Stakes & Stilettos - Michelle Rowen [98]
Not to everyone’s taste, but definitely on the menu for me. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a midnight snack.
I had once doubted his feelings for me, and even now I did at times. He was hard to read with that stony exterior of his. But I knew he loved me, even though he didn’t exactly shout it from the rooftops. He proved it to me with his actions, his deeds, the unspoken things. And he murmured it to me when we made love.
He loved me. And I loved him. And nothing was going to come between us.
Did I want to bite anybody? Nope.
Was I feeling okay? Hell, yeah.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” a cool, female voice purred.
Thierry and I both turned toward the door to look. Veronique stood there, tapping her foot, with her arms crossed in front of her. She had an eyebrow raised.
Damn. Another couple of minutes and this would have been mortifying instead of just a really awkward and embarrassing situation as I made out with her husband on the sofa in his office.
And damned if she didn’t look amused by the whole thing.
Reassessment.
Did I feel like biting anyone?
Yes please.
Chapter 18
Perhaps I should give you a little privacy?” Veronique asked, although she didn’t make any move to leave the room. She wore a low-cut black dress with a high slit at the side. I was almost certain it was Gucci. Her raven-colored hair was long and sleek and fell effortlessly around her perfect face.
Thierry pushed up from the sofa and grabbed my sweater, which he handed to me with a definite look of apology in his still-dark gaze. I turned away and slid the sweater on as quickly as I could.
“Veronique,” he said evenly. “I didn’t expect you.”
“No, I imagine not.”
“You have come all the way from Paris to see me?” he asked.
“Yes, and I’m sure you know why.”
“I would imagine it has something to do with the papers I sent you.”
“That’s right. An annulment?” She shook her head and smiled. “Really, Thierry. I expect much better from you after all these years.”
“Oh? What do you mean?”
She smiled in my direction. “Sarah, so lovely to see you again, my dear.”
“You, too,” I said, and it sounded more like a squeak.
Dammit. Why did I feel so wrong? Their marriage was over. I had nothing to feel guilty about. I mean, it’s not exactly like our relationship was a secret. Everybody knew Thierry and I were together. Veronique herself condoned the whole thing—encouraged it, even. She was fine with it!
Still, I was currently so embarrassed I wanted to crawl under the sofa.
She returned her attention to Thierry. “I thought we had an understanding. Our lives could be led separately. You can take part in your… dalliances…”
I frowned at that. Dalliances?
“But to take things to the next level by seeking an annulment of our marriage?” She shook her head. “Honestly. I don’t feel that such a step is necessary.”
“With all due respect, Veronique,” Thierry said, “I feel differently.”
She nodded. “I see. And was this your decision or something you were talked into?”
“I am rarely talked into anything.”
“This is very true. But you are a man. Your head can be turned by that which is new and shiny. History suggests that all men will wander, but they eventually will return to where they belong. I am simply suggesting that you look at this situation from my point of view.”
“And what point of view is that, Veronique?”
“How would you feel if some young man came into my life and I decided to leave everything to be with him exclusively? If it were I who requested this annulment?”
Thierry stared at her for a moment and his lips curled to the side. “I would be fine with it.”
She frowned. “Perhaps that was a bad example.”
Thierry turned to me. “I think it would be best if you allow Veronique and me to discuss this matter alone.”
That sounded like the best news I’d heard all day. Well, other than the fact that my nightwalker days were history. Leaving the room and letting Thierry and his wife hash out the annulment issue ran a very close second.
“No,” Veronique said. “This concerns Sarah as well. After all, had you not met her, this wouldn’t