greeting.
“Merritt,” replied with equally pained
restraint.
As Merritt led Tessa from
the room, his arm firmly encircling her waist, Tessa seethed with a
confusing mix of anger and regret. Any suspicions Merritt had were
at least somewhat justified, she knew, but somehow it riled her to
know that Merritt trusted her so little. Too, he could easily have
picked a less confrontational method to deal with the situation,
one that didn't humiliate Tessa quite so completely. Then again, she
realized, maybe I like the fact that he
cares enough to interfere. If she could
have read his actions and words for the past five or so years, she
might just as likely assume that he found her burden rather than a
prize. She tried to suppress the thought, to feel gratitude for
Merritt's solicitous concern, but somewhere in the back of her
mind, the seed took root which told Tessa that she had a choice.
Just because Merritt couldn't appreciate her qualities, someone
else might.
Even as the thought bubbled from the ugly
depths of her heart, Tessa suppressed it in what she knew to be a
futile effort to protect the status quo. An ironic goal, she knew,
for someone who had always prided herself in her defiance. As
Merritt led Tessa to the car, she blinked away the tears that might
have exposed her new struggle to her husband. She did not look
forward to the two weeks ahead.
Chapter 4
“What should I pack?” Tessa
queried as she watched Merritt hang up from a business call. “I
know you want to surprise me, but I need to know that at least,” she
pouted. To her surprise, Merritt had acted with consideration after
the party than he had for years before. Maybe I should have flirted with another man a long time
ago, she deadpanned silently.
Merritt started to answer, but seemed to
think better of it. Turning on her with a smirk, he stepped
directly in front of her, pinning her between the dresser and the
wall. “Is my little minx getting demanding on me?”
Rolling her eyes, Tessa feigned boredom.
“Minx?” she mocked. “What kind of a word is that?” She snorting
with laughter. Then, she lifted on her toes and raised her face to
challenge his. “And I am hardly little.” She stood only three
inches shorter than his 6' frame.
Suddenly, he placed his hands firmly against
the wall on either side of her face and kissed her. “You're small
enough,” he growled. “I can still handle you.”
What a show-off, she thought.
Relief washed over her as the emotions of the
previous night's episode fled from her mind. When Merritt had found
her, he had seemed irate, and rightfully so. His wife standing
entirely too close to another man – the scene must have seemed
suspect at best.
On the way home, Merritt
had spoken little, a brooding silence filling the car, and
oppressive fear had smothered Tessa into speechlessness. Tessa had
feared that he would blame her, that he would take his anger out on
her for her part in the situation. Of course, Tessa would have
understood. Had she stood in his place, she would have felt
unimaginable anger. True, Merritt had pushed Tessa away earlier
that night, but she couldn't claim that he had pushed her into the
arms of another man. As such, she would not have felt surprised to
catch a serious tongue-lashing from Merritt. He owed her that, at
least. I wasn't in his arms, she reminded herself. I
didn't even touch the man.
Instead of berating, however, Merritt's
silence stretched on through the car ride home and into an
ice-brushed bed. Tessa eventually fell asleep, tired from wracking
her brain to determine how she should respond to him.
In the morning, all evidence of the evening's
events had evaporated from Merritt's countenance, and Tessa found
herself breathing a sigh of relief. Usually, Merritt would ignore
her when she had made him angry. When she entered a room, he would
look away, not so much to punish her, but to control his anger. The
morning seemed so unlike her past experience of his anger that
“Merritt,” replied with equally pained
restraint.
As Merritt led Tessa from
the room, his arm firmly encircling her waist, Tessa seethed with a
confusing mix of anger and regret. Any suspicions Merritt had were
at least somewhat justified, she knew, but somehow it riled her to
know that Merritt trusted her so little. Too, he could easily have
picked a less confrontational method to deal with the situation,
one that didn't humiliate Tessa quite so completely. Then again, she
realized, maybe I like the fact that he
cares enough to interfere. If she could
have read his actions and words for the past five or so years, she
might just as likely assume that he found her burden rather than a
prize. She tried to suppress the thought, to feel gratitude for
Merritt's solicitous concern, but somewhere in the back of her
mind, the seed took root which told Tessa that she had a choice.
Just because Merritt couldn't appreciate her qualities, someone
else might.
Even as the thought bubbled from the ugly
depths of her heart, Tessa suppressed it in what she knew to be a
futile effort to protect the status quo. An ironic goal, she knew,
for someone who had always prided herself in her defiance. As
Merritt led Tessa to the car, she blinked away the tears that might
have exposed her new struggle to her husband. She did not look
forward to the two weeks ahead.
Chapter 4
“What should I pack?” Tessa
queried as she watched Merritt hang up from a business call. “I
know you want to surprise me, but I need to know that at least,” she
pouted. To her surprise, Merritt had acted with consideration after
the party than he had for years before. Maybe I should have flirted with another man a long time
ago, she deadpanned silently.
Merritt started to answer, but seemed to
think better of it. Turning on her with a smirk, he stepped
directly in front of her, pinning her between the dresser and the
wall. “Is my little minx getting demanding on me?”
Rolling her eyes, Tessa feigned boredom.
“Minx?” she mocked. “What kind of a word is that?” She snorting
with laughter. Then, she lifted on her toes and raised her face to
challenge his. “And I am hardly little.” She stood only three
inches shorter than his 6' frame.
Suddenly, he placed his hands firmly against
the wall on either side of her face and kissed her. “You're small
enough,” he growled. “I can still handle you.”
What a show-off, she thought.
Relief washed over her as the emotions of the
previous night's episode fled from her mind. When Merritt had found
her, he had seemed irate, and rightfully so. His wife standing
entirely too close to another man – the scene must have seemed
suspect at best.
On the way home, Merritt
had spoken little, a brooding silence filling the car, and
oppressive fear had smothered Tessa into speechlessness. Tessa had
feared that he would blame her, that he would take his anger out on
her for her part in the situation. Of course, Tessa would have
understood. Had she stood in his place, she would have felt
unimaginable anger. True, Merritt had pushed Tessa away earlier
that night, but she couldn't claim that he had pushed her into the
arms of another man. As such, she would not have felt surprised to
catch a serious tongue-lashing from Merritt. He owed her that, at
least. I wasn't in his arms, she reminded herself. I
didn't even touch the man.
Instead of berating, however, Merritt's
silence stretched on through the car ride home and into an
ice-brushed bed. Tessa eventually fell asleep, tired from wracking
her brain to determine how she should respond to him.
In the morning, all evidence of the evening's
events had evaporated from Merritt's countenance, and Tessa found
herself breathing a sigh of relief. Usually, Merritt would ignore
her when she had made him angry. When she entered a room, he would
look away, not so much to punish her, but to control his anger. The
morning seemed so unlike her past experience of his anger that
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