Free The Sibylline Oracle by Delia Colvin

fireplace and passed the glass to her, careful to avoid contact. Then he stirred the fire, averting his eyes from her gaze.
    “It’s just for a few hours. But I’ll be keeping an eye out. So, you don’t need to worry about anything.” Alex put his hands in his pockets for something to do with them. “Just make yourself at home.”
    Valeria felt the sting of disappointment as Alex turned and went out the door. Why would he bring her to this beautiful place and then desert her? What was going on and why was she even here? Her head spun in answerless circles. And that comment about someone keeping an eye on her? She didn’t need anyone’s help! She had done quite well for most of her life keeping an eye on herself. Granted, she would have been squashed yesterday if not for him. But that didn’t mean she was an imbecile or incapable of defending herself!
    Her irritation dampened as she took her first sip of wine. It was very good! Valeria opened her suitcase and took out her toiletries and journal. She knew she should hang up her clothes but, instead, she laid back on the bed, setting her wine down on the table and staring into the fire.
    She wrote in her journal, I met a man. Then her eyes closed for a moment and she was out. She dreamt of him. She dreamt of him holding her in this bed.
    Sometime during the night, Valeria felt a blanket cover her. Later, her eyes opened to see Alex there. But her mind drifted back to sleep, making her question whether she’d dreamt the past twenty-four hours. In her near dream state, she thought she saw a beautiful, redheaded woman sitting with Alex drinking a glass of wine. Her arm touched his as if there was an intimacy between them. Valeria caught some of the conversation but was too tired to process any of it. She quickly drifted back into a deep slumber.

CHAPTER 7
    “Good morning,” Alex said, a bit roughly. “I’m sorry to wake you, but the family is waiting for us.”
    “What?” Valeria said, startled as she bolted straight up in bed. Then there was a moment when she couldn’t quite figure out where she was and then, with some embarrassment, she realized that she was in Alex’s bed. Her next thoughts had to do with her appearance. She cringed when she realized her ponytail had partially fallen, leaving stray hairs all around her face. Her mascara had probably smudged under her eyes, too. She quickly tried to pull her hair out of the ponytail and then realized that she was fully dressed. She noticed Alex looking awkwardly at her. He was already showered and dressed but carried a hint of stress in his eyes.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to barge in on you like this. I really should have put in a door here.” Alex looked down at his boots before returning her gaze. “If you’re up to it, the family is up the hill at the main house waiting for us.”
    There was an odd mood stirring in her, one she wasn’t familiar with. To Valeria’s surprise, she realized that she was upset with him, even though she knew it was ridiculous. She could not think of one reasonable excuse for her mood. Pressing her lips together, she wondered if this was what people meant when they spoke of waking up on the wrong side of the bed. She always woke feeling at least somewhat pleasant, so there must be a reasonable explanation, she justified.
    Then it hit her—the redheaded woman! Valeria’s slight moodiness quickly escalated to anger. Did Alex really ditch her here, at this beautifully romantic cottage, to go meet up with another woman—and then bring that other woman here ...while Valeria slept in his bed? Suddenly she felt violated as if someone unwanted had snuck into her own bedroom.
    Then the words the redhead had spoken began to take shape. “Alex, you must know she expects more from you.”
    How does this woman know anything about me? Valeria tried to recall Alex’s response. Why hadn’t she paid more attention?
    Then, the redhead had laughed in a condescending manner. “Just