tub alone
looked as if it could fit four grown adults with ease.
“This…this is your guest room?” she gasped.
“Yes.” Amaryllis blinked with surprise. “Is it not
adequate?”
“Are you insane? This place is amazing. I’ve never seen
anything so luxurious in my life.” Her gaze dropped to her boots covered in mud
and the tattered hem of her dress that had been ripped when the goober twins
had tried to hurt her. God, could she look any sorrier? “Holy crap, why didn’t
you tell me to take off my boots? I’ve probably tracked mud all over.” She bent
down and unzipped the ruined Jimmy Choos and set them by the door.
“Do not fret. You’re fine and now you are here with me.
After a nice bath you’ll feel as fresh as a flower after a gentle rain. Then
you will sleep well and in the morning we will go retrieve your car and you can
plan your next course of action.”
This unexpected bout of good fortune was a double-edged
sword. Of course she was grateful, but how would she ever repay such kindness?
“Thank you, but I wouldn’t want you to go to any extra trouble. I’m a perfect
stranger and yet you’ve opened your home to me. I can’t ask you to do any
more.”
“You aren’t. I’m insisting. No.” She held up her hand when
Ari’s mouth opened to protest. “It is settled.”
Now Ari saw why Lucian had a private security detail for his
wife. The woman was quiet the ball-breaker. “Thank you.”
Amaryllis jumped up onto the mattress and giggled as she
bounced. “Tell me about yourself, Ari. What has brought you to the city?”
“Oh, well.” She fiddled with the edge of her sweatshirt then
pulled the cotton from her shoulders and stalled for time by hanging the soggy
garment up in the closet. “I’m looking for adventure. Something different. I
figured this city may be a good place to start.”
“Won’t you miss your home?”
“Not really. There was only my mom and I, and we aren’t that
close. There’s nothing left for me there.”
“What made you leave?”
Her fingers curled around the hanger. This was not a story
she wanted to share, especially when she was surrounded by opulence and with a
woman who appeared to have the world on a Tiffany platter. In comparison she
was as dirty as her floral dress, maybe even filthier. The last thing she
wanted was to be kicked out on her ass, or have Amaryllis think less of her.
The need to lie curled her tongue, but when she glanced over
her shoulder and saw Amaryllis stare at her with those kind eyes and an
expectant smile, her sense of self-preservation wilted. This woman allowed her
into the sanctity of her home. The least Ari could do was grant her an honest
answer.
“Bad breakup.”
“So bad you had to move across the country to recover?”
“Yeah.” She scratched at her arm. “The town I live in is
pretty small. The biggest industries are farms and the state penitentiary.
Anthony was a lawyer from St. Louis who often came to town for work. We met
when he had dinner at the place where I tended bar. He was cute and high class
and he made me feel special.”
“How long were you together?”
“About a year. We’d meet once or twice a month, and Skyped
when we could.” She drew a big breath. “Then a few months ago the shit hit the
fan. I didn’t know that he was on the city council. And very married.”
“Ouch.” Amaryllis winced with sympathy. “How horrible for
you. Were you in love with him?”
She opened her mouth to answer then paused to consider her
response with an objectivity that came with distance. The time she had spent
with Anthony before the blowup had been magical. She had had the best of both
worlds with a boyfriend who showered her with gifts and attention when they
were together and then left her alone to have the freedom that came with being
a single woman, although she had never cheated on him during their
relationship.
But had she loved him?
“I think I was more in love with how he made me feel.
looked as if it could fit four grown adults with ease.
“This…this is your guest room?” she gasped.
“Yes.” Amaryllis blinked with surprise. “Is it not
adequate?”
“Are you insane? This place is amazing. I’ve never seen
anything so luxurious in my life.” Her gaze dropped to her boots covered in mud
and the tattered hem of her dress that had been ripped when the goober twins
had tried to hurt her. God, could she look any sorrier? “Holy crap, why didn’t
you tell me to take off my boots? I’ve probably tracked mud all over.” She bent
down and unzipped the ruined Jimmy Choos and set them by the door.
“Do not fret. You’re fine and now you are here with me.
After a nice bath you’ll feel as fresh as a flower after a gentle rain. Then
you will sleep well and in the morning we will go retrieve your car and you can
plan your next course of action.”
This unexpected bout of good fortune was a double-edged
sword. Of course she was grateful, but how would she ever repay such kindness?
“Thank you, but I wouldn’t want you to go to any extra trouble. I’m a perfect
stranger and yet you’ve opened your home to me. I can’t ask you to do any
more.”
“You aren’t. I’m insisting. No.” She held up her hand when
Ari’s mouth opened to protest. “It is settled.”
Now Ari saw why Lucian had a private security detail for his
wife. The woman was quiet the ball-breaker. “Thank you.”
Amaryllis jumped up onto the mattress and giggled as she
bounced. “Tell me about yourself, Ari. What has brought you to the city?”
“Oh, well.” She fiddled with the edge of her sweatshirt then
pulled the cotton from her shoulders and stalled for time by hanging the soggy
garment up in the closet. “I’m looking for adventure. Something different. I
figured this city may be a good place to start.”
“Won’t you miss your home?”
“Not really. There was only my mom and I, and we aren’t that
close. There’s nothing left for me there.”
“What made you leave?”
Her fingers curled around the hanger. This was not a story
she wanted to share, especially when she was surrounded by opulence and with a
woman who appeared to have the world on a Tiffany platter. In comparison she
was as dirty as her floral dress, maybe even filthier. The last thing she
wanted was to be kicked out on her ass, or have Amaryllis think less of her.
The need to lie curled her tongue, but when she glanced over
her shoulder and saw Amaryllis stare at her with those kind eyes and an
expectant smile, her sense of self-preservation wilted. This woman allowed her
into the sanctity of her home. The least Ari could do was grant her an honest
answer.
“Bad breakup.”
“So bad you had to move across the country to recover?”
“Yeah.” She scratched at her arm. “The town I live in is
pretty small. The biggest industries are farms and the state penitentiary.
Anthony was a lawyer from St. Louis who often came to town for work. We met
when he had dinner at the place where I tended bar. He was cute and high class
and he made me feel special.”
“How long were you together?”
“About a year. We’d meet once or twice a month, and Skyped
when we could.” She drew a big breath. “Then a few months ago the shit hit the
fan. I didn’t know that he was on the city council. And very married.”
“Ouch.” Amaryllis winced with sympathy. “How horrible for
you. Were you in love with him?”
She opened her mouth to answer then paused to consider her
response with an objectivity that came with distance. The time she had spent
with Anthony before the blowup had been magical. She had had the best of both
worlds with a boyfriend who showered her with gifts and attention when they
were together and then left her alone to have the freedom that came with being
a single woman, although she had never cheated on him during their
relationship.
But had she loved him?
“I think I was more in love with how he made me feel.
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