“Grace!” Robert shouted, struggling into his Dockers. “Wait!”
“You’re justleaving?Without even raising your voice?” Jamie frowned like he couldn’t understand that decision. “Sweet Jesus, how did a timid little thing like you even get mixed up with such a man? If you can’t take care of yourself, someone should be watching out for your interests. Perhaps that’s why you’ve been given to me.”
Timid? Grace shot him a glare. “I’m not timid and I wasn’tgivento you.”
“Oh, it’s bloody clear you’re mine now.” He argued as if she was being totally unreasonable. “Why else can you see me? How else could you even begin to explain it? You belong to me as surely as I’m standing here.”
“Except you’renotstanding there.” Grace retorted, ignoring his territorial words. “…And I’m taking care of myself just fine.” She tacked on a little belatedly.
“Well, prove it, then. Go over there and punch the son of a bitch.”
“What good would that do?”
“T’would make him bleed! Which the wanker fuckingdeserves.”
He probably did, but Grace never wanted to see blood again. Shaking her head, she headed outside with Jamie hot on her tail. “I just want togo.” She insisted quietly.
Jamie made a frustrated sound. “Lass, confrontation is good for the soul. It’s unhealthy to repress your feelings. Just beat him about the head and you’ll be shocked at how much better you feel.”
“Grace!” Robert fastened his belt, dashing across the lawn after her. “Darling, this wasnothing. I swear. The woman meansnothingto me. A passing diversion.” He made a frustrated sound when she kept walking and reached out to seize her arm. “Listen to me, damn it!” He gave her an impatient shake.
Jamie’s expression grew even darker. “That wanker is putting his hands on you!”
Grace tried to pry herself free, but Robert wasn’t letting go.
“I wouldn’t have even looked twice at her, if you weren’t semi-frigid.” Robert continued, his fingers digging into her flesh. “I have needs, you know. Sometimes I have to fulfil them with a cheap slut, but that pizza-tramp has nothing to do with us.”
There was evidently no in-between for Robert: Women were either semi-frigid or pizza-tramps. And in that sexist dichotomy, it seemed like Grace was cast as the boring, icy, un-fun one.
He really was a wanker.
“Son of abitch.” Jamie was still seething about Robert manhandling her. If he could’ve touched anything, there would’ve been a whole lot of bloodshed on the professionally lawn-serviced lawn. “Grace, leave himnow.”
Like she wasn’t trying. Grace finally jerked herself free of Robert’s painful grip and kept heading for her car.
“But my heart belongs toyou.” Robert went passionately, still not taking the hint. He made another grab for her and Jamie all but snarled at him. Grace evaded his grasp, walking faster. “You know that. We’re alike, you and I. Made for each other. All my friends say so. Don’t spoil everything with some juvenile fit of jealousy.”
“Donea listen to awordhe says.” Jamie warned, slanting Robert a deadly look. “If you eventhinkof forgiving such a man, I will bloody well lose my mind.”
Grace tuned them both out and dug her keys from her purse. Until that moment she didn’t realize how little Robert mattered to her. Her family had tried to warn her that he wasn’t her true Partner, but she hadn’t listened.
Except, on some level, shehad.
She’d never given Robert everything inside of her, because she’d never felt safe with him. Grace had never felt safe withanyone. Some part of her always held back.
Now she was angry and hurt, but her heart wasn’t breaking. She wouldn’t forgive him, so she didn’t see the need to yell or cry. There was simply no reason to. He cheated on her and now it was over. Like flipping a light switch, her tepid feelings for him snapped off forever. Part of his appeal had always been how little he affected her. Grace could see that now.
Shehadknown that he wasn’t a gentleman.
Jamie’s disapproval was making her feel inadequate, though. He clearly wanted her to have a huge, dramatic scene. Given the fact that he had no problem saying every thought in his invisible head, it was no wonder he couldn’t understand her reticence. But the last time she’d shared all her thoughts, she’dbeen locked in a padded cell for a week. Grace never,everwanted to go back into that hospital. Losing control, again…No. Just the idea panicked her.
Peaceful green cornfields.
Peaceful green cornfields.
Peaceful green cornfields.
Robert smoothed down his dark hair, casting a furtive look around. It looked like the pizza girl had used clumps of it as handles, so it stuck out in wild spikes. God only knew what the neighbors would think. “And really this wouldn’t have even happened if you hadn’t mixed up the dates, Grace. Honestly, how could you not know it was Thursday?”
