pulled his suit jacket off and threw it over his desk and onto the floor. “You know what I’m doing today?”
A small laugh slipped through my lips. “Pretending you have a normal job with a steady schedule?”
He frowned and threw his hands in the air. “Lila, it’s Friday! I want to take Amy out on a date. Maybe have a nice long roll in the hay.” He slammed his file shut…or slammed it as well as file folders did. “I like you, but I spend more time with you than I do with anyone else. Let’s run away and spend more time with those we love.”
“That’s a nice dream.” I stretched my shoulders and neck for a moment, feeling stiffer with each second we imagined leaving the place we’d been stuck in all day long. I settled back into my seat and tried to get as comfortable as possible.
“It doesn’t have to be a dream. All you have to do is hit the save button, bookmark your place in the file, sign out of your computer, and walk out the door. Simple.”
“I don’t know—that sounds like anarchy in the making.” I glanced at the clock on my computer.
A couple of keystrokes later, Owen’s monitor went black.
“Fine, stay here. I tried to save you. Always remember that.”
I waved my hand at him as he walked around his desk and picked up his jacket off the floor. “Have a good weekend.”
He saluted, then disappeared down the hall. I shook my head, chuckling at his antics, then returned my focus to the file in front of me in hopes that I would also be able to leave. I fully expected to see Nathan pop in my office any minute, and wanted to get as much done as possible before that happened.
I finished another page before my phone whistled at me, signaling a text message. I picked up my phone and opened up the mailbox.
Congratulations on your engagement.
My brow scrunched as I looked at the number. It wasn’t someone from my contacts, and it wasn’t from an area code I was familiar with.
I set the phone down, my bottom lip trapped between my teeth. Part of me wanted to text back to find out who it was. The other part of me was washed with dread, knowing who it might be.
Nathan and I spent the weekend surfing the Internet, looking for resorts and beaches to hold our nuptials and reception. We decided on the island of Aruba. From the pictures, it looked like the oasis I’d formed in my mind. Being such a tourist destination, there were lots of beautiful places to contact. Most were booked up.
“Divi Aruba Pheonix emailed.” I stared at the screen, rereading the beginning of the message on my laptop to make sure it wasn’t just an automatic notification or something.
Nathan scooted up behind me, his chin resting on my shoulder. “Yeah? What did they say?”
My eyes scanned over the lines of print. “They’re booked until September, and they sent us more information.”
His frown reflected in the screen. “That’s so long.”
I arched my neck back and quirked a brow at him. “In a hurry, Mr. Thorne?”
He nodded. “Yes. You’re mine, and I want you to be mine in every way right fucking now. Problem with that?”
Warmth blossomed in my chest, spreading throughout my body. “No. I like it.”
“Makes you feel special, doesn’t it?” he asked, leaning in. I nodded. “Good, because you are special. You’re my everything.”
“There you go being all sweet and mushy again.” I pressed my lips against his neck.
“You love it, because you know when I’m done, I’m going to show your body who you belong to. I’ll bring out my dirty slut that begs to please me with her body. And if she’s a good girl, I’ll make her come over and over, giving her the pleasure she gives me.”
I squirmed against him, his words affecting me as always. His hand slipped around my waist to between my thighs, the heel of his hand digging in and rubbing against my clit.
My cheeks warmed, and I fought back a moan. “You’re distracting me. I’m trying to read.”
His teeth scraped against my neck. “Read later. I’m going to fuck you now.” His other hand pulled down my tank top and pinched my nipple, sending tingles through me.
“Insatiable much?” I asked, smiling as I teased him, trying to resist as long as possible. It always made him more aggressive when I put him off.
His hand was rough, grabbing at my pussy. “I haven’t had you today.”
“And you’re aggravated at having to wait so long.”
“Yes.”
“But if you let me read, I’d be able to tell you they have a last minute cancellation, creating an opening in three weeks.”
All movement stopped as he froze, reading the screen over my shoulder. “That’s just after Valentine’s. Fuck. Tell her we’ll take it!”
“But that’s so soon.”
“We’re fucking taking it.” His voice was firm.
“Are you sure?”
“Are you getting cold feet or something?” He arched an eyebrow at me and pursed his lips.
I shook my head. “No, it’s just…”
“What?”
I rubbed my knuckle against my lower lip. “Freaks me out.”
He slumped against me, groaning. “Why does it freak you out, baby?”
I was silent, unsure how to say what I felt—how my chest bubbled, my hands tingled, and the urge to run away from the conversation grew. “I’m still getting used to the idea that we’re engaged.”
His mouth rested against my shoulder. “Do you love me?”
“Yes.” What kind of question was that?
“Do you want to be with me forever?” He angled his head a little so he had a better view of my entire facial expression.
“Yes.” I blinked and swallowed, though I wasn’t nervous. I just… Well, I didn’t know what.
“Do you ever want to be apart from me?”
My head shook once more. “Never.”
He smiled at me. “Neither do I. So what does it matter when we do it? The sooner we get married, the sooner we can move on with our lives.”
Somehow, his words calmed me. “You have a point.”
He nodded and stared at me with a serious look in his gaze. “And I have a pointer I’d like to poke you with, so fucking tell her we’ll take it so we can celebrate with my cock shoved up your cunt.”
“Ass.” My lip quirked up, and I turned back to the computer.
“Not right now. I need to get off, and it’s going to be in your pussy first. Maybe I can hit your ass up later.”
He was pissy, which meant a quickie. Not that I had any problem with that—the man knew how to get me off in a short period of time.
As soon as I was done and my laptop was on the coffee table, he was leaning over and lowering me down to the floor. His lips found mine, almost bruising with the force of his kiss. One hand was pushing my pants down while the other pinned my arm beside my head. I was already wet from his groping, and even more so when he restricted me, even in the slightest ways.
My free hand reached between us, sliding against his abs until I reached his waistband. I pulled the front down just enough for his cock to join the party. It was more than enough room, because he swatted my hand away and pushed himself into me.
We both groaned as he entered, my hips angling up to get him deeper.
“Damn! It’s fucking Sunday. I should have wrecked this pussy this morning, but you wanted to go out for breakfast.”
I bit my lip.
“You planned for this, didn’t you? You wanted me to attack you like a fucking animal.” He pulled back, then slammed his cock back inside, making the breath leave my lungs and my back arch. “Throw you down like a slut and pound you until you can’t walk. Bruise your skin with my hands and teeth.” Another hard thrust of his hips, accentuated almost every other word. “That’s what you want, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Then take it. Take me.” He sped up, driving his cock into me at an unrelenting pace.
Talk was replaced with grunts and groans—chants to deities above. Each stroke was delicious torture, pushing me, dragging me.
My eyes and mouth were open as I screamed out, clamping down on him, milking the come from him with each pulse.
“Fuck!” He grabbed hold of my chin as I came down so we were face to face. The man before me was menacing and powerful, and I bowed to him. “Look me in the eyes when I fill you with my seed.”
I shuddered, the sexy words making me clench around him. I loved watching his come-face—the way he screamed out, face scrunched up, the tendons in his neck taut. It was followed by euphoria taking over, filling his eyes, and a lazy smile as the last drops seeped from him.
He collapsed down, trying to catch his breath. “I need a nap now.”
“Ditto.”
My limbs seemed boneless, unwilling to respond to my commands.
Job well done.
I let out a yawn as the elevator doors opened, blinking back the drowsiness fighting to send me back to dreamland. Fingers tangled with mine and tugged, forcing my feet forward.
“Come on, sleepyhead. I’ll walk you to your office,” Nathan said, smirking at me.
We rounded the corner and headed down the hall. I wasn’t paying much attention. I only knew someone was headed toward us, so I leaned into Nathan, making space. Despite my efforts, my shoulder grazed someone.
“Excuse you,” Tiffany said, sneering at me.
“Sorry,” I said. When I realized who it was, I knew she had run into me, not the other way around. I stopped and turned toward her, my body jerking as Nathan was still pulling my arm. “I didn’t realize you were blind. I mean, we moved over for you, but you still felt the need to run into me.”
She threw me her bitch brow. “What are you talking about, crazy town?”
My eye twitched at the name she called me. I was getting so close to laying one of the bitches out, and I wasn’t a violent person. How much more was I expected to stand?
“Why did you run into me? Is the need to feel superior to me, to bully me, that great? What do you get out of it?”
She gaped at me like a flustered fish. “You… I…”
“What? You do know your actions are hostile, and I can file a complaint against you, right? I mean, you would know this if you read the handbook.” She stared at me, unresponsive. “Oh, or was I wrong in thinking you could understand the legal language or read at all?”
Tiffany sputtered but failed to produce any words, her face growing red. I rolled my eyes and faced forward.
“Forget her,” Nathan said as we continued on our way.
I leaned against him, a new pep in my step. “Already have. She’s just a jealous bitch anyway.”
“Has their shit gotten better or worse since I came back?”
I shrugged. “It’s a toss-up. The good thing is they don’t interrupt my work anymore.” I looked up at him. “Do they come to your office?”
He shook his head. “No. I can’t help them with anything, and we’re not in the same department. They tried the first few days, but I shot that shit down immediately. No more bugging the crap out of me and trying to seduce me.”
“Only I get to do that.” I stood a little taller.
He smiled down at me and pulled me close. “I love it when you seduce me.” His lips pressed against my forehead. “Too bad we have an appointment tonight. I’d let you do it right after work.”
I’d forgotten about Dr. Morgenson. Due to the holidays, we hadn’t seen him much over the past few weeks.
“What do you think Darren will say? Do you think he’ll approve of the fast timeline?”
“He’s the one who encouraged us to go forward with our relationship. I’m sure as hell not asking our therapist when I can marry you.”
I patted his chest. “He’s not going to tell you what to do. He never does. It’s his job to tap his pen, look concerned, and sigh a lot. You know… like a parent would do to his son when he knows he’s whoring around with some little slut.”
“My little slut.” He pulled me in tighter.
“Tell that to him and then throw in a ‘By the way—I’ve nailed her repeatedly, so now it’s time to marry the little slut.’ See how he reacts to that.”
I giggled, and he pinched my ass. “You and that dirty mouth.”
I smiled and pushed off his chest, then sauntered away.
Seduction was for wimpy Boob Squad members. I knew what he wanted.
He wanted to tussle—to pull, yank, grab, and demand I be his.
Even though I already was.
CHAPTER 4
“You two look like the cat that ate the canary. What’s going on?” Dr. Morgenson asked, looking between us.
“We’re getting married in two weeks.” Nathan smiled, but his eyes hardened as he stared at the good doctor, almost as if warning him.
Darren blinked, his gaze shifting between us, studying. Then a chuckle slipped from the smile forming on his face. He shook his head and continued to laugh.
“What?” Nathan asked. It was obvious he was as confused at Dr. Morgenson’s reaction as I was.
“I’m beginning to wonder if you even need me anymore. The rate at which you’re improving is astonishing and has very little to do with me,” he said as he lifted his glasses and wiped away the tears in his eyes.
I leaned forward and shook my head. “But we owe you so much.”
His eyebrows shot up and he chuckled. “I mediate at best. I get you to open up to each other and communicate. But it’s been months since you’ve needed me in that capacity. I am in no way saying you’re both fine, but I believe you’re no longer in need of couples therapy.”
“Why? You were so insistent we needed it, and now?” Nathan’s brow furrowed.
Dr. Morgenson turned to Nathan and leaned toward him a little. “Seven months ago, you two had just gone through the equivalent of an atom bomb in your relationship. I was there, helping you pick up the pieces and put everything back together. Four months ago, I had a strong feeling that you were finally headed in the right direction after some very hard months and encouraged you to move forward. You were strong and united together. Lila has blossomed and stands up for herself and her wants, whereas you’ve relinquished a lot of fear of the Marconi and guilt over Grace.”
“The Marconi will always be watching and waiting.”
“But you’re better prepared this time. They will always be there, so why would you let them hold you back from being happy?”
“So, you don’t think we’re moving too fast?” Nathan took my hand and squeezed it.
“No, not at all. Especially for you two.” He leaned forward a little more and smiled. “I do, however, expect an invitation to the blessed event.”
“Wouldn’t be a party without you,” Nathan said, smiling, but it wasn’t at Dr. Morgenson—it was at his friend, Darren.
I chewed at my nail—a bad habit I seemed to be picking up. Granted, said nail had broken earlier in the day, so I was really just trimming it with my teeth.
My stomach was in knots because of the anticipation—the next morning, I’d be giving my deposition.
My eyes scanned over the document, but my mind was too distracted to focus on anything. I needed to talk to Nathan about what I was feeling, but it was so hard to put it into words. I was drowning in worry, but there was also another issue clawing at me.
Knowing it was sometimes easier for me to communicate via email, I opened up my Outlook and composed a short message.
To: Nathan Thorne
From: Delilah Palmer
Date: 2/4/2014 9:47 am
Subject: Are you sure?
Why don’t we just go to the courthouse?
I returned to biting my nail, telling myself I was just trying to make it straight again when I knew it was really because I was nervous. Not only that, I was scared of the deposition and the wedding.
To: Delilah Palmer
From: Nathan Thorne
Date: 2/4/2014 9:49 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
No. You want a wedding. Stop stressing. Plus, I want you walking down the aisle to me. Or are you saying you don’t want to marry me?
I blew out a breath as I read. I never meant to imply that.
To: Nathan Thorne
From: Delilah Palmer
Date: 2/4/2014 9:53 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
I want to marry you. Very much so.
I was just scared out of my wits and trying to find the easy way out.
To: Delilah Palmer
From: Nathan Thorne
Date: 2/4/2014 9:54 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
Good. Now stop stressing or I’m going to force you to relax.
I gasped as I read over a seemingly innocent sentence. It was anything but. Since Nathan and I no longer shared an office, our romps in and around the office had slowed to an almost halt. The thought of him finding me and taking me away was enough to wash away my panic and replace it with a need for him.
Time to flirt.
To: Nathan Thorne
From: Delilah Palmer
Date: 2/4/2014 9:56 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
And how would you force me to relax?
To: Delilah Palmer
From: Nathan Thorne
Date: 2/4/2014 10:01 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
Are you asking me to spell out in detail and dirty words the ways I would make you come over and over again until your body feels like Jell-O and you can’t walk?
Fuck!
To: Nathan Thorne
From: Delilah Palmer
Date: 2/4/2014 10:02 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
Promises, promises. Where’s the proof?
I bit my lip and sat back in my seat, staring at the screen, waiting for his response. Nathan was the exact distraction I needed. Only he could make it all go away.
To: Delilah Palmer
From: Nathan Thorne
Date: 2/4/2014 10:04 am
Subject: RE: Are you sure?
Conference room, 6th floor. NOW!
I sat up straight and quickly locked my computer. “Hey, Owen, I’m going to go get some coffee.”
He looked at me, then down at my desk and back up. “Uh-huh. Have fun. If anyone comes looking for you, I’ll tell them you’re in the bathroom.” I gaped at him. He shook his head and gave a little smile. “I’m not stupid. You’ve been distracted the last hour, and you have a full cup of coffee sitting on your desk.”
I looked down and cursed under my breath at the untouched mug. Heat flooded my face, and I tried to find some response.
“Go on. Don’t want him to wait, do you?”
I shook my head and stood to walk out the door. The cubes were bustling with chatter as I made my way past. Each step drew me closer to my goal, making my pussy twitch in anticipation.
I was in desperate need for him to take it all away.
My foot tapped as I waited for the elevator, half expecting Nathan to be waiting with me, but he wasn’t. When I got off on the sixth floor, I meandered through the mostly empty cubes. The sixth floor was a recent addition to Holloway and Holloway, and not many employees were currently working on it. All that made it perfect for a midday romp.
I turned the handle and stepped in, closing the door behind me. I wasn’t able to turn around when he grabbed me by the waist, his hand clamping down over my mouth.
“Shhh,” he whispered in my ear. His hips rocked against me, pushing his cock against my ass as I leaned into him. My desperation rose.
He let go of me and I turned around, latching my arms around his neck and bringing him down for a kiss. It took him a second to respond—the surprise was evident in his eyes. He was grabbing and groping, drawing up the hem of my dress with his fingers.
I reached between us, popped the button on his pants, and lowered the zipper, then reached in the opening and pulled his hard cock out. He drew in a shuddered breath, his eyes fluttering as I pumped up and down his length.
“Fuck, baby.” He gritted his teeth and picked me up, setting me down on the conference table a few feet away. He pushed my panties aside and slapped the head of his cock against my clit. “Something you want?”
“Please!” I was needy, desperate for our connection. He ran the length of his cock against my pussy, pushing the tip in, then out, torturing me. “Nate, please.” I was a whimpering mess.
He pulled on the back of my neck and smashed his lips to mine, then lined up and thrust in. My eyes rolled back in my head, shivers running through my skin as flames licked the inside. I groaned against him.
“I’ll take care of you, baby,” he whispered.
His hips rocked, pulling out and pushing back in until he was all the way in. For a minute he sat like that, as close as we could be. The tension started to leave me—the world was coming back into focus. One hand still held my neck while the other gripped tight on my ass as he moved in a slow, steady rhythm.
My hips moved against him, a plea for more. Harder. Faster. Everything.
His hand on my neck moved away, sliding down my back, and I grabbed tight on his shoulders. When he reached my other ass cheek, I knew the message was received. His eyes met mine, desire and lust clouding them and sending another shiver through me.
He kissed down my jaw to my neck as he pulled out, then slammed back in. I drew in a hard breath of surprise and bit back a moan. My nails dug into his shirt, wishing it was skin to pierce, driving him as the pounding picked up.
He leaned back and used the leverage on my body to pull and push me like a ragdoll with each of his thrusts. It was what I asked for, what I needed. Each thrust fanned the fire, whiting out everything around me. I was gasping for breath, muscles coiled tight, on the edge of falling.
It wasn’t enough.
I let out a strangled, muffled sob. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to mine.
“Come for me, baby.” He trailed kisses down to my neck, then turned them into tiny bites.
His teeth sunk into my shoulder right as his cock slammed in. I crumbled, shaking in his arms as I came, his body rocking with mine. He was still latched onto my neck, marking me, as he tensed and shuddered.
I stayed curled in his arms, my legs holding him securely to me. Once we were breathing steadier, he leaned back and looked me in the eyes.
He brushed away a strand of my hair with his fingers. “What was this really about, Honeybear?”
My brow scrunched, and I looked at his chest. “It was about the wedding, but it was also about the—”
“Deposition?” I nodded and snuggled into his neck. He ran soothing strokes up and down my back. “I won’t lie to you—tomorrow is going to suck, and in the worst way possible. The wedding is going to be easy compared to the trial and all the shit that goes along with it, but you know what?” I shook my head in the crook of his neck. His voice softened. “At the end of it all, you and I will be together, husband and wife, and that piece of shit will be locked up. It’s not going to be pretty, but it will be worth it in the end. I promise.”
I wanted to believe him, and I hoped he was right. Could it really be my first step to ending my nightmares?
I was drained. My mental state was affecting my physical state as I stumbled out of a conference room at the prosecutor’s office. It felt like my limbs were filled with lead, all the while my brain was drifting in the waves of the ocean.
Giving my deposition had been harder than I thought, and I was wrecked. Nathan wasn’t there to help as he was stuck at work until it was time for his. Not that he could have been in the room with me, but his presence outside might have helped.
All the trouble was in an effort to put my psychotic stepbrother, Adam, away for life.
“Hey, there,” a familiar voice said, calling me from the depths of my mind.
I looked up to find Caroline smiling down at me.
“What are you doing here?”
She sat next to me. “I had a feeling you’d be beaten down and in need of a friend.”
My bottom lip quivered and tears filled my eyes. Caroline wrapped her arms around me, drawing me close.
“Thank you.”
She ran her hand up and down my back. “How was it?”
“Bad. Really bad.” I sniffed and sat back. “I had to retell the whole thing—answer questions.” I let out a hard breath, trying to settle myself.
She ran her hand up and down my back. “Soon you’ll never have to talk about it again. You can push it all away and live your life.”
I nodded. “I know, but I’m still not looking forward to telling it all again at the trial and all the time in between then and now.”
“You should be.”
I looked at her, questioning her sanity. “Why?”
She smiled at me, her hand brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Because in two weeks you’re marrying the man you love and who loves you more than anything.”
Her words washed away all the bad as I thought about all the good coming my way. It helped, more than words could say, to be reminded of where my future was going. Adam and his actions kept yanking me into the past, but soon that would be done, and he would be out of my life forever. Soon I would have a husband and be part of a family that loved me. All my wishes I once thought were an unrealistic goal for me were coming true.
“Come on.” Caroline stood and held out her hand. “Let’s go get some lunch.”
“What about work?”
She rolled her eyes at me. “You forgot, didn’t you?”
“Forgot what?”
“Jack told you to take the day off. We’re meeting Sarah and Teresa at the dress shop at two.”
“Oh, yeah.” Only I would forget about shopping for my own wedding dress. My brow scrunched. “Were we meeting for lunch?”
“No.”
“Then why did you come?”
She grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Because I knew my friend needed me.”
I pulled her in for another hug. “I’m so happy you’re my friend.”
