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Then he was gone, just like that.
Mary was left plastered to the wall. “I’m not scared,” she wheezed, finishing the thought he’d refused her. “I’m fucking terrified.”
Chapter Nine
The clang of a fork startled Mary, snapping her gaze up. Her sister, Jennifer, who was two years older, glared from across the table in the Texan restaurant on the strip. The lines around her mouth were accentuated with her frown. “Did you hear anything I just said?”
Mary shook her head. “Sorry. It’s been a long week.”
Jennifer tucked her salt-and-pepper chin-length hair behind her ear, raising her brows. “It’s only Tuesday. That cannot be a good sign.”
It certainly wasn’t.
Mary sighed, spotting the concern in her sister’s brown eyes. She always thought her sister took after her father, with a strong, straight nose, and features reflecting sternness, which had made her a great high school principal before she retired. Mary took after her mother’s side; her features were just a bit softer.
“Work is busy,” she lied easily, not interested in telling her sister the reason for her strain was her weekend with Elliott and the fact that he had come to her office yesterday. She still hadn’t reconciled all that happened with him. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to.
“I hear the flu is going around.” Jennifer cut into her enchiladas and added, “As I was saying, the designer is coming up later this week and we’re finally going to get started on the nursery for Pam’s baby.”
Mary pierced a piece of her chimichanga with her fork, then dipped it in sour cream. “That’s great news.” She attempted to seem interested, but after all that had happened, the conversation seemed dull in comparison.
Jennifer was the classic soccer mom. Her life was about her children. Even now that her two children had grown up and moved out, she was still involved in their lives, to the point that Mary knew she drove her kids insane. Mary also had no idea why Jennifer was hiring a designer to redo a bedroom into a nursery for a grandchild who would visit only for the odd sleepover. Though Mary figured a playpen would do just fine, she kept the thought to herself.
While she had always been a big part of her children’s lives, she liked that they had all grown into being their own individuals who didn’t need her as much as they used to. She was proud that they were living out their dreams. Of course, having them move away from Vegas wasn’t what she preferred, but they were happy.
That’s all that mattered.
Laughter from the table next to them drifted over as Jennifer said, “Once we get the nursery done, we’re going to make the backyard a little more kid-friendly.”
Mary star
ed at her sister, noting how different they were. She also realized Jennifer was the only friend she had. After Charles passed, Mary had shut out everyone she knew in the BDSM community. She recalled how nice it was being at Elliott’s party, surrounded by others who lived an alternative lifestyle, one filled with erotic adventures. People who knew Mary’s true self. Torn between wanting to call Elliott to dive back into that lifestyle and forgetting last weekend even happened, Mary sensed a headache looming.
Jennifer continued. “Hopefully everything will be done in two months or so.”
“You will never be done.” Mary took a sip of her wine, then added with a laugh, “You’ll find something new to change in your house.”
Jennifer smiled. “Maybe that’s true.”
Mary hadn’t done a single thing to her house or her lake house in years. And as she took another sip of her wine, she wondered if that was strange. Even as she looked at her sister, who had just returned from a three-week vacation in Costa Rica, Mary noted that she hadn’t gone on a vacation in more years than she dared to count.
Not since…
Charles.
Her stomach roiled in wonderment over why she’d stopped doing those things, but she pushed on and asked Jennifer, “Now that you’re home from Costa Rica, when and where is the next trip?”
“Argentina in a month, for a week,” Jennifer replied, before she took another bite of her dinner and smiled warmly. “You know me so well. I never can stay in one place for too long.”
Mary forced a grin, covering up the tightness in her throat. You don’t know me at all.
But there is someone who does…
She grabbed her wineglass, taking a larger sip to wash the yearnings away. No matter that Elliott made his point clear enough that he wanted to get to know her and to start a relationship, Mary fought against the thoughts of Charles. Elliott’s masculine face, the way he’d whispered naughty words in her ear, all invaded her now.
Jennifer snapped her fingers in front of Mary’s face. “Gosh, you need sleep or something. Did you hear what I said?”
“Sorry.” Mary blinked. “What were you saying?”
