Creep - Jennifer Hillier [6]
“You don’t want to know what I was thinking about,” she said, the last word coming out a croak from her dry throat. Her water bottle was on the desk in front of her and she took a sip before getting up to give him a kiss.
His strong arms held her close for a few seconds. Resting her face against his burly chest, she breathed in his scent. Soap and water and spicy aftershave, a comforting combination. He kissed her again.
“This is a surprise. What brings you by?” She sat back down and smoothed her skirt, an excuse to dry her sweaty palms. She was breathless, though there was no physical cause for it. She looked at her fiancé, sitting across from her at the very desk she and Ethan had once . . .
Stop it.
Morris beamed at her, blue eyes twinkling. “I need a reason to see my future wife?”
“Never.” She forced a smile. “But it’s been awhile since you dropped by to see me at work.”
And thank God for that, you stupid twat. You’re going straight to hell.
“I forgot how nice your office is.” Morris relaxed in his chair and looked up at the cheerful yellow walls and numerous potted plants. His eyes fixed on a framed photo of the two of them the night they got engaged. “I don’t normally surprise you, do I?”
“Well—”
“That’s why I brought you this.” He pulled a skinny velvet box from his breast pocket and slid it across the desk. “Surprise, beautiful. One year ago we had our first official date. Happy anniversary.”
She stared at it, the realization sinking in. “Oh, shit, it is our anniversary. It totally slipped my mind.” She was horrified at yet another lapse.
He winked. “I figured as much. No worries. You’ve been busy with work and planning the wedding, and I’ve had my head up my ass with that Okinawa deal. I’m amazed I actually remembered.”
“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” She visualized slapping herself hard across the face. Stupid bitch. You don’t deserve him.
“Well, don’t just sit there looking like a bigmouth bass. Open it.” Morris pushed the box closer to her.
“What is it?”
“Goddamn it, woman, open it,” he said, laughing. “Only one way to find out.”
She took the velvet box in her hands and turned the silver latch. Her breath caught as she lifted the lid. Nestled inside on a bed of dark blue satin lay a diamond tennis bracelet, glittering like little stars under the fluorescent lights of her office.
It was magnificent.
“Oh, wow,” she breathed.
He was studying her face. “Do you like it?”
“Do I like it?” Her eyes were fixed on the bracelet in dazed awe. “Of course I like it, you crazy man. It’s gorgeous!”
“If it’s too long, I can have the jeweler take out a couple of the diamonds, maybe make you a pair of earrings.” He was clearly delighted at her reaction, and his grin stretched ear to ear. And he was the one who’d done the giving.
She held the bracelet up to the light and stared at it in wonder. Her eyes welled with tears. “Morris . . . you really shouldn’t have. This is too much.”
“It’s worth it just to see the look on your face,” he said triumphantly. His expression was so loving she almost broke down. “It’s an early wedding present. You deserve it, honey. You deserve everything I can give you.”
No, I don’t. I really don’t. She wanted to crawl under her desk and die. The desk where she’d let Ethan put his dirty hands all over her.
She stuck her arm out toward him, her smile garish and fake. “Put it on me?”
He obliged. It was a perfect fit, complementing her platinum engagement ring beautifully.
“Damn, there go my earrings,” she managed to joke.
Morris raised an eyebrow. “Good thing I put something on hold at the jewelry store then. Christmas is only a few months away.”
The shame of it was too much. Struggling to compose herself, Sheila came around the desk and sat in Morris’s lap, wrapping her arms around his thick neck. “I love you,” she whispered, kissing his lips, his forehead, his chin, feeling the dampness in his hair from the rain outside.