Page 172 of The Vacation Mix-Up
“What?”
“There’s not much left.”
“Riley!”
“It’s good shit.”
“Yes, I know. That’s why I buy it.”
He rolls onto his side and props his head on his hand, hisgreedy eyes raking my body. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay in Paris with me? I’ll make it worth your while.”
“I’m sure you would, but I can’t. I’ve been away too long already, and I have no doubt I’ll have to pay for that in one way or another.”
His eyes narrow before he falls onto his back again.
Sighing, I step into the bathroom, close the door behind me, and lean against it, my head and heart at war. I’d give anything to stay with him in the city of love, wrapped in sheets with the Eiffel Tower beyond our hotel room window. I’ve never wanted anything more… besides having Mom back.
But like resurrection and winding back time, what he’s asking for is out of my hands. My job is my life, and if I don’t return when I said I would, I won’t have a job to go back to. I’ve learned so much as Georgia’s slave, and I need to keep saving my pennies so I can eventually free myself of her entrapment and accomplish what I’ve worked so damn hard for. Until that happens, I’m chained to her every whim, and as much as I want to throw caution to the wind with Riley, those chains are stronger than my heartstrings.
Much to Riley’s annoyance,I worked most of the evening while he channel-surfed and seduced me, his seduction eventually winning over. We had sex again, and I was most pleased with his victory, even though I still had more work to do, which was now going to have to wait, because today, we travel to London after docking at Southampton in the early hours of the morning.
“How exciting! We’re in Winchester,” I say as the train passes underneath a brick, arched bridge. “This place is rich in history.” I drag my eyes from the lush green bushland and glance at Riley. “Did you know it was once the ancient capital of England, known as the Kingdom of Wessex? It’s also where Jane Austen is buried.”Scooting forward on my seat, I press my forehead to the window as we slow to a stop. “Parts of Harry Potter were filmed here too.”
“Do you want to get off and take a look?” Riley asks as the doors slide open, commuters embarking and disembarking in a flurry to get to their destination.
I do want to see Winchester, but I also don’t. I’m not fond of the idea of rushing our time in London. There’s so much to see and do there. Perhaps, one day in my distant, distant future, I’ll get the chance to return.
I sigh. “I’d love to meander about, but we won’t have time.”
“There are trains leaving Waterloo Station and returning to Southampton as late as eleven thirty tonight.”
“I know,” I say, snuggling into him, “but it’s too early to stop here. Nothing is open. And I don’t want to get back too late. I barely made a dent in that second manuscript last night.”
“Riles, you’re on vaca?—”
“Please don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t give me a hard time.”
He raises his hands. “I just want you to do whatyouwant to do.”
“I am. I’m here, aren’t I? And anyway, how about you? What do you want to do and see? When we planned our trip for today, you let me pick all the places.”
He settles his hands again, one on my shoulder, the other on his lap. “That’s because they were the places I wanted to see as well.”
“So we’re not omitting anywhere you wanted to visit?”
“No. I want to see Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, and the Tower of London. We’re going to all of them, so I’m happy.”
Biting the inside of my cheek, I conclude he’s telling the truth. “We can’t stop here, even if I wanted to. We booked our admission to Windsor for nine, and we’ll arrive there not long before that time. If we get off now, we’ll have to cancel and reschedule. And we mightmiss out.”
“Do you always do everything by the book?”
“Mostly, yes. I like to be organized.”
“I can tell.”
