didn’t know her well enough to know what the hell went on in her head. Dammit. She’d tie herself in knots trying to figure it out.
“Yes, thank you, Henry.” Emma straightened. “I’m…tired. A bit of sleep will set me to rights again.”
Refinement. Poise. Emma had it in spades. She accepted Henry’s reproach without complaint. Took the excuse he offered her with grace. She’s a better submissive than I am. Alice resettled her shoulders, channeling Jay’s clinginess, wishing she had Henry to herself right now.
Henry cupped Alice’s head and kissed her cheek, his forehead warm against hers. “A moment, sweet girl,” he murmured. He stood, leaving her on the couch alone. “Of course, Em. I’ll walk you out.”
Jay brought the light dress coat over while Henry helped Emma to her feet. Henry accepted the coat, thanking Jay, and held it open. Polite words rolled off Emma’s tongue, thank-yous for the lovely dinner and the gracious host and the opportunity to spend time getting to know Jay and Alice better. She turned her back and allowed Henry to slide the coat up her arms and onto her shoulders. He didn’t button it for her. Emma didn’t reach for the buttons herself, either.
He might do it for her downstairs. Where their interaction wouldn’t be seen.
Ugh. Her jealousy was unworthy of her and them. He wasn’t having an affair with this woman. The hour was late, and although the guest parking area was well-lit, he wouldn’t send his guest out alone. Couldn’t, not and still consider himself a gentleman. She didn’t understand what they were to each other, but he wouldn’t hide an affair.
Ex-lover, though, that was possible.
Fuck.
* * * *
Jay closed the door behind Henry and Emma. Turning, he cocked his head like a puppy trying to understand a new command. “You’re thinking.”
“Huh?” The dishes hadn’t been taken care of yet. Jay had cleared, but he hadn’t rinsed them or loaded the dishwasher. She could do that now.
“You’re thinking something.”
“Not really.” Yes really. All sorts of things. None remotely worth mentioning to Jay.
He followed her into the kitchen. “Yes, you are.” He nudged her with his hip as she opened the dishwasher. “What’d you think?”
“Think?” Why had he chosen now to be perceptive? If he could tell, Henry would know in an instant. “I think—” She’d better not be thinking when he returned. “She’s very—” Get it out and let it go. “Mature.”
Jay slouched against the counter, facing her as she rinsed salad plates. “Funny, you don’t sound catty when you say that, so I know you don’t mean old.”
“She’s elegant.” She kept moving under his stare. Loading dishes. “Poised. Refined.” They could have the place cleaned by the time Henry came back. “Very, umm…”
“Art crowd. Upper crust.”
“Yeah.” And now Ms. Upper Crust had Henry downstairs spending time with her. Talking about things Henry liked. Things they both liked. Things she didn’t even know Henry liked.
Jay slid closer, boxing her in with his body, the sink, and the dishwasher rack. Leaning his head against hers, he kissed her cheek. “I used to think it, too, you know.”
She set the glass down. Jay couldn’t really read her mind. She traced the edge of the hammered copper sink apron. “You did?”
“I was a massive bundle of insecurities, and for months I couldn’t have sex without panicking, and my hobbies were nothing like Henry’s. Of course I did.” Wrapping his arm around her back, he pressed her toward him. “You’re thinking, ‘What does he see in me? What if I’m not good enough for him? He could have all that class and sophistication if he snapped his fingers, and I’m just me .’”
She closed her eyes and sighed. Jay did know. He did understand.
“I know he loves me,” she whispered. “But she’s so…perfect.”
Jay slipped his head against her own, a slow no . “Not for me and not for Henry. For us,
“Yes, thank you, Henry.” Emma straightened. “I’m…tired. A bit of sleep will set me to rights again.”
Refinement. Poise. Emma had it in spades. She accepted Henry’s reproach without complaint. Took the excuse he offered her with grace. She’s a better submissive than I am. Alice resettled her shoulders, channeling Jay’s clinginess, wishing she had Henry to herself right now.
Henry cupped Alice’s head and kissed her cheek, his forehead warm against hers. “A moment, sweet girl,” he murmured. He stood, leaving her on the couch alone. “Of course, Em. I’ll walk you out.”
Jay brought the light dress coat over while Henry helped Emma to her feet. Henry accepted the coat, thanking Jay, and held it open. Polite words rolled off Emma’s tongue, thank-yous for the lovely dinner and the gracious host and the opportunity to spend time getting to know Jay and Alice better. She turned her back and allowed Henry to slide the coat up her arms and onto her shoulders. He didn’t button it for her. Emma didn’t reach for the buttons herself, either.
He might do it for her downstairs. Where their interaction wouldn’t be seen.
Ugh. Her jealousy was unworthy of her and them. He wasn’t having an affair with this woman. The hour was late, and although the guest parking area was well-lit, he wouldn’t send his guest out alone. Couldn’t, not and still consider himself a gentleman. She didn’t understand what they were to each other, but he wouldn’t hide an affair.
Ex-lover, though, that was possible.
Fuck.
* * * *
Jay closed the door behind Henry and Emma. Turning, he cocked his head like a puppy trying to understand a new command. “You’re thinking.”
“Huh?” The dishes hadn’t been taken care of yet. Jay had cleared, but he hadn’t rinsed them or loaded the dishwasher. She could do that now.
“You’re thinking something.”
“Not really.” Yes really. All sorts of things. None remotely worth mentioning to Jay.
He followed her into the kitchen. “Yes, you are.” He nudged her with his hip as she opened the dishwasher. “What’d you think?”
“Think?” Why had he chosen now to be perceptive? If he could tell, Henry would know in an instant. “I think—” She’d better not be thinking when he returned. “She’s very—” Get it out and let it go. “Mature.”
Jay slouched against the counter, facing her as she rinsed salad plates. “Funny, you don’t sound catty when you say that, so I know you don’t mean old.”
“She’s elegant.” She kept moving under his stare. Loading dishes. “Poised. Refined.” They could have the place cleaned by the time Henry came back. “Very, umm…”
“Art crowd. Upper crust.”
“Yeah.” And now Ms. Upper Crust had Henry downstairs spending time with her. Talking about things Henry liked. Things they both liked. Things she didn’t even know Henry liked.
Jay slid closer, boxing her in with his body, the sink, and the dishwasher rack. Leaning his head against hers, he kissed her cheek. “I used to think it, too, you know.”
She set the glass down. Jay couldn’t really read her mind. She traced the edge of the hammered copper sink apron. “You did?”
“I was a massive bundle of insecurities, and for months I couldn’t have sex without panicking, and my hobbies were nothing like Henry’s. Of course I did.” Wrapping his arm around her back, he pressed her toward him. “You’re thinking, ‘What does he see in me? What if I’m not good enough for him? He could have all that class and sophistication if he snapped his fingers, and I’m just me .’”
She closed her eyes and sighed. Jay did know. He did understand.
“I know he loves me,” she whispered. “But she’s so…perfect.”
Jay slipped his head against her own, a slow no . “Not for me and not for Henry. For us,
Similar Books
