Nailed - Opal Carew Page 0,45
so much more.” He hooked his hand around her waist and pulled her close to his side. “So are you going to miss me?” he asked again.
“Of course,” she said in a matter-of-fact manner. She was his wife. It’s what she was supposed to say.
But she certainly didn’t want to let him know it was true.
He was in this marriage to simplify his life. To have easy access to regular sex. And he’d chosen her because she had been a challenge … the one who’d gotten away.
With his looks and charm, he could have any woman he wanted, anytime, but she knew he worried about things like propriety and social expectations, so this is what worked for him.
But that meant she had to keep her heart on a tight leash. She couldn’t let herself believe he might actually have feelings for her, other than basic affection.
And she could never admit to Kane how she really felt about him.
* * *
River sat on the couch, feeling very alone, wondering what to do next. Her nail polish supplies hadn’t arrived yet, which was odd since Kane had said someone would bring them by. She’d already reviewed her promotion plans several times, and had started looking for more nail polish blogs online, but until she got her supplies, there wasn’t much more she could do.
It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since Kane had left on his business trip and she’d never felt so alone or out of her element.
The phone rang—again—and she wished it would stop. Whoever it was could leave a message for Kane. The only ones who knew she was here were Kane and Will. Kane would call her on her cell and Will would just knock on the door, since he lived in the building.
She went into the kitchen and made herself dinner. Just a small salad, since there was little in the fridge. Tomorrow, she would have to get some groceries.
She put the TV on while she ate, then when she finished, placed the empty plate on the coffee table and slumped on the couch. It was weird being in this huge lavish place on her own. She certainly didn’t look forward to sleeping in that big bed all alone again tonight. She had barely slept, the night filled with odd, unfamiliar noises.
Was this what it was going to be like being married to Kane? Bouts of great sex, sure, but then he’d disappear for days on end?
She walked to the kitchen and washed the few dishes, then decided she’d go in the hot tub. There was a private hot tub and a swimming pool in Kane’s own private courtyard, separated by a glass wall between the living room and the spa room and another wall of glass to the pool. The sight of it had been calling to her all day. She walked into the room and gazed at the sunset beyond. The pool glimmered with the molten gold of the sky.
She grabbed one of the colorful beach towels from the shelf and searched around a bit, hoping she’d find a spare bathing suit, but no such luck. Hers had faded last summer and she’d tossed it out.
She bit her lip. It was totally private here, so there was no reason she couldn’t just go in naked.
She found a hair clip and a covered elastic in the spa bathroom, so she gathered her hair into a ponytail and clipped it atop her head, then walked back into the spa room and glanced through the glass to the living room. Of course, there was no one there. She stripped down and set her clothes neatly on a lounge chair beside her towel, then walked to the sunken tub and settled into the hot water.
She glanced toward the living room again. Had she heard someone out there?
No, she’d been thrown off kilter all night because of noises she wasn’t used to. No one was going to come in. She was all alone here.
She pushed the button to start the bubbles, then just settled back and closed her eyes. The hot water and the flow of the bubbles were so relaxing. She should have done this last night. Maybe then she would have slept better.
“River?”
Chapter Fourteen
River jolted forward at the male voice, her eyelids popping open. “What?”
Will stood in the doorway, looking concerned. “I’ve been calling all day and you didn’t pick up.”
“Oh.” She started to stand and suddenly remembered she was totally naked. She wrapped her arm over her chest,