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Chapter 19
After splashing cold water on her eyes until the puffy redness disappeared, Zoe slipped into a soft pair of lounge pants from MeUndies and smiled down at the Avengers pattern. She hadn’t picked it deliberately, but maybe she and Spence would be able to get some small vengeance for the loss of her father.
Her smile fell away at the thought. She didn’t want revenge. She merely wanted to live her life without having to look over her shoulder all the time. She didn’t wish harm on Ethan, but she wanted him in a secure facility where he couldn’t hurt her or anyone else.
Drawing in a deep breath, she reached into her closet for a long-sleeved flannel shirt and pulled it on. Rolled up the sleeves as she headed for the bedroom door but stopped before she reached it.
Would she have worn these pants and shirt if anyone else had been in her apartment? No. She would have left her business clothes on. Or put on something more casual, like a pair of jeans and a tee shirt.
Huh. Interesting that she was comfortable wearing lounging clothes in front of Spence.
She didn’t want to examine that fact too closely, so she opened the door and stepped into the living room before she could change her mind. Before she could go back to her closet and agonize over what to wear.
He was sitting on the couch, studying some papers, and he looked up as she emerged into the living room. Studied her for a long moment. “Avengers, huh? They look comfortable.”
“They are,” she said, lifting her head.
He clearly had gotten to know her well in the past few days, because he held up his hands. “Not criticizing. Just wishing I had something that comfortable to change into.”
“Order a pair,” she said. “MeUndies is the company. They’ll deliver the next day if you’re willing to pay the postage.”
She walked past him into the kitchen and grabbed a Madeline’s menu out of the drawer where she kept her take-out menus. Returning to the living room, she handed it to him. “Pick out something for dinner. I’ll order it.”
“Madeline’s again?” He raised his eyebrow.
She shrugged. “Why not? I like Julia’s food. And I like patronizing my best friend’s restaurant. Win-win for both of us.”
“You know what you’re getting?” Spence asked.
“Julia’s special,” she said immediately. “Hasn’t let me down yet.”
“Get me the same, please.”
God, could this conversation be any more awkward? Stilted?
Plucking her phone out of her pocket, she hit the speed dial for Madeline’s. When the hostess answered, she said, “Hey, Chantal, this is Zoe. I’d like to order two of tonight’s specials to be delivered.”
“Got it, Ms. Melbourne. Want me to put it on the card we have on file?”
“That would be great. Thanks.” She ended the call and slid the phone into her pocket.
Heading into the kitchen, she tossed the menu back in her take-out drawer and removed the stopper from the wine bottle she’d opened the other night. Poured herself a glass. Then she sat on one of the chairs facing the couch. How was she going to survive this careful, guarded atmosphere until they caught Ethan?
What were they going to do this weekend? She’d planned on spending the next two days playing games with Spence. All kinds of sexy games.
That was off the table now. But they couldn’t sit in this condo staring at each other all weekend. She’d lose her mind. Or say something she’d regret.
She stared down at her lap. Laced her fingers together. Willed away the tears that threatened to reappear. She didn’t cry in front of men she was… had been… having sex with.
A tiny voice whispered that what she and Spence had was more than sex, but Zoe shoved the thought out of her head.
She took another sip of wine and cleared her throat. “It usually takes around forty-five minutes for dinner to get here. Help yourself to whatever you want to drink.”
Spence studied her, as if trying to peer into her head, then stood and went into the kitchen. The refrigerator door opened, and a few moments later he came back with a can of Spindrift sparkling water. Raspberry Lime.
The pop of the lid sounded abnormally loud in the quiet of her condo. She set her wine on the table next to her chair so she wouldn’t succumb to the temptation to gulp down the whole glass.
The quiet, the lack of conversation or interaction, was like an ice pick to her chest. Finally she stood up and went into her bedroom. Grabbed her Kindle from her nightstand and brought it into the living room. After she sat down in her chair, she opened the cover and stared at the words on the page.
