Read Online His Wife for a While by Donna Fasano - Free Book Online
Authors: Donna Fasano
Tags: Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction
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cross the room, heard his footsteps fade down the hallway. Every muscle in her body felt stretched to the limit. Tears screamed for release.
He didn't know what he was asking. She knew he wasn't a bad person. In fact, she'd already noticed just how wonderful he was. But she couldn't get to know him. She couldn't let him get to know her. And she certainly couldn't ever come to trust him. Because that would mean she'd have to reveal herself to him. And Chelsea knew revealing herself meant becoming vulnerable.
Her chin quivered and a single tear trailed slowly down her cheek. Vulnerable was the one thing she'd long ago promised herself she'd never become.
Chapter Four
Ben sat at the kitchen table, lingering over his morning coffee. It had been three days since his wedding… three days since he and Chelsea had discussed their differing views on sleeping together. And now he felt as though they were at some sort of stalemate. She'd been quiet and reserved around him before this whole marriage business, but now she avoided him altogether. That's why he'd decided to dawdle a bit this morning and pour himself an unprecedented second cup of coffee, in an effort to force her to talk to him.
He should probably feel bad about insisting on their getting to know one another before they tried to conceive a baby. He knew that physiologically it wasn't necessary for them to know or even like one another before they made love. But Chelsea had made the act sound so impersonal. He couldn't imagine having sex with an unresponsive woman. She seemed intent to detach herself from the whole proceedings.
Ben found that idea humiliating, although he sensed that Chelsea didn't mean for him to feel that way. The sigh that issued from him was forceful enough to be audible. Who knew what she meant, or what she was thinking? Her intense desire to become pregnant was blinding her to the fact that they were two human beings… human beings with emotions that needed to be recognized and dealt with. The scenario she painted just seemed wrong to him. It felt wrong, and he refused to be a part of it.
He really couldn't understand Chelsea . She obviously wanted a baby very much, but she didn't seem to show the loving and caring emotions he thought would be necessary to parent a child.
Doubting Chelsea 's abilities as a mother brought to mind a question that he hadn't thought of before: How did he feel about becoming a father? The circumstances under which he would be fathering this child were so strange that he really couldn't explain how he felt. Chelsea had made it very clear that she didn't want his active participation as a parent. He'd have to learn to live with the fact that he would be a father, but he wouldn't be acting as a father. He frowned at the unexpected emptiness that the thought left him with.
More than anything, he had to realize that neither Chelsea 's mothering instincts nor his thoughts of being a daddy should be his concern. He'd struck a deal with Chelsea , and he knew he must fulfill his end. And he planned to, just as soon as he and Chelsea could feel comfortable enough with each other to engage in the intimacies of sex.
The phone rang and he picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Ben, it's May. Is Chelsea there?"
"Yes…"
"Is she awake?" May's tone sounded a bit frantic.
"She's up," he said. "I heard her rummaging around in her room. What's wrong, Aunt May?"
"I really need to talk to her."
"Okay," he said. "I'll call her to the phone."
Ben set down the phone receiver and went to fetch Chelsea . On his way through the house, he wondered why May would be calling Chelsea . As far as he knew the two of them were little more than working acquaintances. But then, now that he actually thought about it, Chelsea didn't seem to have any close friends. Everyone seemed to be a mere acquaintance to her. She didn't seem to let anyone into that invisible circle that was so tightly drawn around her.
He stopped outside
He didn't know what he was asking. She knew he wasn't a bad person. In fact, she'd already noticed just how wonderful he was. But she couldn't get to know him. She couldn't let him get to know her. And she certainly couldn't ever come to trust him. Because that would mean she'd have to reveal herself to him. And Chelsea knew revealing herself meant becoming vulnerable.
Her chin quivered and a single tear trailed slowly down her cheek. Vulnerable was the one thing she'd long ago promised herself she'd never become.
Chapter Four
Ben sat at the kitchen table, lingering over his morning coffee. It had been three days since his wedding… three days since he and Chelsea had discussed their differing views on sleeping together. And now he felt as though they were at some sort of stalemate. She'd been quiet and reserved around him before this whole marriage business, but now she avoided him altogether. That's why he'd decided to dawdle a bit this morning and pour himself an unprecedented second cup of coffee, in an effort to force her to talk to him.
He should probably feel bad about insisting on their getting to know one another before they tried to conceive a baby. He knew that physiologically it wasn't necessary for them to know or even like one another before they made love. But Chelsea had made the act sound so impersonal. He couldn't imagine having sex with an unresponsive woman. She seemed intent to detach herself from the whole proceedings.
Ben found that idea humiliating, although he sensed that Chelsea didn't mean for him to feel that way. The sigh that issued from him was forceful enough to be audible. Who knew what she meant, or what she was thinking? Her intense desire to become pregnant was blinding her to the fact that they were two human beings… human beings with emotions that needed to be recognized and dealt with. The scenario she painted just seemed wrong to him. It felt wrong, and he refused to be a part of it.
He really couldn't understand Chelsea . She obviously wanted a baby very much, but she didn't seem to show the loving and caring emotions he thought would be necessary to parent a child.
Doubting Chelsea 's abilities as a mother brought to mind a question that he hadn't thought of before: How did he feel about becoming a father? The circumstances under which he would be fathering this child were so strange that he really couldn't explain how he felt. Chelsea had made it very clear that she didn't want his active participation as a parent. He'd have to learn to live with the fact that he would be a father, but he wouldn't be acting as a father. He frowned at the unexpected emptiness that the thought left him with.
More than anything, he had to realize that neither Chelsea 's mothering instincts nor his thoughts of being a daddy should be his concern. He'd struck a deal with Chelsea , and he knew he must fulfill his end. And he planned to, just as soon as he and Chelsea could feel comfortable enough with each other to engage in the intimacies of sex.
The phone rang and he picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Ben, it's May. Is Chelsea there?"
"Yes…"
"Is she awake?" May's tone sounded a bit frantic.
"She's up," he said. "I heard her rummaging around in her room. What's wrong, Aunt May?"
"I really need to talk to her."
"Okay," he said. "I'll call her to the phone."
Ben set down the phone receiver and went to fetch Chelsea . On his way through the house, he wondered why May would be calling Chelsea . As far as he knew the two of them were little more than working acquaintances. But then, now that he actually thought about it, Chelsea didn't seem to have any close friends. Everyone seemed to be a mere acquaintance to her. She didn't seem to let anyone into that invisible circle that was so tightly drawn around her.
He stopped outside
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