and a third… For a while I thought it was an escape. But actually it was a crutch, and something else for Tom to use against me.”
Emelio had given up all pretense of eating. He draped one arm over the back of his chair and just listened. “What finally gave you the courage to walk away?”
“He started hitting me. He was careful to hit me where no one could see, where the bruises wouldn’t show in public. Then I ‘fell’ and ended up in the hospital.” Stevie dropped her gaze with a bitter twist of her mouth.
“I was lucky that Dr. Weitzman had some experience dealing with what she called Painful Privilege. Apparently there are a lot of successful, well-educated women who are battered by their powerful, high-profile husbands. With Dr. Weitzman’s help and some therapy, I filed for divorce.”
“I can’t imagine how…difficult…that must have been for you.” Again, Emelio seemed to look beneath the surface and understand what she didn’t say.
Difficult didn’t begin to describe the final months of her marriage. She touched a finger to the bridge of her nose, a permanent reminder of Tom’s reaction to the divorce papers.
With therapy, she’d learned to look to the future instead of dwelling on the past. She’d gotten a onetime settlement instead of alimony just to make sure all ties to New Orleans were broken. Thinking about better times, she did her best to lighten the mood. Frankly, she’d had enough of memory lane for one day.
“It was worth it. I got my life back. And, believe me, I really lived it up for a while. Kind of acted like a kid who’s been grounded for a couple months.”
“Oh, yeah. How?” Reading her mood, Emelio picked up his fork and speared a mouthful of his salad.
Stevie laughed and shook her head. “The story of my wild and rebellious postmarital days is staying a secret.”
“I’ll tell you about my wild days if you tell about yours.”
“Please. A little earring isn’t what I would consider outrageous.” With renewed appetite, she plowed into the fish and rice on her plate.
He touched a finger to the sapphire stud in his left ear. “I’d just been assigned to the Special Operations Division. Alex had worked undercover before and he figured I needed something to make me look streetwise. It was either this or get a tattoo.”
“I have a tattoo.”
His dark eyebrows lifted and his expression was one of fascinated disbelief. “What is it? Where is it?”
“I’ve got a purple-and-black butterfly.” A spark of mischief ignited inside her and she let a slow, inviting smile spread across her face. “But you’ll have to find it yourself.”
“It might require a very thorough search.”
The melodic timbre of his voice turned his statement into a promise and sent her pulse into overdrive. Sensual awareness leaped between them as Emelio let his eyes travel slowly over her body, as if the intense heat of his gaze would burn away her clothing and reveal the tattoo.
“Now are you flirting with me, Emelio?”
“Yes. I am.”
Stevie’s eyebrows arched in surprise. Well, hot damn. Or maybe it was that hot shower. “What made you change your mind?”
He shrugged one broad shoulder, as if making light of the situation, but the intensity of his expression gave him away. “Your black-lace letters. A man can only take so much teasing, and, lady, you’ve been tempting me for too long.”
“But?”
One corner of his mouth curved slightly, as if he was amused by how easily she’d read him. Then the teasing light faded from his eyes. “But first we need to talk.”
Stevie groaned and dropped her chin. “Don’t get all serious on me. We’ve had enough depressing discussions for one day.”
Emelio reached over to take her hand. “I have to consider what happens when we get back to Miami, how our employment relationship is going to be affected.”
She leaned forward, pleased when his eyes glanced down at her cleavage. “I thought we settled the issue
Emelio had given up all pretense of eating. He draped one arm over the back of his chair and just listened. “What finally gave you the courage to walk away?”
“He started hitting me. He was careful to hit me where no one could see, where the bruises wouldn’t show in public. Then I ‘fell’ and ended up in the hospital.” Stevie dropped her gaze with a bitter twist of her mouth.
“I was lucky that Dr. Weitzman had some experience dealing with what she called Painful Privilege. Apparently there are a lot of successful, well-educated women who are battered by their powerful, high-profile husbands. With Dr. Weitzman’s help and some therapy, I filed for divorce.”
“I can’t imagine how…difficult…that must have been for you.” Again, Emelio seemed to look beneath the surface and understand what she didn’t say.
Difficult didn’t begin to describe the final months of her marriage. She touched a finger to the bridge of her nose, a permanent reminder of Tom’s reaction to the divorce papers.
With therapy, she’d learned to look to the future instead of dwelling on the past. She’d gotten a onetime settlement instead of alimony just to make sure all ties to New Orleans were broken. Thinking about better times, she did her best to lighten the mood. Frankly, she’d had enough of memory lane for one day.
“It was worth it. I got my life back. And, believe me, I really lived it up for a while. Kind of acted like a kid who’s been grounded for a couple months.”
“Oh, yeah. How?” Reading her mood, Emelio picked up his fork and speared a mouthful of his salad.
Stevie laughed and shook her head. “The story of my wild and rebellious postmarital days is staying a secret.”
“I’ll tell you about my wild days if you tell about yours.”
“Please. A little earring isn’t what I would consider outrageous.” With renewed appetite, she plowed into the fish and rice on her plate.
He touched a finger to the sapphire stud in his left ear. “I’d just been assigned to the Special Operations Division. Alex had worked undercover before and he figured I needed something to make me look streetwise. It was either this or get a tattoo.”
“I have a tattoo.”
His dark eyebrows lifted and his expression was one of fascinated disbelief. “What is it? Where is it?”
“I’ve got a purple-and-black butterfly.” A spark of mischief ignited inside her and she let a slow, inviting smile spread across her face. “But you’ll have to find it yourself.”
“It might require a very thorough search.”
The melodic timbre of his voice turned his statement into a promise and sent her pulse into overdrive. Sensual awareness leaped between them as Emelio let his eyes travel slowly over her body, as if the intense heat of his gaze would burn away her clothing and reveal the tattoo.
“Now are you flirting with me, Emelio?”
“Yes. I am.”
Stevie’s eyebrows arched in surprise. Well, hot damn. Or maybe it was that hot shower. “What made you change your mind?”
He shrugged one broad shoulder, as if making light of the situation, but the intensity of his expression gave him away. “Your black-lace letters. A man can only take so much teasing, and, lady, you’ve been tempting me for too long.”
“But?”
One corner of his mouth curved slightly, as if he was amused by how easily she’d read him. Then the teasing light faded from his eyes. “But first we need to talk.”
Stevie groaned and dropped her chin. “Don’t get all serious on me. We’ve had enough depressing discussions for one day.”
Emelio reached over to take her hand. “I have to consider what happens when we get back to Miami, how our employment relationship is going to be affected.”
She leaned forward, pleased when his eyes glanced down at her cleavage. “I thought we settled the issue
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