Page 28 of Mr. Kelly

“All I did was come to the interview you scheduled,” I protest, loving the way his lips feel on my neck.

“In stilettos and a dress that screamsfuck me?”

I don’t get the chance to tell him that this is the closest to an interview outfit I had since I packed light because his lips cover mine, taking a hungry kiss. He rips my panties, and I’m under his spell again, willing to have him any way I can. Breaking the kiss, he stares at me while he opens his pants. Some of his hair has fallen into his face, breaking his outward appearance of perfection. I brush the hair away as he enters me, taking me back to our night in the hotel three days prior. It’s the best kind of intrusion.

“Damn, Kelly,” I moan.

“Say it again.”

“What?”

“My last name.”

“Kelly. Mr. Kelly.”

He drops his head to the side and inhales deeply, as if hearing me say his last name is an aphrodisiac.

Theodore’s eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen when he speaks again. “It’s time to learn what happens when you tease me.”

Chapter Fourteen

THEODORE

I’m stillhigh off the taste and feel of River when I return to the main house hours later. I’m not just some man looking for a second act and putting all my dreams on River because she’s pregnant. I am well aware of the world around me. First, I wouldn’t be in this situation with River without first liking her as a person. Second, a house full of babies will not undo the damage Helena has done to my faith in her or my ability to trust her.

I know my behavior lately has me in the untrustworthy category as well, but this is different. The papers were being drafted before I touched River. Even now, they are ready to be served. River and I have a lot to figure out. I don’t believe in fairy tales anymore, so I’m not going to assume I’d drop Helena and marry River. While we have mutual affection for each other, I’ve learned from my current marriage that love isn’t enough if we’re not willing to work together. I’m reluctant to hand my last name over to someone else without extensive vetting.

The house is quiet, and while it’s familiar, the memories created here are cold. I knew Helena had an aloof air to her when we were dating, but I’d looked past it. Now, I know it should have been a glaring red flag. Now, I’m being the kind of man I wouldn’t want my son to be.

“You hate me, don’t you?”

I look over to find Helena sitting in a dark corner with a bottle of wine next to her. Moving closer, I see that it’s a bottle that River picked, but I’m going to allow her the pity party she seems to be throwing herself.

“I don’t hate you. I just don’t trust you.”

It’s an honest answer. After my night with River four months ago, I vowed to tell the unfiltered truth when asked.

She sniffles, and as my eyes adjust more, I find the real reason for her tears. While I don’t doubt that she cares about me in her own way, she doesn’t strike me as the type to drown her relationship issues in a bottle of wine. Her elevated foot wrapped in bandages would be the reason for this.

“What happened to your foot?”

She looks off to her right where the full wineglass sits, as if it’s going to speak for her. “I was upset with you for embarrassing me. I’m doing this process for you, and you didn’t bother to defend me.” I don’t say anything so she’ll get to the point. Her feelings from earlier have nothing to do with what I asked her about her foot. “I wasn’t focused and landed wrong. I have a sprained ankle and a metatarsal stress fracture.”

“Why didn’t you call me from the hospital?”

Helena shakes her head, and I know she’s about to sprout some bullshit. “You don’t care.”

With a sigh, I sit across from her. “I don’t care when you throw tantrums. I don’t care about your unnecessary events, and I don’t care when you make over-the-top demands.” I look at her pointedly because the next part is true. “I do care if my wife hurts herself and has to go to the hospital alone to deal with an injury that has just sidelined her.”

“Don’t act like you weren’t looking for my career to end, Theodore.” The venom in her tone pulls a sigh out of me. “You win.”

I stare at her like she’s lost her mind. Then again, part of me thinks that she has. “I win? You thinkthisis what I wanted?” I ask while motioning towards her foot. “No. I advised you to retire while you were at the top of your career, then use your name to create a brand. I didn’t tell you to dance until you couldn’t dance anymore. I wanted a full life with a real partner, that’s all I wanted.” Helena doesn’t respond, just stares at me like I’m somehow the root of all her problems. Standing, I pull out my phone. “I’ll arrange for a private nurse to help you until you can move independently again.”

“You’re not going to take care of me?”

“No. I’ll be busy.”

She snorts and shakes her head. “Unbelievable.”

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