Part 13 (2/2)
”No, I don't suppose you do.”
”I'll take care of you, Mari. You won't want for anything.”
At that she turned on him, her normally genial brown eyes narrowing in anger. ”I won't want for anything? How can you say that? I'll want for you!”
He immediately regretted his choice of words. ”I meant financially.”
”Keep your money,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. ”I never cared a fig about that, and you know it.”
The only fights they'd had were over his desire to pay for everything.
”I have to say, I had no idea you liked them so young. I must've seemed like an old hag after you'd been with her.”
”That's not true! You're a beautiful woman, and I always considered myself lucky to spend time with you.”
”But you never loved me.”
He shook his head. ”I'm sorry. I hate that I've caused you so much pain. I never wanted that.”
”If you didn't want to hurt me, maybe you should've thought about how I'd feel about her showing up at our house to stake her claim on you.”
”That's not how it happened, and you know it. I had no idea she was coming, and you're the one who left.”
”Was I supposed to stick around and watch you pine for her?”
Reid didn't know what to say to that, so he stayed quiet.
”All I know is that two days ago I was living a life I loved with a man I loved, who I thought maybe loved me, though he'd never said so. Now, my whole world has been turned upside down, and I'm supposed to just accept that and go on like it never happened.”
”I did love you, Mari. I do love you.”
”But not the same way you love her.”
He rested his hands on his hips and shook his head. ”No. I'm sorry.”
”Save your apologies. I'm glad we had this conversation. At least I know now what I need to do.”
”And what's that?” he asked, slightly undone by the malice in her tone. He'd never seen anything remotely like that from her, but he'd also never crushed her before.
”That's none of your business. You lost the right to know that when you chose her over me. Go have your life with your little girl lover. I hope you're very happy together.”
Realizing the conversation was over, he said, ”Do you want the house?”
”No.”
”When would you like to get your things?”
”I'll do it this week.”
”Fine.”
”Fine.”
”Mari-”
”If you say you're sorry again, I'll punch you.”
Reid nodded, saddened to end on such an unfriendly note, but he supposed he couldn't blame her. He'd hate him, too, if he were her. ”I was just going to say take care of yourself.”
”Don't worry, I will.”
A sense of unease settled over him as he walked to his car, wondering what she'd meant by that.
Jill emerged from the shower and toweled her hair dry, reliving the day she'd spent with Ashton. He'd produced a gleaming Harley Davidson motorcycle from the garage that Jill had eyed with trepidation.
”I've never been on a motorcycle,” she'd said.
”Never?”
She shook her head.
”You don't know what you've been missing.”
The bike was huge and s.h.i.+ny and daunting. ”I'm okay with what I've been missing.”
That made him laugh. ”Trust me. I've been riding bikes since I was a little kid, and I promise you'll love it.”
”Your father let you do all kinds of crazy things when you were a kid.”
”I didn't have a mother to tell him not to.”
The statement was made in jest, but Jill sensed the pain behind it. He would've liked to have a mother to fret over his safety. What little boy wouldn't?
He held out a helmet to her. ”What do you say? Want to take a walk on the wild side?”
”If you're sure we'll be safe.”
He tucked her hair behind her ear and caressed her face. ”I'd never endanger you. Not when I have so many plans for you.”
The softly spoken words did something to her insides, making her all fluttery. In all of her life, Jill Harrington had never been fluttery. Maybe it was about time she was. ”Okay.”
She couldn't remember ever having more fun than they'd had cruising through Malibu and along the Pacific Coast Highway, stopping for lunch at an out-of-the-way place that he'd been to before and loved. He'd handled the bike like a true expert, and never once had she felt unsafe. Rather, she'd felt exhilarated and free in a way she hadn't often experienced.
Anxious to get back to him after hours snuggled against his back on the bike, she brushed her hair and put it up in a ponytail before dressing in the jeans and tank top she'd bought while they were out. She went downstairs to find him tending to the grill on a deck that overlooked the Pacific. After growing up on the coast, Jill was used to exceptional views, but this was better than most.
Ashton's back was turned, and since he was s.h.i.+rtless, she had an even better view of his broad shoulders and muscular back.
The feelings of exhilaration and freedom from earlier ran through her mind as she stepped outside and clearly surprised him when she rested her hands on his shoulders. Who was this brazen woman who walked up to a man and touched him without being invited to? This was a whole new woman, and Jill rather liked her.