Fallen for Her: Book 2

by Armstrong, Ava

  Ella responded: Bob is due to arrive here any minute. Let me check my schedule. I’m doing a lot of showings this week. She hadn’t expected Ray to have the paperwork ready to sign so quickly. He was efficient. Glancing at her calendar she noted she had an overnight shopping trip planned with Cassie.

  She messaged Ray back: Cassie and I are shopping and staying overnight in Kittery area on Friday.

  Before she could add to that, Ray shot back a response: Great. Let me know where you’ll be staying. I’ll get a room there and meet up with you. You can sign everything and your friend can sign as witness.

  Ella wrote back: That will be fine. We’ll arrive at the Low Tide Inn approximately 5:00 PM on Friday. Plan to shop all day Saturday and drive home later.

  She heard the cab door close and ran to the window to see Bob wheeling his luggage toward the garage. The moment he stepped through the doorway, Ella ran to greet him with Boomer in her arms. But the look on his face told her he wasn’t in the mood for a hug.

  “Please tell me you are dog sitting for someone…” Bob said with a note of sarcasm, “You know I’m allergic to dogs.”

  Ella leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek, sensing his mood was not pleasant. “Actually, Bob, this is my new puppy, Boomer!” She said with as much cheer as she could muster.

  “I guess you decided not to consult with me about this…” Bob stared at her utterly shocked. “And who would give a dog a name like that - Boomer? It’s ridiculous. Ella, we talked about this when Maverick died…you agreed…no more dogs – period.”

  “Well, I thought you could take the allergy medication if you have a reaction. Really, Bob, he doesn’t shed. He’s short-haired, and very tiny.” Ella could see her case was falling on deaf ears. Bob had moved to the kitchen. He was eating the snack she put on the counter for him.

  “And, for God’s sake, Ella, this bread is stale. How long has it been sitting here?” He drank the glass of wine in between complaints. “At least the wine you selected is decent.”

  “How was your trip?” Ella tried desperately to change the subject. She thought it would be good to talk about his win.

  “Big client, honey. Big money. And you and I are going to the club tonight to celebrate!” Bob smiled, “I worked very hard to get this client, but it paid off. All of the golf games, dinners, and listening to his wife drivel on about absolutely mind-numbing things like charitable events and movie stars. Oh you have no idea how much I had to put up with to get him to sign. But, it’s done. And, I’m home now with you, honey.”

  It was the first time he smiled since he walked in the door. Ella put Boomer on the floor and he curiously waddled over to Bob to sniff him. But Bob ignored the puppy and finally embraced her and kissed her forehead. He walked into his office to turn the computer on.

  “I’ve reserved a table at the club for 7:00 PM, early dinner. I’ve got to check my e-mail. I noticed some contracts were sent to me when I checked my phone and just wanted to print them off to go over them. I’ll just be an hour or so, honey. Hey, wear that red dress tonight. You know, the sexy one you wore to the Christmas party last year?” Bob seemed to be conversing with himself.

  Ella responded, “Sure, Bob. The red dress that looks like lingerie, I know the one you mean. By the way, I’m going shopping Friday with Cassie. We have an overnight trip planned for Kittery. You know, the outlets before Christmas trip.”

  He didn’t turn around but said, “Yes, honey, that’s fine. I know. It’s a Cassie thing. Hey, if you’re going up to the bedroom, would you bring my luggage up and put the dirty clothing in the laundry?” Ella pulled the large suitcase upstairs with Boomer scrambling to follow her. The puppy hadn’t mastered stairs just yet. Once she got to the top, Ella opened the suitcase on the bathroom floor and started tossing dirty items down the laundry chute.

  She put Bob’s toiletries in their place in the master bathroom. Then stored the luggage in the back of the walk-in closet. Boomer followed her every step of the way. She ran the bath water a little on the hot side and slipped into the over-sized tub big enough for three. Boomer plopped himself on the rug next to the tub. Ella laid back in the hot water and let her body go limp. She felt the tension melting away and closed her eyes. She couldn’t stop the little twinge of excitement about meeting Ray in Kittery during her upcoming shopping trip. She looked forward to Friday with eagerness and hope. Not sure what she was hoping for. But one thing she knew for certain, she couldn’t wait to see him again. Looking at the photos he posted on Facebook of the three of them made her heart melt. His caption said it all, “New BFF’s Ella and Boomer.” That was so cute.

  She imagined him working on the train ride back. He seemed to be that type of guy, efficient. Of all of the wonderful qualities Ray had, the one she loved the most was his selflessness. He gave of himself freely expecting nothing in return. If she smiled at him, he made her feel he just got a gift. Even though she had just met him, she felt as if Ray knew more about her than Bob. Just a hunch. She closed her eyes and imagined Ray’s kiss in the moonlight at the camp. Who would’ve thought a kiss in the kitchen of a fishing camp could be so romantic?

  That was something lacking in her life lately. Kissing. Or any form of affection. She moved her legs in the soapy hot water allowing herself to feel feminine, sensual, and slipped down into the water up to her neck. With eyes still closed, she thought about Ray and his eyes, and lips and hands. She thought about touching his masculine chest, his bicep. She wondered what he looked like naked. Did he have tattoos? Was he one of those guys who shaved his chest? The urge to know everything about him all at once was overwhelming. It was a very pleasant bathtub daydream.

  ~ Bob ~

  Furious about the dog, he restrained himself. He didn’t want to get into a long argument with Ella, not tonight anyway. He was sure he could convince her to give the dog away after she realized how much he was suffering with allergy symptoms. His eyes were already itchy and he felt an asthma attack brewing. Damn dog. And, what a name – Boomer? He’d give it to a shelter if he could. The puppy would probably piss all over the house too. Just what he needed on the perfectly refinished cherry hardwood floors. Since Maverick died, he hired contractors to freshen up the place. The agreement with Ella had been: there’d be no more pets. He could see that Ella wasn’t going to live up to her end of the bargain. This really stuck in his craw.

  After he printed off the contract in his office, he went over it carefully making sure his commission was correctly stipulated. Then he trudged up the stairs and viewed Ella naked in the tub. She had her head back and her eyes were closed. She looked so sexy he stepped into the bathroom and stared at her for a long moment until her eyes opened.

  “Oh, Bob, I didn’t even hear you.” Ella murmured. “Just relaxing.”

  “Yes, me too, I need to relax right now,” he exhaled. The light from the window rippled on her small ivory breasts with perfectly pink buds. He dropped his clothing to the floor and slipped into the tub with her sitting opposite.

  “Ella, honey, would you tell me how much you missed me? You haven’t said that yet. You know how much I like to hear that.” Bob whispered.

  Ella sat up and gazed at him, the humidity and soapy smell mesmerized him as he placed his hand on her leg. “Come on, honey, show me.” Bob felt he was begging her and didn’t like the feeling. She didn’t seem the least bit excited to see him. She pushed his hand away from her leg and got out of the tub.

  “It’s all yours.” She said, toweling off and heading for the master bedroom to get dressed. The image of her moving his hand away and getting out of the tub angered him, but he relaxed in the soapy hot water for a while longer, wondering what it was this time.

  He wasn’t a mind reader and he had no idea what was bothering Ella. He knew she was deep in grief regarding the loss of her father. But he planned to cheer her up tonight. He’d just landed another client, was taking her to one of the most exclusive restaurants in the state, and had given her a complime
nt by touching her leg and trying to get intimate. What the hell was wrong with her? He was getting tired of trying to figure her out. Women were too complicated for him. That’s why he preferred hookers, and not the cheap ones. The kind that make a guy’s eyes pop. They were expensive but they knew what he wanted and there was no drama. They made him feel like a man, not insignificant the way Ella made him feel lately.

  ~ Ella ~

  Ella was in the bedroom drying her hair. She felt nothing when Bob touched her leg in the tub. Whenever they had sex lately she felt empty afterward. He didn’t seem to care about her needs sexually. His constant demands for oral sex were becoming ridiculous. It was as if he just wanted a release and her mouth was expected to provide it. He didn’t kiss her or tell her she was beautiful. There seemed to be a complete absence of concern for her needs. Did Bob even understand she had needs? He wasn’t even there for her father’s funeral. He acted almost glad when Maverick died. As she applied lipstick she heard Bob walk into the master bedroom and he disappeared into his closet. There was never any conversation unless it was about his client or his most recent trip. Not much was said about Ella or what she wanted. He didn’t ask about her job, her friends or her life. She sometimes wondered if she even existed in his mind.

  Ella sifted through her closet and came upon the red dress Bob asked her to wear. It had a small amount of fabric in a halter style that had a peek-a-boo effect with her breasts. It was open in the back and dipped lower than she liked. Bob had purchased it for her two years ago in St. Bart’s. He liked her to wear her hair up with this dress. Besides her lips, Ella knew her breasts and the small of her back were the areas of her body that Bob seemed to gravitate to.

  She remembered the last time she wore the dress. It was at a cocktail party full of strangers at Bob’s company over a year ago. He kept his hand on the small of her back and his eyes were on her breasts all night. When they got home, he could hardly get inside the door before the dress was tossed onto the floor and he was on top of her. It seemed Bob never cared if Ella enjoyed the experience. That’s the only association she had with wearing the red dress. It was a reminder that she was some sort of trophy or vessel for him to use.

  Although Ella was in tune with what Bob wanted, she was getting tired of being a doormat. For the first time in her life, she was questioning things that Bob did. His continual travel, few things in common with her, and most of all his attitude that he was right and the rest of the world was wrong. The first year living with him had been a period of adjustment to one another’s habits and schedules. Both were busy and away from the house most of the time. The more time she spent with Bob, the more she questioned their compatibility. Although he claimed to love her, he wasn’t a demonstrative type of guy. He didn’t verbalize his love. He hardly ever made eye contact with her unless he wanted sex. He was either reading something on his computer, on the phone, or watching television.

  She piled her hair atop her head and carefully secured it. Choosing a necklace to highlight the cut out back of the dress, she put it on, and carefully applied a muted shade of red lipstick, Bob’s favorite. She heard him in the shower and knew he would be dressed and ready to go to dinner in twenty minutes or so.

  She walked downstairs with Boomer and looked at her iPad. Ray was on Facebook, and she messaged him, I’m Looking forward to Friday.

  She stared at the photograph of her sitting on the bench at the train station with Ray, holding Boomer. Beneath the photo, he had captioned: Ella and Ray with little Boomer. They looked like a happy couple; Ella was smiling a genuine smile and she noticed that Ray’s arm was around her in a protective way. She didn’t even realize it until she looked at the photo closely.

  Ray’s response came immediately, I can’t wait to be with you again. I think you are sweet.

  His words made her smile. Then, daringly, she allowed her real feelings to be expressed, I loved being with you. You’re a special guy.

  Bob’s footsteps were on the stairs, “Ready, honey?”

  “Yes,” Ella closed the iPad quickly, and Bob slipped on her wrap. “Good night for a walk.”

  Bob looked handsome, tanned and healthy in his black suit. “What do you think?” He asked her. “It’s new.”

  “Looks great.” Ella managed to say barely looking at him.

  “I got it in Palm Springs. Once you buy tailored stuff you can never go back to off-the-rack, you know, honey?” Bob seemed to be talking to himself.

  “Yes,” Ella smiled. The two of them walked a few blocks on the winding path through the woods to the enormous building known simply as The Club. A monstrosity of concrete and glass, It was an over-done modern structure with huge windows overlooking the golf course and a pond. The doorman took their coats and handed them to the coat check girl and the maître d' came up to them immediately.

  “Ah, Mr. Albertson, your table is ready, this way.” Ella noticed the man didn’t even notice her. It was as if she was an accessory on Bob’s arm. They were seated at a corner table overlooking the pond and the maître d' lit the candles. “You both look lovely tonight,” he replied without looking at them as if he’d said it a thousand times to a thousand couples.

  “A bottle of the finest champagne tonight,” Bob ordered.

  “What’s the occasion?” Ella asked him with a slight smile. “Getting a new client usually doesn’t bring on this type of celebration.”

  When the sommelier brought the bottle of champagne and uncorked it, Bob, took the deciding sip and nodded. The man poured and the server behind him took the dinner order and disappeared.

  “It’s a special night, honey.” Bob smiled, his blue eyes twinkling as if he had some sort of deep secret. Just at that moment Bob’s phone rang and his eye contact with her broke as he glanced down at it. “I’ve got to take this call, it’s important.”

  Ella sipped the soft champagne while Bob spoke on his cell phone, loudly of course, and everyone in the dining room was now glaring at their table. She felt as if she wanted to slink away to the ladies room and stay there until he finished the call. Bob’s face was animated and finally he told the caller he was eating dinner. He wrapped up his discussion and placed the phone back on the table.

  “I’ll be getting another call in a moment. There’s another client ready to sign with us. If I had stayed in Palm Springs just one more day, I would’ve gotten that one, too. And, he’s a bigger fish than the first. They’re in the same club and golf together. Plus their wives are friends. You’ve no idea what a big deal this could be.”

  Ella just stared at him and smiled her usual fake smile. Bob was gorgeous on the outside, confident, handsome, assertive, everything she thought she wanted. But he seemed to be running in a totally different direction than her. There was never laughter or quiet moments. Their home was just a stopping off point for him to prepare for the next trip, the next deal, and to get some sort of sexual gratification from her.

  “Yes, I can hear you…” Bob was on the phone again. Ella ate her meal and cringed as everyone in the hushed atmosphere of the club heard his every word on the call.

  “Great, yes, I’ll make sure the contract is written that way. You know you can count on me. I greatly appreciate it. Yes. Yes. I’ll catch you at the club when I fly out to Palm Springs next time. I’ll be back out next month. Again, thanks for your confidence.” By the time he hung up the phone, Ella had finished most of her meal and some of the patrons of the club had gotten up and left.

  “Waiter,” Bob called loudly, and the maître d' rushed to their table. “Can you heat this meal up? I had an important call.” The waiter swept Bob’s plate away and left quietly for the kitchen. Bob’s eyes met hers with excitement.

  “Another client, honey.” He was jovial, lively. Happy – for the moment. Money, that’s what thrilled him. Ella watched as Bob reached into his jacket pocket. He rummaged around for a moment.

  “I have something for you, honey. I hope you like it.” Bob handed a small turquoise box to her. Ella
immediately saw the words Tiffany & Company imprinted on the top. Oh, God. He was proposing to her. She had wondered about his intentions for nearly two years and now she didn’t want to open the box, but she did.

  “Oh Bob, you really shouldn’t have…” she blurted as she took the nine-carat diamond out of the cushioned setting in the box.

  Bob reached across the table and slipped the ring onto her finger. The nine-carat stone was so big it covered her whole finger and then some. It was beyond huge, it was colossal and over-the-top. But it screamed wealth, status, money, and Bob considered it to be a thing of beauty. Ella smiled as the remaining diners around them nodded and applauded. Their table was the center of attention in the country club. The waiter brought the reheated meal out to Bob.

  “Well, what do you think? Do you like it? Marry me, Ella.” Bob didn’t seem to be asking, it was more like a demand.

  With everyone’s eyes upon her at that moment, Ella smiled and whispered, “I can’t accept this, Bob.”