Lost in His Arms by Carla Cassidy Page B

unkept.
    He stumbled to his feet, wanting, needing to get out, away, before he lost control. As he left the kitchen, he vaguely heard Andrew admonish his father. “Jeez, Dad.”
    â€œIt was just a joke,” Richard said softly.
    But the problem, Talbot thought, was that it wasn’t a joke. It was a possibility, a distinct possibility he’d refused to face until this very moment.
    He raced for his bedroom, needing the familiarity, the privacy of that room, because he knew that for the first time in his life, he was about to lose control.

Chapter Seven
    R ichard looked at Elizabeth helplessly as Talbot strode out of the room. He was like a contrite young boy who had done something wrong and now needed guidance on how to fix it. “I’m sorry. That was incredibly stupid. I just wasn’t thinking,” he finally said.
    â€œMaybe you should go to him,” Elizabeth suggested, a vision of Talbot’s face frozen in her mind. “He looked pretty upset.”
    Richard appeared terrified at the very idea. “Nah. When Talbot’s upset, he always wants some time alone. It’s better to let him work it out himself.”
    â€œMaybe you and me should go to that movie we were gonna see,” Andrew said to his father.
    Richard’s face lit up. “That’s a great idea. Andby the time we get back, I’m sure everything will be fine.”
    Before Elizabeth knew it, she found herself alone in the silence and the mess of the kitchen. She sank down at the table and poured herself another glass of wine.
    She took a sip and shook her head, marveling in the wake of the chaos Richard had left behind. It felt far too familiar and reminded her of all the reasons their marriage hadn’t worked.
    Richard had always meant well, but he’d lacked the maturity to form a real commitment to their marriage, a true bond with her. He’d preferred hanging out with his friends, shooting pool and drinking beer. He’d often spoke thoughtlessly, never intending to be hurtful, but succeeding just the same.
    She knew he hadn’t meant any harm with his remark, that it had simply flown from his lips without first circulating through his brain, but she couldn’t get the vision of Talbot out of her head.
    When Richard had spoken those words, all color had fled from Talbot’s face, and the look in his eyes had painfully pierced her heart.
    The man she had always seen as vital and strong, as powerful and in control, had suddenly appeared filled with despair and anguish.
    He’s an adult, she told herself. He’s a grown man. Let him handle this the way he’s handled everythingelse in his life—alone. She took another deep swallow of her wine.
    She knew all about alone. From the time her parents died when she’d been a young child, she’d been alone. She knew now her marriage to Richard had been an attempt to assuage the deep loneliness that assailed her, but being married to Richard had made her feel more alone than ever.
    Swallowing the last of her wine, she girded herself for the task of cleaning up the incredible mess the three males had made. But thoughts of Talbot made concentrating on anything else impossible.
    Did he handle things alone because he wanted to, or because he had no other option? Did he need somebody to talk to? Somebody to share the emotions that must surely be whirling inside him?
    Knowing it was the wrong thing to do, but utterly helpless to do anything else, she went in search of him. He wasn’t in his office, nor was he in any of the rooms on the ground level of the house.
    She climbed the stairs quickly, knowing if she paused to think twice, she’d retrace her footsteps and run back to the kitchen. She had no idea what she intended to say to him once she found him. She only knew she couldn’t stand the thought of him alone and in pain.
    She found him in his bedroom, standing at the window, almost hidden by the evening