“Please let me finish,” She whispered as he dropped to his knees in front of the sofa where she was curled up. “When I got the news that I almost lost my only child, I could not function. All I could think about was that if he had not been taught to protect himself, that man and that horrible woman would have killed him. It took me years to stop looking over his shoulder and breathe easy where he is concerned. And then when I miscarried a few months after….”
“Darling please.” Her husband whispered, unable to bear her suffering. She had been unable to function for months after the miscarriage and he had thought he was losing her. He never brought it up because he knew how painful it was for her. She had wanted more children, but the miscarriage had seen to it that she was never able to have another child except Alan.
“I am sorry for bringing it up.” She whispered as she stroked his moist hair.
“It’s fine darling.” Taking her hand, he pressed it against his face and closed his eyes. “I am going to have a strong talk with our son as soon as he surfaces.”
“I would appreciate that.” She murmured. With a determined straightening of her slender shoulders and a bolstering smile, she spoke. “How about some breakfast in the Rose room?”
“You have read my mind darling.”
*****
“You are sure you want to hear?”
“I am sure.”
She eyed him skeptically. “It is not a pretty story.”
“I still want to hear.” He told her with a straight face.
“Okay, if you insist. It was in the studio.” She wrinkled her small nose as she leaned back against the pillows and wriggled her toes as he massaged them. “I was wearing this sheer black robe….”
“See through.”
She gave him a narrow look. “Do you want to hear or not?”
“When you mentioned the see-through robe, I am not so sure.”
“Well, you got me started so; too late. Anyway, the robe was sheer, and I was not wearing a bra….”
“Why weren’t you wearing a bra?” His eyes were narrowed, and he had stopped attending to her feet.
“Because it was not required.”
“Were you shooting a porn film?”
Her dark eyes flashed as she stared at him. “It was a lingerie commercial for an underwear company.”
“Your nipples were showing?”
“No, at least I don’t think so. It was a commercial, so I am pretty certain they edited out any exposed nipple.”
“What about the camera man and the producer? Was he a male?”
“He was a male and you are being ridiculous.”
“What happened?” He asked her tensely, his jaw rigid.
“I fell as I was crossing the doorway and going into the bedroom and that’s it. Please remind me never to tell another story like that again.”
“Why not?”
She stared at him in shock. “You should see the look on your face darling. Why on earth would you be jealous of something that happened before we met?”
He ducked his head and concentrated on her feet. “Because I am an idiot.” He muttered.
She poked at his crotch and he lifted his head to look at her. “I love that you are.” She told him with an impish smile.
“Is that so?” he growled. Athena squealed when he dragged her forward so that she tumbled on top of him. “Be warned,” he told her huskily as he removed her robe. “I am very possessive.”
“I am duly warned,” She whispered as she surrendered to his kisses.
*****
That night, he waited until he was sure she was sleeping before he eased out of her arms and put on a robe before leaving the bedroom and going into the living room. They had finally decided to use the bed that night. The blanket was still rumpled, giving evidence of what had happened there a few hours ago. They had one day left before they had to leave. Picking up the blanket, he straightened it out and folded it, absently putting it on the side of the sofa before pulling up a chair and taking a seat in front of the fire. They had talked about everything and he had told her that there was no way he could ever leave her, and he meant it, but time was running out. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that his parents, specifically his mother was trying to get in touch with him. And he also knew that she would be concerned. She had been through hell when he was almost taken and after that she had miscarried which had put her in depression for several months. He had to tell them and see where the chips fly. He had made the mistake of keeping his marriage to Athena a secret and he regretted that. He had asked her to condone his actions and as her husband, as the man in the relationship, that was not something he should have done. She was going to be pregnant soon and he had to clear this up before a baby was involved. Dragging his fingers through his hair, he got up and started to pace. He could just imagine the conversation. He would be introducing not just a woman he was seeing but one that he had secretly married and had been living with for close to two months. He had betrayed them and that was not something they would look pass. Athena was not only someone they would approve because of her complexion but her career would come in question as well.
“Mom and Dad, I would like to introduce you to my wife Athena.”
He shook his head as he envisioned the look on their faces and the way they would look at her. “Oh Christ! What am I going to do?”
*****
“I don’t think I can feel my ears.” She murmured as she dragged the wool cap over her ears. “Why are you not cold?” She complained as she stared at the tall handsome blond man with his head completely bare. She was dressed like an Eskimo and he was wearing only a thin sweater and denims.
“Baby you are exaggerating. It is just slightly chilly.”
She sent him a dirty look.
“And you were the one who insisted on us coming for a walk after dinner.” He pointed out.
“If I knew it was this cold I would not have suggested it.”
“Do you want us to turn back?”
“Nope. I am suffering in silence because it is so pretty and peaceful. There isn’t anything stirring, well maybe the leaves on the trees.”
“I just saw a chipmunk scurrying pass us.” Alan took her hand in his and held her fast. “Want to hear the history of the place?”
She nodded as she snuggled closer to him. She had felt how withdrawn he had been over dinner and waited for him to tell her what was going on with him, but she already knew. Tonight would be their last night and tomorrow they would be going back to the real world where his parents were and the uncertainty of what they would do when they found out about them. She did not want to talk about it and spoil the little time they had left at this place.