Page 64 of Enthrall
I felt like I’d lost him.
Richard stretched out his arms on either side of the pool edge. His face filled with confusion.
“What is it?” I called over.
He broke my gaze, his trembling throat hinting he was holding back on his emotions. I felt terrible seeing him this way and hated myself for causing this.
“Forgive me,” he said, his tone soothing, reassuring.
“There’s nothing to forgive,” I said, confused. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Of course not.” He rested his hand over his chest and blinked at me in surprise. “You could never do anything wrong.”
My heart ached with his rejection.
Winston licked Richard’s ear.
Richard flinched and broke out of his trance. “Hey buddy,” he said, “You always know what to say.”
My confidence dissipated as my embarrassment rose.
Richard beamed an enigmatic smile my way to lessen the tension. “Mia Lauren is naked in my pool. I’m one lucky guy.”
So why had he stopped kissing me?
He peered up at the sky. “Do you miss looking at the stars? I do. All this smog. You can’t quite believe it until you live here.”
He was right. It was hard to tell the clouds from the smog. But I didn’t give a damn about that right now.
Richard returned his attention to Winston, patting his head. He kissed the end of his nose, saying,“You ask what is our policy?”Richard’s English accent sounded flawless.“I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: victory.”
“What was that?” I said, astonished.
Richard beamed a smile. “To annoy my father I majored in history.” He peered over at Winston. “Didn’t I, Sir?” He winked at me. “I wrote my dissertation on Churchill.”
“You named your dog after Sir Winston Churchill?”
“Shush.” Richard covered his dog’s ears. “Winston doesn’t know he’s not him. He thinks he’s giving a speech in the House of Commons first thing in the morning.” He scratched Winston’s chin. “Yes, you are, sir.”
“Why Churchill?” I wondered why he’d not chosen an American president.
“Churchill was the man I wished my father could have been.”
“You don’t like your father?”
He gave a shrug. “That speech rallied the British to prepare for World War II. His words led a country to victory.”
I swooned at Richard’s worldliness. “I’ve never been to England. Cameron says it’s very cold.”
“Bloody cold.”
“You should really try talking to your dad,” I said. “Before it’s too late. I’d give anything to be able to talk to mine again.”
He gave a look of sympathy.
“I miss him every day,” I said. “Even though he wasn’t always nice. So I get it.” I pointed to him. “No matter how many disagreements you’ve had, he’s still your dad.” I gazed up at the dusky sky. “I’d give anything for another hug from mine.”
He gave a sigh. “Would you do me the most amazing favor?”
