lost control.” Claire saw such honesty in his eyes. It was like a window that exposed his soul, one she didn’t think he allowed many people to see. “When you quit moving I realized what happened and I became more upset about what I had done. Suddenly, getting you help was more important than appearances.” He gently smoothed her hair. “You had the chance to tell someone about me and what I did. I deserved that and more. But no, even in your condition you were perfect.”
He lowered his face to her collar bone. She could feel this rough beard growth on her skin. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but . . .” looking again into her emerald eyes, “thank you for giving it to me.”
He started to kiss her. Her body responded, but her mind thought about the cameras and surveillance. She knew they were there. Compartmentalize. She had a lot to put away. She needed bigger compartments.
She could feel his hardness on her leg. He kissed his way down her neck to her collar bone, her breasts pressed upward in anticipation of his mouth. Her nipples hardened as his lips lightly brushed their tips. She tried to suppress her heated desires. It was her turn to ask for a favor. “Tony, while we are asking for things, can I have something from you?”
“I have something for you right now,” he said between kisses and inching his way down her body, gently moving her legs.
“And I want that.” Claire smiled as she lifted her head to catch his eyes. “But first, can I have a promise?” Tony moved up, kissed her lips, and asked what she wanted him to promise. “You were right, there was pain. But what haunted me for two months was the threat of you locking me in my suite. Please don’t use my honesty against me. I don’t want to be locked up alone again. It was unbearable. I know you don’t have to, but I am asking you . . . please promise me you will never do that to me again.”
“Claire, I promise I will not lock you in your suite again. And if we each keep our promises, maintaining them all will be easier.”
“Thank you,” she sighed, his promise removed a tremendous weight. Her body yearned. “Now what did you say about having something for me?” He looked at her smile. It was real, extending to her gleaming green eyes and it was for him. He grinned back, a little more mischievous this time.
Breakfast was served in Tony’s suite. They ate with wet hair while wrapped in thick soft white robes. Claire’s appetite returned with a vengeance. She ate eggs, turkey bacon, toast, and fruit. She even thought about hash browns. She decided that maybe she should tell Catherine she liked hash browns.
Tony’s voice took Claire’s attention away from her food. “I have a confession. I think I’m an example of my own rule.” Claire told him she didn’t know what he meant. He explained that although he is thrilled with the outcome of yesterday’s drive, it hadn’t been his goal.
Claire smiled and responded, “Well appearances,” looking at their wet hair and robes, “would say differently.” She used her toe to rub up and down his leg. “I am happy with the outcome too. But what was your goal?”
He told her it was simply to get her to leave the estate to go somewhere. He wanted to get her away before they needed to go somewhere. Claire reflected on the past twenty-four hours. Okay, he did that too. “Why? When do we need to go somewhere? And where do we need to go?” Her toe still wandered.
“If you keep that up, we will be late.” Tony’s voice didn’t sound concerned. He glanced at the clock by his bed, eleven seventeen. “Well, we are supposed to be at Brent and Courtney’s for dinner at three thirty this afternoon.”
Claire did some math in her head, they had four hours. “I really would rather stay here, but I suspect I don’t have a choice. How many people will be there?”
Tony confirmed she was correct. They were going and it would just be the four of them. Courtney had been asking Tony to bring Claire over since the beginning of October. They sent her flowers and cards, they must have been aware of her accident. Claire liked Courtney, Tony obviously trusted them. She could do it.
While she thought about the Simmonses and refocused on her breakfast,