The Perfect Bride - By Kerry Connor Page 0,49

some of the twinges she was feeling, she wouldn’t be surprised if she had some bruises the next day. She figured she was better off not mentioning that. She didn’t want him to use any injuries as an excuse to make her leave, and she wasn’t going anywhere. Not without answers, especially after this.

“Can I at least get you something?” another voice asked.

Meredith stood near the door, her body rigid with tension.

Jillian studied her carefully. It was the first chance she’d had to do it since her fall, since she’d spotted the woman looking down at her, her expression unreadable.

Meredith clasped her hands in front of herself, gripping them so tightly her knuckles were white. Jillian wouldn’t have been surprised if she started wringing them. Was it the woman’s usual nervousness, or something more? Jillian simply couldn’t tell, and she choked back a frustrated groan.

“Maybe some pain relievers?” Meredith suggested when Jillian didn’t say anything.

Jillian did have some in her bag and wouldn’t have minded taking a few at the moment, but wasn’t about to admit it. “I’m fine,” she said again.

“How about some tea?” Meredith murmured.

Jillian almost told her it wasn’t necessary, but she suddenly wasn’t sure how comfortable she was around the woman, either, not with so many questions whispering through her mind. “That would be nice.”

“I’ll have Rosie send some up.” With a tight nod, Meredith turned and hurried from the room.

If Adam noticed anything strange about Meredith’s behavior, he didn’t show it. He turned his attention back to Jillian. “Are you sure I can’t talk you into seeing that doctor?”

“I’m sure,” she said firmly. “It’s really not that bad.”

She braced herself for his response, not expecting him to let her off the hook that easily.

He still managed to surprise her. He reached out and gently took her arm, lifting it from her lap and pulling it toward him.

His hands were warm against her skin, his fingers long and lean. He turned her arm over lightly, looking closely at her skin as though examining it for any signs of cuts or bruises. “How does that feel?” he murmured.

“Fine,” she said, her voice sounding breathless to her ears.

He suddenly stopped, as though finally realizing how intimately he was touching her, and raised his head to meet her eyes.

Still he didn’t let her go, his hold on her wrist gentle but unmistakable.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

Finally, slowly, he lowered her arm to the bed. It didn’t matter. She still undeniably felt his touch on her skin. “You gave us a real scare there,” he said.

“Sorry about that.”

“So what happened? Did you trip on the carpet? Were you not paying attention to where you were walking? Damn it, you have to be careful—”

She cut him off. “I didn’t fall. I was pushed.”

Adam didn’t respond at first, simply staring at her in disbelief. “What are you talking about?”

“Before I went down the stairs, I felt hands on my back, felt someone shove me hard. I was pushed.”

“That’s absurd. Why would someone do that?”

“I don’t know. You’d have to ask them.”

“All right,” he said, his tone an annoying mix of patient and patronizing. “Did you see anyone?”

Jillian hesitated for a second, unsure whether she wanted to admit what she’d seen or deal with the conflict that would inevitably arise. At the same time, she was curious what his reaction would be.

Pushing her misgivings away, she plowed forward. “After I fell, when I looked up I did see someone standing at the top of the stairs.”

“Who?”

“Meredith.”

He went completely still, his expression going blank. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

“I don’t know exactly,” she hedged, reading his face as closely as possible for any hint of what he was thinking. But his eyes remained as guarded as ever, his features revealing nothing. “Only that I know I was pushed, and Meredith was at the top of the stairs.”

“You’re saying you think Meredith pushed you,” he said, his voice thick with accusation.

“Why would she do that?” she asked carefully, turning his question back on him.

“She wouldn’t,” he shot back. “If she had, she certainly wouldn’t have stood there watching you fall.”

She might if she wanted to make sure I didn’t get up again, Jillian thought, biting her tongue to keep from saying it aloud.

“She clearly heard you scream and came to see what happened,” he continued.

“I guess that makes sense,” Jillian said softly, not sure what to believe. It was possible. But was it the truth?

Adam obviously didn’t miss the halfheartedness of her agreement. His face darkening, he abruptly