by Eden Proctor
The laugh that bubbled out of her throat sounded unhinged, but Mindy didn’t care. He thought he could avoid her? Make a mockery of her and then avoid dealing with the consequences. She would relish showing him how wrong he was.
So instead she waited, each short, jerky breath, her rapidly beating heart giving her a chance to think about what she’d say to him, how good it would feel to get this off her chest.
Nate had made a fool of her, but she would put a stop to that now.
Chapter 16
Nate crept into the bedroom, moving quietly.
Again Mindy wondered why she had come back here. She should’ve gone to her old house. Stubbornness, that was what had brought her here. And, as much as she hated to admit it even to herself, the overwhelming need to see him.
Mindy kept her back to him, listened to the now-familiar sound of him disrobing. He climbed into bed, then whispered in her ear.
“You awake, Mindy?”
She sighed, swallowed the frustration, and then turned to glare at him. He looked at her, seeming somewhat shocked.
“What’s wrong, Mindy?” he said.
“You tell me, Nate,” she said.
He smiled at her, then wrapped his arms around her.
“Nothing. Now, nothing at all,” he said, sounding happy, though she could hear some trepidation in his voice.
She struggled to break his embrace, but his strong arms around her waist kept her in place.
“Maybe if you told me what was wrong, I could help,” he said.
Mindy went still, but didn’t turn to look at him. She couldn’t. He was really doing this, coming back to her after what he’d done?
“You really are going to do this,” she said, giving voice to her thoughts.
“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it all day,” he said, scooting closer to her so that his erection was pressed against her ass.
It should have sickened her, but she found herself sinking back into the hard wall of his chest.
She softened further when he squeezed one of her thighs tight and then pushed his hand between her legs. He didn’t touch her, just left his fingers close enough that she could feel them edging against her clit. Then he kissed her shoulder, her neck, pulled her sleep shirt up so that he could cup her breasts with his other hand.
“Nate…”
She hated the hurt in her voice, knew that he heard it when he stilled.
She still didn’t look at him, and she was thankful that he didn’t press the issue.
“Mindy? What’s wrong?” he said.
“I saw Dahlia today. With you.”
Saying the words out loud was heartbreaking, and when he breathed out hard and then moved his hands so that his arms were wrapped around her waist, the hurt deepened.
He sighed, then laid his head atop hers.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Her heart tugged, and her eyes clouded with tears.
“Why?”
“I don’t know,” he said, sounding tired.
She shook her head, broke away from him, though she still didn’t look at him.
“I can’t do this, Nate. I know this is a… I know this is whatever it is, but I will not be disrespected or embarrassed. And if you’re going to be with other people, we can’t be together,” she said.
“What? Be with other people? I’m not. And you aren’t either,” he said.
She looked at him then, saw that he had an angry expression on his face, one that was so different than before.
“You want to be with other people?” Nate asked.
His voice wavered between disbelief and fear and rage, and Mindy frowned.
“No. But you do, right?”
He shook his head. “No. Of course not. I would never…” He narrowed his eyes, looked at her suspiciously after he trailed off. “What do you think happened with Dahlia?”
“I didn’t stay around. But I saw her drop…saw her drop her trench coat. I could figure out the rest from there,” she said.
Even speaking the words hurt, and she knew her face was in a twisted, ugly expression.
“Oh? So you think I fucked Dahlia and then came back here to you?”
“Yeah,” Mindy said.
He frowned, then shook his head. “I called security and got her out of there,” he said.
“Oh,” Mindy said.
When she looked at him she saw the hurt in his expression.
“Nice to know that you think so highly of me,” he said.
Then he turned and lay on his side. A second later the room was plunged into darkness.
“Nate…”
“I’m sleepy. I’m going to bed,” he said.
Then he went quiet and so did Mindy. She turned and faced Nate. She didn’t know how much time passed, an hour, maybe more, but she knew Nate wasn’t sleeping.
She moved close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Nate, are you sleeping?” she asked.
“Yes,” he replied briskly, his voice so clear that she knew he was as awake as she was.
She chuckled, heard him do so as well.
“I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions,” she said.
“Yeah. I guess I gave you reason to think that. But, Mindy, I’m not that kind of person. I wouldn’t do that to you,” he said.
And she believed him, couldn’t understand why she hadn’t before.
“I know.”
“Mindy?” Nate said a moment later.
“Yeah,” she replied.
“No one else. I won’t be with anyone else. And you won’t be either?”
Again she heard that threatened anger in his voice that was so uncommon for her easygoing Nate.
She answered without hesitation. “No.”
“Good.”
A moment later he continued. “I know this isn’t what you had planned and hoped for, but please know that you can trust me, okay?” he said.
He was wrong.
This was exactly what she had hoped for. And that was what made it so dangerous.
But she couldn’t say that, so instead she simply said, “Yes.”
He turned and then kissed her.
Mindy sighed, somehow having forgotten how wonderful it was to feel his touch though she had so recently.
Because this time was deeper, felt both lighter and heavier, like she and Nate had reached a different point. She didn’t let herself think about that, though, and instead of thinking, just allowed herself to feel.
His strong, warm hands as he lifted the sleep shirt off her head and tossed it away, and then traced her body, touching what felt like every inch of her exposed skin.
When he brushed hands across her thighs, she opened for him eagerly, cried out when he pushed two fingers deep into her aching core.
She reached for him, desperately touching him with a franticness she didn’t think would ever go away. And when he pushed his cock inside her, Mindy shattered, came apart in his arms instantly.
Nate wasn’t hers, and he never would be, but in that moment, she didn’t care. All that mattered was that he was here with her now.
Mindy would hold on for as long as she could.
Chapter 17
“Wow, looking good, Mindy,” Nate said.
“Stuff it,” she replied, looking at him murderously.
He simply laughed and locked the condo door. Then he turned, and, as was his habit, offered her his elbow.
“I mean it. You look beautiful,” he said.
Mindy warmed at his words, but a moment later laughed and stepped into the elevator with him.
“Thanks, but I feel like a cake topper,” she said.
She looked down at the puffy skirt of the ball gown she was wearing, again wondering what had come over her when she’d picked it. The dressmaker had told her she looked like a princess, that it would be the perfect dress for the annual charity ball. And Mindy, in a moment of what now seemed like insanity, had believed her.
As she’d dressed, she’d become
less and less certain, but when she looked at Nate and saw the genuine appreciation in his eyes, she relaxed a little.
He looked dashing as usual in his black tux, and even though she felt oddly conspicuous, Mindy instead focused on how wonderful this was.
In the month since their wedding, she and Nate had developed a closeness and connection that she hadn’t expected. This had been the best time of her life, and she knew she would treasure it forever.
Of course, now would be her first real test as Mrs. Nathaniel Eaton.
In previous years, Mindy had always gone to Gordon’s yearly charity ball. It was expected. But she’d always pulled the black dress from the back of her closet, gone and made the rounds, and gotten out all before the cocktail hour was over.
Not this year, though.
This year she would be going as Nathaniel’s wife, and with that role would come expectations, ones that Mindy didn’t know if she could fill. They had climbed into the limo and Nate grabbed her hand and squeezed.
“It’ll be fine. And we can go whenever you want,” he said.
She looked over at his reassuring face, and knew that what he said was true. But she also knew how important this night was to his grandfather, to him, and she wouldn’t be a burden.
She lifted one corner of her mouth and smiled.
“Nate, you know a room full of stuffed suits doesn’t scare me,” she said on a laugh.
He returned the smile, but kept his hold on her hand.
By the time they arrived at the gala, Mindy had calmed down some and was ready. Nate escorted her inside, waving hello and nodding at several of his acquaintances as they made their way over to Gordon.
“Mindy, you look amazing, dear,” Gordon said.
He gave her his customary kiss on the cheek, one that she had finally gotten used to.
“And you look rather dashing as well,” Mindy said.
Gordon smiled and then offered his arm, which Mindy took.
“Nathaniel, I’m going to borrow your beautiful bride for a while if you don’t mind,” Gordon said.
“Not too long, Grandfather,” Nate replied.
“We’ll be back in a flash. Now, Mindy, let’s go get these cheapskates to open their wallets,” Gordon said.
Mindy laughed and let Gordon walk her away.
* * *
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Nate said to Simeon.
“I’m only here because Claire’s forcing me to be,” Simeon said.
“I’m also forcing him to write a nice big check,” Claire added.
“That’s the spirit,” Nate said.
He chatted with his friends for a few moments longer, but kept an eye on Mindy.
She was a natural at this. When the evening had started, he had seen how terrified she was, but as the hours had passed she had grown more and more comfortable. Which was perfect in his eyes. They’d have a lot more of these over the years, and he wanted her to enjoy them.
“I’ve seen that look before,” his grandfather said.
Nate looked over at the man as he approached, smiling.
“What’s ‘that look’?” he asked.
“A young fool in love. It suits you,” Gordon said.
Nate grinned, didn’t even try to refute what his grandfather had said.
He was a fool in love, and he decided that he was going to tell Mindy so tonight.
It was soon, probably too soon, but Nate always went with his gut, and his gut told him not to wait. It didn’t matter how they had come together. What mattered was that they were perfect for each other. He planned to propose for real this time, maybe even have another wedding if that was what she wanted.
All Nate wanted was for the woman who had somehow captured his heart to know that she had.
“I see trouble.”
Nate looked to Simeon, who had spoken, and then followed his friend’s gaze. Nate’s stomach dropped.
“What the fuck is she doing here?” he muttered.
“A friend of yours, Nathaniel?” his grandfather asked.
“No.”
Nate didn’t say anything else and instead kept his eyes on Dahlia as she got closer to Mindy.
He took off, headed to Mindy, hoping to head Dahlia off. The crowd was thick, which made moving hard, but Nathaniel was determined.
It seemed Dahlia was too. She was moving toward Mindy with the same speed and determination as Nate, and he wanted to scream when Dahlia reached her first.
He watched the scene unfold, saw Mindy’s frown and then the way she stood up straighter, kept her expression blank.
Dahlia pointed at her, and Nate could see that she was talking. But it was only when he got closer that he heard.
“How much is he paying you?”
At Dahlia’s shrieked question, some of the volume in the room dropped, and Nate saw eyes begin to focus on Mindy and Dahlia.
Mindy, for her part, said nothing, but that didn’t deter Dahlia.
“Don’t you have any pride? He didn’t even want you! He was going to ask me first!”
Mindy still didn’t speak, which only seemed to make Dahlia even angrier.
“You’re pathetic! Pathetic! Do these people know that this is a sham? That you and Nate are trying to trick the old man?”
Nate could see the alarm on Mindy’s face. She looked up, locked eyes with him, and he tried his best to reassure her with his gaze and worked even harder to push through the crush of the crowd.
He reached her a moment later and put himself between her and Dahlia. He kept his eyes on Dahlia but reached behind him for Mindy’s hand. When he felt her shaking fingers, he squeezed, wanting her to know that he was here.
“Dahlia, leave,” he said.
“Is that all you have to say to me, Nate?”
He looked toward the security guards and gestured them over, then looked back at Dahlia.
“It is? You really are going to pretend that you’re married to this—”
“Dahlia, it was a mistake for you to come here. It would be an even bigger one for you to insult my wife,” Nate said.
He saw the rush of concern on Dahlia’s face, knew that she was starting to regret coming here. Nate would see to it that her regret got worse.
“You called my wife pathetic, but you were mistaken. You’re the one who’s pathetic, Dahlia. You came here to make a scene, embarrass me and the love of my life. And now you’re going to get dragged out by the police,” Nate said.
He shook his head, watched as the security guards grabbed Dahlia and pulled her out of the ballroom. After she was gone, Nate looked down at Mindy, saw that her expression was stark, her eyes wide, haunted.
He kept a tight hold on her hand and then looked at the crowd. “Mindy and I want to thank you all for coming. Please enjoy the evening. And donate.”
With that, Nate held Mindy’s hand, and led her out of the gala.
Chapter 18
Mindy’s whole body was shaking, shaking so hard she was surprised she was able to walk into Nate’s condo.
As they rode in the elevator, he put a hand on her shoulder. There had been a time when she would have wanted nothing more than his touch, but in that moment she took a step away, broke the contact.
He looked at her, and she understood his confusion. But that understanding didn’t change what she had to do.
She had to protect herself, needed to end this charade, and the sooner she got used to not having him there, not touching him, the sooner she’d be able to move on with her life. Or at least try to.
She stayed silent as she followed him into the condo. She didn’t look around, couldn’t allow herself to see the place that she had gotten so used to, the one that she had come to think of as home.
Instead she only paused long enough to step out of her heels and then made her way to the bedroom.
It twisted her heart to see the things that she had accumulated there. Bit by bit, she had brought more and more of her belongings. It had started out as a chang
e of clothes, a few items for work. Then the floodgates had opened. She’d brought her favorite coffee mug, her most comfy sweatshirt, other items, both important and insignificant. Seeing each of them was a reminder of the illusions and lies she’d allowed herself to believe in.
Still dressed in her gown, but barefoot now, Mindy began to gather her items.
She didn’t think she’d get everything, but she’d send for the rest later.
“What are you doing?” Nate asked.
She ignored him, and instead wrapped her mug in her sweatshirt and stuffed them both in her oversized laptop bag.
Then she collected other things, trying to move as fast as she could despite the emotional storm that raged inside her.
“Mindy? What the hell?”
She paused momentarily at the pained, confused sound of Nate’s voice. But she kept going, couldn’t let herself be sidetracked by that.
She reached for her favorite mug, but then was stilled by a strong arm on her elbow. She looked at Nate, saw the confusion in his face.
“Mindy, what are you doing?” he asked.
“What does it look like?” she replied.
Her voice was icy, distant, and it couldn’t have been more different from what she felt on the inside. But it still gave her some measure of satisfaction. At least she’d been able to keep some of her hurt from him, been able to retain some small degree of pride.
“It looks like running,” he said.
His expression had changed, his eyes darkening. For a moment she was taken aback by how handsome he was, but she ignored that, and instead tried to turn back to what she was doing, ignoring her love for him, the hurt she felt. She was running. Didn’t he see she had no choice?
Nate dropped her arm, and Mindy suddenly felt drained, the hurt that had taken up residence in her chest making moving seem impossible now. She made her way to the couch that had become so familiar and so comfortable and sank down onto it.
“What’s wrong?” Nate asked.
He had kneeled in front of her, not close enough to touch, but close enough that she could see the twisting worry on his face.
