tastes.”
The clerk rang up everything the placed a sticker on and the baby clothes. It wasn’t expensive to him, but he saw the look on Isa face when she heard the final price. She nodded and made a note of her half in the memo section of her phone and Bryce could practically see her adding in her head. He had no doubt that her half was two paychecks or more from the Navy, especially now that she was out on medical leave. What she didn’t know was that he spoke to the clerk when she was changing and paid for the entire purchase. When Isa sent the rest, he would take the refunded money and put it in an account. She could use it or save it for the twins, depending on what she wanted to do. He’d tell her later on when he cemented their relationship and she wouldn’t take offense.
“Let’s go get you fed,” he said. “They’ll deliver later in the week.”
“Yes, sir, we can have it there on Friday. It’s a big delivery, so you may be the first and only stop before the drivers come back,” the clerk said. “Have a safe and blessed birth, Ms. Croix.”
“Thank you,” Isa said, and walked past Bryce as he held the door open. She spoke in a low tone to him on the way out. “By the way, that kiss made me entirely wet.”
Well damn, he thought with a happy grin, and let the door close. That comment alone made the trip worthwhile. On the way home, he held her hand, feeling like they’d finally hit a new plateau in their relationship. Maybe its smooth sailing from here , he thought.
* * * *
I sa walked from the kitchen into the hallway with a bowl filled with dessert. She was comfortable in her old ratty bathrobe, two socks that didn’t match, the wide pajama bottoms, and men’s Navy t-shirt she wore. She’d eaten the healthy meal prepared by Marjorie and now she was partaking in strawberry cake topped with something the cook called ambrosia. It was whipped cream and fruit mixed together, but it was delicious. It’s amazing the simple things taste the best, she thought as she went into the family room. Isa sat down on the chair and picked up the remote to the wide screen TV that was on the wall. It had to be custom made. It was one of those new smart TVs with the curved edges, and she estimated it to be at least seventy-two inches.
She pressed the button and began to run through the channels, stopping on one of the entertainment networks. Isa wished she hadn’t because Bryce was front and center as they showcased the gala. Wearing a black tux with a bowtie, he looked dashing and sexy as hell. He’d left in a casual shirt and slacks so he had to have changed there. Probably because he didn’t want me to feel bad I wasn’t going, she thought. He was rich, after all, so the man probably had tuxes in many a suite he owned at any hotel around the world.
The lights flashed back and forth. The red carpet was filled with glitz and glamour. But that wasn’t what took away the taste of food she’d taken a bite of and turned it to dust on her tongue. It was the fact that Bryce stood there with his arms around a willowy brunette.
The woman was wearing a slinky dress that was cut so you could see entirely too much of her cleavage, and she played with his bowtie in a flirty way for the camera. She could call that all for show, and understand that people have to play it up for the camera, but the brunette turned and kissed Bryce and the crowd cheered. The kiss went on and she had enough of watching. Hurt filled her chest. After all he’d said today, all he asked of her especially trust. There he was, kissing someone else on TV for the whole world to see.
Isa wasn’t going to be fooled twice, not even caring at that point. She went upstairs and grabbed her purse and cell phone. She called a cab and left for the only place she ever felt safe that was actually hers—the apartment. She took the stairs carefully and unlocked the door. Silence greeted her, not Tawny dancing around cooking jambalaya,
The clerk rang up everything the placed a sticker on and the baby clothes. It wasn’t expensive to him, but he saw the look on Isa face when she heard the final price. She nodded and made a note of her half in the memo section of her phone and Bryce could practically see her adding in her head. He had no doubt that her half was two paychecks or more from the Navy, especially now that she was out on medical leave. What she didn’t know was that he spoke to the clerk when she was changing and paid for the entire purchase. When Isa sent the rest, he would take the refunded money and put it in an account. She could use it or save it for the twins, depending on what she wanted to do. He’d tell her later on when he cemented their relationship and she wouldn’t take offense.
“Let’s go get you fed,” he said. “They’ll deliver later in the week.”
“Yes, sir, we can have it there on Friday. It’s a big delivery, so you may be the first and only stop before the drivers come back,” the clerk said. “Have a safe and blessed birth, Ms. Croix.”
“Thank you,” Isa said, and walked past Bryce as he held the door open. She spoke in a low tone to him on the way out. “By the way, that kiss made me entirely wet.”
Well damn, he thought with a happy grin, and let the door close. That comment alone made the trip worthwhile. On the way home, he held her hand, feeling like they’d finally hit a new plateau in their relationship. Maybe its smooth sailing from here , he thought.
* * * *
I sa walked from the kitchen into the hallway with a bowl filled with dessert. She was comfortable in her old ratty bathrobe, two socks that didn’t match, the wide pajama bottoms, and men’s Navy t-shirt she wore. She’d eaten the healthy meal prepared by Marjorie and now she was partaking in strawberry cake topped with something the cook called ambrosia. It was whipped cream and fruit mixed together, but it was delicious. It’s amazing the simple things taste the best, she thought as she went into the family room. Isa sat down on the chair and picked up the remote to the wide screen TV that was on the wall. It had to be custom made. It was one of those new smart TVs with the curved edges, and she estimated it to be at least seventy-two inches.
She pressed the button and began to run through the channels, stopping on one of the entertainment networks. Isa wished she hadn’t because Bryce was front and center as they showcased the gala. Wearing a black tux with a bowtie, he looked dashing and sexy as hell. He’d left in a casual shirt and slacks so he had to have changed there. Probably because he didn’t want me to feel bad I wasn’t going, she thought. He was rich, after all, so the man probably had tuxes in many a suite he owned at any hotel around the world.
The lights flashed back and forth. The red carpet was filled with glitz and glamour. But that wasn’t what took away the taste of food she’d taken a bite of and turned it to dust on her tongue. It was the fact that Bryce stood there with his arms around a willowy brunette.
The woman was wearing a slinky dress that was cut so you could see entirely too much of her cleavage, and she played with his bowtie in a flirty way for the camera. She could call that all for show, and understand that people have to play it up for the camera, but the brunette turned and kissed Bryce and the crowd cheered. The kiss went on and she had enough of watching. Hurt filled her chest. After all he’d said today, all he asked of her especially trust. There he was, kissing someone else on TV for the whole world to see.
Isa wasn’t going to be fooled twice, not even caring at that point. She went upstairs and grabbed her purse and cell phone. She called a cab and left for the only place she ever felt safe that was actually hers—the apartment. She took the stairs carefully and unlocked the door. Silence greeted her, not Tawny dancing around cooking jambalaya,
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