Page 22 of Robert

She followed him up the steps and waited while he pushed open the door with one booted foot.

“Oh Robert!” Forgetting her earlier misgivings, she stepped into one big space that was the living room where a fire was burning in the hearth. “It’s so cozy.”

Her face was so animated and exquisite, he had to turn away from her as desire slammed full force through his body. The bitterness of his situation floated to the surface, reminding him that he could damn well look, but not touch.

“I will go and put these away.” He said gruffly, turning out of the room.

Shrugging her shoulders at his unfriendly tone, she explored the room, admiring the antique cabinet filled with memorabilia and moved over to run her fingers over the brick fireplace.

Robert stood in the largest of the three bedrooms and turned in a circle to ensure that everything was up to par. He had put in a call to the caretaker to make certain that the place was thoroughly cleaned, and the linens were laundered. The man and his wife had not disappointed him.

The quilt on the queen-sized bed smelled like flowers blooming in the summer and there was a low-grade fire simmering inside the hearth. A rocking chair was facing the hearth, and the thin light green drapes were opened offering a stunning view of the river that ran through the property.

This bedroom was ideal for her because it had an attached bathroom. He would take one of the smaller ones – the one farthest away from her and he knew he would spend the nights unable to sleep because of the close proximity.

He tensed when the scent of her perfume assailed his nostrils.

“This is where you’ll be staying,” he murmured, without turning around.

“Hardwood floors. I like it. This place is incredible.”

Moving to the side, he shifted so that she could get by him and watched as she wandered over to the bed and run her hand lovingly over the colorful quilt. Unable to bear any more, he turned towards the doorway.

“Mrs. Ellwood left some food in the warmer if you’re hungry.”

“I just need a cup of tea.” She looked up and smiled at him. “Thanks.”

With a curt nod, he retreated and closed the door behind him.

He was imagining her lying on the bed, naked, with her hair spread over the white pillowcase and it was unbearable. Taking his things into the bedroom further down the hall, he slammed the door and leaned against it, his breathing labored as if he had been running a marathon.

She did not seem in the least bit disturbed by the idea of spending time alone with a strange man. Which left him to wonder if that was her usual style.

He knew the lifestyle of the rich and famous and that bed hopping was like an art form to them. The bitterness strangled inside his throat as he wondered if she was like that. She was beautiful and incredibly sexy and would just have to crook her finger to have men running to do her every bidding.

How many men has she been with? The bitterness was threatening to overwhelm him, but he could not stop his thoughts from diving into what was becoming too painful for words. He recalled the men she had been linked with.

Several actors with their glossy good looks and a few models. There had been a lawyer as well as a judge and one or two NFL players. Had she slept with all of them? That asshole, Jason,would have been her first and the violence he felt towards the man was astonishing.

He had done the inadvisable and followed her on social media while he was struggling to make something of himself. Easing away from the door, he walked jerkily over to the sofa tucked beneath the window and lowered himself there, a frown on his brow.

He had told himself that he was doing so to inspire himself to be the best - to make what he was doing count. But all it had accomplished was to show him how hopeless his feelings were for her.

He had seen photos of her with her mother and some glaze-eyed rich prick, at fancy restaurants, going about town. Shaking his head, he stared moodily out at the encroaching darkness.

He had not eaten much at the faux ceremony; his stomach had been tied up in knots. But he was not hungry – at least not for food. The gnawing need for her was collected in one place, the lower part of his body.

He was so deep in thought that the knocking on the door was like a cannon ball and had him jumping reflexively.

“Robert?”

Even her voice set him off, he thought grimly.

“Yes?”

“Are you decent? I made us some sandwiches and I know you would be starving. I know I am.”

He almost ordered her to go away but decided not to at the last minute.

---