things to get done this afternoon, but I'll be back in time to bring you home."
"Thanks." She went down the hall to her - his room, and after a brief search found the costume hanging in the closet right next to all of his things. Whoever had washed her under things must have cleaned it too, and she was grateful. Shimmying out of the jeans and shirt she'd put on just under an hour ago, she dressed quickly then used the bathroom mirror to fluff her drying hair. As she lowered her hand, a glint of gold flashed in the mirror, and she looked down to examine the ring Harley had given her. It was probably the most symbolic thing she'd ever owned, and yet it seemed to mock her from its place on her finger.
Staring into her own eyes, she waited for the urge to run, the one she would have listened to last night if she hadn't been so tired. She held up her left hand, wiggled it in the mirror to remind herself she was well and truly married. Trapped. Caged, even if it was only supposed to be short term.
Nothing.
Fear prickled under her skin as she contemplated what that meant. She couldn't afford to be comfortable, to settle down. To trust. This feeling of belonging couldn't be real, she wouldn't let it. Belonging to someone - with someone - always ended badly.
She went back to the bedroom and laced her feet into the tall leather boots, then went to find Harley, skirt swishing around her ankles. As she neared the kitchen, the sound of his voice drifted through the doorway.
"No, Burns specifically said not to use a room near his. Use three-twelve. It should be clean and empty. I'll be there in about 20 minutes."
Monica entered in time to see him hang up the phone, and shot him a questioning look. "My father is still here?"
"Only for tonight," Harley said, looking her up and down. "Nice," he said, a grin playing at his lips. "Very nice."
She shook her head, trying to hold back a smile. "Don't even go there," she said, following him to the front door. "Why is my father still here?"
Harley pulled the door shut behind them, his expression stiff as he walked past her down a long, undecorated hall. "Apparently he booked a dinner party here at the mansion for tonight before he knew you were here," he said, leading the way to a small bank of elevators and pushing the call button. "Some conference his company was hosting in Reno. That's why your ex was here too - he skipped out on a couple meetings to scout out our security ahead of time. It was just chance that he decided on the saloon to drink in that night instead of the Double D."
"He's not my ex." Monica stepped onto the elevator, only vaguely remembering having been on it the night before. "I guess he was bound to find me anyways then, from the sounds of it. The universe is trying to tell me something. Maybe I should have just gone--"
Harley pushed the hold button and the elevator jerked to a stop. Wary, Monica backed away as he advanced, until her shoulders were pressed into the corner. Heat radiated off his body as he braced his forearms on either side of her head and leaned in. "The universe isn't telling you anything. Common sense is telling you it's time to quit running and fight back, so fight, damn it! Don't let him or anyone else tell you how to live your life." He leaned closer, his breath hot on her face and she knew in another second, he'd be kissing her. And she wouldn't be able to resist.
His muscles flexed instinctively under her hands as she looked him in the eye and pushed him away. "That's rich coming from someone who lives his life on the advice of his lawyers."
Harley stared at her for a long moment and then pushed the button to start the elevator again. "I listen to my lawyers when they give good advice - and I pay them to give good advice," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "But they don't run my life. I'm sure there are at least a dozen women out there they would have preferred I married instead of you." The doors opened and he walked out without so much as a
"Thanks." She went down the hall to her - his room, and after a brief search found the costume hanging in the closet right next to all of his things. Whoever had washed her under things must have cleaned it too, and she was grateful. Shimmying out of the jeans and shirt she'd put on just under an hour ago, she dressed quickly then used the bathroom mirror to fluff her drying hair. As she lowered her hand, a glint of gold flashed in the mirror, and she looked down to examine the ring Harley had given her. It was probably the most symbolic thing she'd ever owned, and yet it seemed to mock her from its place on her finger.
Staring into her own eyes, she waited for the urge to run, the one she would have listened to last night if she hadn't been so tired. She held up her left hand, wiggled it in the mirror to remind herself she was well and truly married. Trapped. Caged, even if it was only supposed to be short term.
Nothing.
Fear prickled under her skin as she contemplated what that meant. She couldn't afford to be comfortable, to settle down. To trust. This feeling of belonging couldn't be real, she wouldn't let it. Belonging to someone - with someone - always ended badly.
She went back to the bedroom and laced her feet into the tall leather boots, then went to find Harley, skirt swishing around her ankles. As she neared the kitchen, the sound of his voice drifted through the doorway.
"No, Burns specifically said not to use a room near his. Use three-twelve. It should be clean and empty. I'll be there in about 20 minutes."
Monica entered in time to see him hang up the phone, and shot him a questioning look. "My father is still here?"
"Only for tonight," Harley said, looking her up and down. "Nice," he said, a grin playing at his lips. "Very nice."
She shook her head, trying to hold back a smile. "Don't even go there," she said, following him to the front door. "Why is my father still here?"
Harley pulled the door shut behind them, his expression stiff as he walked past her down a long, undecorated hall. "Apparently he booked a dinner party here at the mansion for tonight before he knew you were here," he said, leading the way to a small bank of elevators and pushing the call button. "Some conference his company was hosting in Reno. That's why your ex was here too - he skipped out on a couple meetings to scout out our security ahead of time. It was just chance that he decided on the saloon to drink in that night instead of the Double D."
"He's not my ex." Monica stepped onto the elevator, only vaguely remembering having been on it the night before. "I guess he was bound to find me anyways then, from the sounds of it. The universe is trying to tell me something. Maybe I should have just gone--"
Harley pushed the hold button and the elevator jerked to a stop. Wary, Monica backed away as he advanced, until her shoulders were pressed into the corner. Heat radiated off his body as he braced his forearms on either side of her head and leaned in. "The universe isn't telling you anything. Common sense is telling you it's time to quit running and fight back, so fight, damn it! Don't let him or anyone else tell you how to live your life." He leaned closer, his breath hot on her face and she knew in another second, he'd be kissing her. And she wouldn't be able to resist.
His muscles flexed instinctively under her hands as she looked him in the eye and pushed him away. "That's rich coming from someone who lives his life on the advice of his lawyers."
Harley stared at her for a long moment and then pushed the button to start the elevator again. "I listen to my lawyers when they give good advice - and I pay them to give good advice," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "But they don't run my life. I'm sure there are at least a dozen women out there they would have preferred I married instead of you." The doors opened and he walked out without so much as a
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