Safari Moon by Rogue Phoenix Press
Authors: Rogue Phoenix Press
Tags: Romance, Contemporary
Ads: Link
most
hectic year of your life. I want you to have help.”
“I don’t want help. If my life will be more
hectic than what I endured in New York, I don’t want any part of
the wedding.”
“If you like, we can hire a wedding
planner.”
“But...”
“Trust me. It will all turn out fine.” His
teeth flashed white. The bright grin was the one he used when he
wanted to win over the people.
“Robert--”
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I
have to go. I’m meeting mother. She’ll have the guest list. Smile,
it should have a hundred people we can cut.”
She groaned. “I thought we agreed on a small
wedding,” she tried for a light tone, but she sounded a little
bitter.
“Sorry, sweetheart. She knows all the old
timers in Bend and most of the new arrivals. Mother didn’t want to
offend anyone.” He hugged her close and gave her a little peck on
the forehead.
“They’d forget about the slight in a couple
of months.”
“I know you didn’t mean that. Love you. I’ll
call. Let you know all the details.” The door closed on his last
words. Robert was gone, vanished in a whirlwind that reminded her
of all the times she'd rather forget.
Nyssa lowered herself to the couch then let
her head fall into her hands. She massaged her temples in a fervent
attempt to stop the headache that was ready to explode.
Tonight with Robert was like a nightmare.
She felt petty when they argued over his campaign and all he wanted
to accomplish. Guilt swept through her. She was being selfish. If
that wasn’t enough, she felt terrible about leaving for a tour one
month before the wedding date. But she’d already agreed to the trip
in Greece, agreed months before he asked her to marry him. She had
done research, booking the hotels and inns. She had pedaled the
entire journey and made sure the distance and the terrain each day
would never be too much for the cyclists. During her lunch hours,
she’d poured over volumes on Greek history so she’d have
interesting trivia to tell the group. Damn, damn, and double
damn.
Robert had his life mapped out. Sometimes
she wasn't sure if there was room for her. Sometimes she wasn't
sure if she wanted to be part of his life and his dreams.
The effect of her calming speech lasted less
than a minute. “I'm going to be a good wife.” She threw her armful
of clothes onto her bed. “I’m a coward, a slob, an exercise
nut--and can’t forget a man I have no future with. How am I ever
going to change when I don't want to change?”
She fell into bed and pulled a huge quilt
over her. And then the telephone rang, the sound muffled by the
quilt over her head.
“If that’s Robert, being nice to me again,
I’m going to scream.” She shifted to grab the phone before the
answering machine switched on. “I don’t want nice, and forgiving,
and perfect. Robert I...”
“Hellooo...” a deep, sexy voice wafted over
the phone lines. “Are you asleep?”
She stopped breathing. A gasp of delight
caught in her throat.
“Solo.”
She felt very insecure, and the sound of his
familiar voice in her ear made her senses respond wildly.
Solo--her security. She was used to him, his
laugh, his warmth, and he would never run for office. He just
wanted his adventures.
Her one romantic fantasy--he would rescue
her from all her nightmares and carry her off on his white horse to
his castle in the clouds where they’d live forever on adventure and
romance.
Except her dreams were fiction and Solo
would never see her as anything but his buddy. She’d have to rescue
herself.
Nonetheless, she cuddled in deeper, cradling
the phone against her shoulder, and continued to pretend.
“I’m glad you’re home.” Her fantasy got
better.
“I’m glad you called. I’ve thought about
you.”
“Have you? Can you forgive me? I was a bit
presumptuous.” His voice lowered taking on a throaty
hectic year of your life. I want you to have help.”
“I don’t want help. If my life will be more
hectic than what I endured in New York, I don’t want any part of
the wedding.”
“If you like, we can hire a wedding
planner.”
“But...”
“Trust me. It will all turn out fine.” His
teeth flashed white. The bright grin was the one he used when he
wanted to win over the people.
“Robert--”
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I
have to go. I’m meeting mother. She’ll have the guest list. Smile,
it should have a hundred people we can cut.”
She groaned. “I thought we agreed on a small
wedding,” she tried for a light tone, but she sounded a little
bitter.
“Sorry, sweetheart. She knows all the old
timers in Bend and most of the new arrivals. Mother didn’t want to
offend anyone.” He hugged her close and gave her a little peck on
the forehead.
“They’d forget about the slight in a couple
of months.”
“I know you didn’t mean that. Love you. I’ll
call. Let you know all the details.” The door closed on his last
words. Robert was gone, vanished in a whirlwind that reminded her
of all the times she'd rather forget.
Nyssa lowered herself to the couch then let
her head fall into her hands. She massaged her temples in a fervent
attempt to stop the headache that was ready to explode.
Tonight with Robert was like a nightmare.
She felt petty when they argued over his campaign and all he wanted
to accomplish. Guilt swept through her. She was being selfish. If
that wasn’t enough, she felt terrible about leaving for a tour one
month before the wedding date. But she’d already agreed to the trip
in Greece, agreed months before he asked her to marry him. She had
done research, booking the hotels and inns. She had pedaled the
entire journey and made sure the distance and the terrain each day
would never be too much for the cyclists. During her lunch hours,
she’d poured over volumes on Greek history so she’d have
interesting trivia to tell the group. Damn, damn, and double
damn.
Robert had his life mapped out. Sometimes
she wasn't sure if there was room for her. Sometimes she wasn't
sure if she wanted to be part of his life and his dreams.
The effect of her calming speech lasted less
than a minute. “I'm going to be a good wife.” She threw her armful
of clothes onto her bed. “I’m a coward, a slob, an exercise
nut--and can’t forget a man I have no future with. How am I ever
going to change when I don't want to change?”
She fell into bed and pulled a huge quilt
over her. And then the telephone rang, the sound muffled by the
quilt over her head.
“If that’s Robert, being nice to me again,
I’m going to scream.” She shifted to grab the phone before the
answering machine switched on. “I don’t want nice, and forgiving,
and perfect. Robert I...”
“Hellooo...” a deep, sexy voice wafted over
the phone lines. “Are you asleep?”
She stopped breathing. A gasp of delight
caught in her throat.
“Solo.”
She felt very insecure, and the sound of his
familiar voice in her ear made her senses respond wildly.
Solo--her security. She was used to him, his
laugh, his warmth, and he would never run for office. He just
wanted his adventures.
Her one romantic fantasy--he would rescue
her from all her nightmares and carry her off on his white horse to
his castle in the clouds where they’d live forever on adventure and
romance.
Except her dreams were fiction and Solo
would never see her as anything but his buddy. She’d have to rescue
herself.
Nonetheless, she cuddled in deeper, cradling
the phone against her shoulder, and continued to pretend.
“I’m glad you’re home.” Her fantasy got
better.
“I’m glad you called. I’ve thought about
you.”
“Have you? Can you forgive me? I was a bit
presumptuous.” His voice lowered taking on a throaty