are you getting at?”
“I’m wondering why you weren’t courteous enough to disabuse me of that notion.”
Because she would’ve started pouting and might’ve refused him sex.
“Rick?” Mercedes prompted when he didn’t respond.
Here we go again…. “I didn’t know I’d have to leave tonight.”
It was easier to lie, but he’d been too obvious about it. The disappointment he’d created by setting her up for this reversal made her pounce.
“That’s not true,” she snapped, coming to the door.
He didn’t bother arguing. “Sorry.”
Ignoring his second empty apology, she blocked his path and he realized it hadn’t been very smart to let her box him in. “Can’t we have even a partial weekend as a family?” she asked.
“We had dinner. That was more than we would’ve had if I’d stayed in Crescent City.”
“ Dinner? You think I should be happy with one meal together in a whole week?”
“We had more than a meal.”
She rolled her eyes at his meaningful grin. “You were home just long enough to lift my nightgown so you could get off, and now you’re leaving.”
He should’ve gone to the trouble of pleasuring her. Then maybe she wouldn’t be acting like this. But he’d been so preoccupied…. “Better your nightgown than someone else’s, right?” He chuckled as if he was joking, but the anger that flashed in her eyes told him he’d been made on that, too.
“What are you saying?”
He sobered. “I’m saying that at least I still come home for it.” Usually. “That’s something.”
“It’s not enough. Not anymore.”
“Come on, Mercedes.” He hung his head, implying that he felt bad, but he didn’t. Not really. They fought so often, he’d grown numb. “Please?”
“Please, what? Please don’t ask for anything? Please don’t expect you to behave like a husband? Please don’tdemand that you do your part in our relationship or as the father of this family?”
Jerking his head up, he shot her a look that said he was tired of hearing the same old complaints. “I don’t have time for this. I’m going to miss my plane.”
She didn’t move out of the way. “I want you to quit your job.”
He gaped at her. “Are you kidding? How would we pay the bills?”
“You could find something else.”
“Nothing that’ll pay what I’m making now!”
“Then I’ll go to work, too. I need to get out, anyway, make a change. I’d do anything to fix what’s wrong. Our children need to see more of their father. I need…” She let her words dangle, probably because she knew how selfish they sounded. “I can’t take the neglect, Rick.”
“Neglect?” He grimaced. “If you want to get off and I’m not around, use a damn dildo. Maybe you need to grow up and start fulfilling yourself a little bit instead of relying on me.”
“I’m not talking about sex!”
“Then what are you talking about? You think it’s my fault we’re having trouble? How do you know it’s not you? Maybe you don’t like that I have to work so much, but I don’t like that you’re so needy. It makes my skin crawl.”
He actually shuddered. The minute that registered on her face, he wished he could take it back. It was the stress—the pressure he was under. Maybe Mercedes had gained some weight, and maybe she’d let herself go in other ways. He couldn’t help finding her drab and worn compared to the women who caught his eye. Compared to Peyton, who particularly appealed to him. But he still loved her. Didn’t he?
“I wasn’t needy until I married you,” she said. “You made me like this.” He heard their youngest daughter come into the living room then, yelling “Daddy!” and Mercedes dropped her voice. “And sometimes I hate you for it.”
“You hate me?”
He expected her to deny it. He’d taken her words out of context. She hadn’t really said she hated him. But she didn’t attempt to correct him; she stood there, glaring at him through those hazel eyes that seemed
“I’m wondering why you weren’t courteous enough to disabuse me of that notion.”
Because she would’ve started pouting and might’ve refused him sex.
“Rick?” Mercedes prompted when he didn’t respond.
Here we go again…. “I didn’t know I’d have to leave tonight.”
It was easier to lie, but he’d been too obvious about it. The disappointment he’d created by setting her up for this reversal made her pounce.
“That’s not true,” she snapped, coming to the door.
He didn’t bother arguing. “Sorry.”
Ignoring his second empty apology, she blocked his path and he realized it hadn’t been very smart to let her box him in. “Can’t we have even a partial weekend as a family?” she asked.
“We had dinner. That was more than we would’ve had if I’d stayed in Crescent City.”
“ Dinner? You think I should be happy with one meal together in a whole week?”
“We had more than a meal.”
She rolled her eyes at his meaningful grin. “You were home just long enough to lift my nightgown so you could get off, and now you’re leaving.”
He should’ve gone to the trouble of pleasuring her. Then maybe she wouldn’t be acting like this. But he’d been so preoccupied…. “Better your nightgown than someone else’s, right?” He chuckled as if he was joking, but the anger that flashed in her eyes told him he’d been made on that, too.
“What are you saying?”
He sobered. “I’m saying that at least I still come home for it.” Usually. “That’s something.”
“It’s not enough. Not anymore.”
“Come on, Mercedes.” He hung his head, implying that he felt bad, but he didn’t. Not really. They fought so often, he’d grown numb. “Please?”
“Please, what? Please don’t ask for anything? Please don’t expect you to behave like a husband? Please don’tdemand that you do your part in our relationship or as the father of this family?”
Jerking his head up, he shot her a look that said he was tired of hearing the same old complaints. “I don’t have time for this. I’m going to miss my plane.”
She didn’t move out of the way. “I want you to quit your job.”
He gaped at her. “Are you kidding? How would we pay the bills?”
“You could find something else.”
“Nothing that’ll pay what I’m making now!”
“Then I’ll go to work, too. I need to get out, anyway, make a change. I’d do anything to fix what’s wrong. Our children need to see more of their father. I need…” She let her words dangle, probably because she knew how selfish they sounded. “I can’t take the neglect, Rick.”
“Neglect?” He grimaced. “If you want to get off and I’m not around, use a damn dildo. Maybe you need to grow up and start fulfilling yourself a little bit instead of relying on me.”
“I’m not talking about sex!”
“Then what are you talking about? You think it’s my fault we’re having trouble? How do you know it’s not you? Maybe you don’t like that I have to work so much, but I don’t like that you’re so needy. It makes my skin crawl.”
He actually shuddered. The minute that registered on her face, he wished he could take it back. It was the stress—the pressure he was under. Maybe Mercedes had gained some weight, and maybe she’d let herself go in other ways. He couldn’t help finding her drab and worn compared to the women who caught his eye. Compared to Peyton, who particularly appealed to him. But he still loved her. Didn’t he?
“I wasn’t needy until I married you,” she said. “You made me like this.” He heard their youngest daughter come into the living room then, yelling “Daddy!” and Mercedes dropped her voice. “And sometimes I hate you for it.”
“You hate me?”
He expected her to deny it. He’d taken her words out of context. She hadn’t really said she hated him. But she didn’t attempt to correct him; she stood there, glaring at him through those hazel eyes that seemed
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