AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A feeling of melancholy suddenly washed over her. She’d managed to keep all those worries at bay for the past day and a half. Now, knowing he’d meant to leave yesterday, and could probably only postpone his trip home for a few more days, she began to realize her tactical error. In taking all the wicked, spoiled, exotic moments she could with him, had she simply opened a window in her mind to miss him all the more when she returned to the real world? Her world?
“Finished?”
Nodding, she rose from the table and walked over to the couch. She sat down, continuing to stare outside, suddenly unsure of what to say, how to behave. She was aware she was being was ridiculous, considering the amazing intimacies they’d shared throughout the weekend. It might have taken her longer than just Friday night, but Damien had definitely hit twelve and kept right on going. As for Viv? Well, she’d stopped keeping count.
So why was this suddenly so awkward?
“What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing.”
He walked over to stand behind her, dropping his hands onto her shoulders, gently kneading them. Viv sighed with pleasure, tilting her head to the side to give him better access. If there was a man on the planet who was more skilled with his hands, she’d like to meet him. Or, no, she wouldn’t. She was quite happy with this one...at least, for as long as she had him.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“Nothing, really.”
“Is it that guy?”
“What guy?”
“The one with the big chin—on the campaign sign.”
She barked a harsh laugh. “No, Dale was definitely not on my mind. I can’t imagine why he’d be on yours.”
“Because of the way you tensed up last night. The hint of hurt in your voice when you talked about him.”
“I’m not hurt anymore. Maybe just my pride.”
Damien sat down, pulling her close and draping an arm over her shoulders. “How long ago did you break up?”
“I said he wasn’t on my mind.”
He shrugged. “But I admitted he’s on mine. So humor me.”
“It’s no big deal. We dated for four months last spring.”
“That doesn’t sound like ‘no big deal.’”
She kept her tone light, not wanting him to realize how badly she’d been hurt by the affair.
“What can I say? Lulu and Chaz had just gotten engaged, Amelia was head over heels for Lex. I guess I saw my two best friends with great guys, and suddenly wanted that for myself. So I made myself believe I felt something I didn’t really feel.”
“So you weren’t in love with him.”
“No,” she said, meaning it. Even if she hadn’t realized it at the time. Looking back, though, she understood she hadn’t been.
“But you were in love with the idea of being in love?”
“I suppose. I made myself believe it, anyway.”
“And him? Did he love the idea of being in love with you?”
She couldn’t contain a snort. “Definitely not. He loved the idea of me using my marketing skills to help his campaign.”
“God, please tell me you weren’t responsible for putting that chin on those signs.”
That brought a giggle from her lips. He was already making her feel better. Laughing about what had happened with Dale had been something she envisioned in the distant future. As in years from now. She’d been too raw and humiliated to laugh before now. Before Damien.
“No, but I did organize a lot of the early stuff. Enough to get him the nomination.”
Damien had taken a strand of her hair between his fingers and was toying with it. The brush of his skin on her neck was a gentle connection, one that silently urged her to continue.
“Once he had the nomination, though, he decided having someone like me on his arm wouldn’t win him votes in the general election. The Virginia state government isn’t the extent of his ambitions—he intends to cross the river and sit inside that national dome someday.”
She wouldn’t have even known Damien had reacted to her words if not for the tiniest pull on her hair. She turned to see his hand had clenched. “What do you mean, someone like you?”
She didn’t want to rehash the ugly conversation, so she simply replied, “I’m not politician’s-wife material.”
“Are you kidding? Men would vote for him just to shake your hand.”
“He needed more than just the male vote,” she said, her tone dry. “Although you might not have noticed, since we were with my two best friends the other night, a lot of women don’t approve of me.”
“They’re jealous.”
“Maybe, but Dale feared the older, more proper voters wouldn’t, either.”
