Free Don't Close Your Eyes by Carlene Thompson Page B

with him. She wasn’t the first patient to do so. Every therapist knew the prevalence, as well as the danger, of this situation. Still, he couldn’t help responding, something he had never done before. He felt slightly guilty when he arrived home that evening to Tamara, but the guilt vanished as the night wore on and he realized he found her adoration cloying, her chatter about housework and gardening and the tribe of Jenkins kids excruciatingly tiresome, and her lovemaking totally unexciting.
    Two weeks later he told Tamara he had an evening appointment and spent three hours having abandoned sex with Charlotte. He’d never experienced anything like that night and he drove home knowing he wanted the gorgeous, sexually adept, rich Charlotte Bishop in his life forever. She wanted him, too, but Warren knew that in her way Charlotte had adored Paul Fiori. She was rebounding from him, and rebounds didn’t last long. He would have to move fast if he didn’t want to lose her.
    Now he was free. Almost. He still had to pretend great grief, a sense of being lost, regret for the life and children he and Tamara would never have together. No children, thank God. At least he didn’t have that problem to contend with. Charlotte didn’t want a child of her own, much less someone else’s.
    Port Ariel city limits. Warren found the place rather picturesque when he moved here with Tamara six years ago. His father had told him he was a fool. Warren’s hands tightened on the steering wheel at the thought of his father. Richard Hunt was the senior partner in the biggest accounting firm in Cleveland. He’d made a fortune with investments. He
     
    had just married his third wife, who was seven years younger than Warren. Richard thought Warren’s profession was ridiculous. He thought Warren was ridiculous. His pride and joy was Warren’s younger half-brother Bruce, who played football at Ohio State University and planned to go into the firm. Good thing his father had a business for him to enter, Warren thought bitterly. Bruce was a strong, amiable-faced buffoon. Warren knew he possessed the superior intelligence, looks, and culture, but he still hated Bruce for capturing all of Richard Hunt’s parental love.
    And speaking of parental love, there was Oliver Peyton. The man couldn’t get through one day without talking to his precious Tamara and Lily. He was like a mother tigress and he’d always looked at Warren as a predator threatening one of his cubs. The chilly, pretentious, possessive guy was hard enough to take at the best of times. But now? Oh, well, he wouldn’t have to worry about Oliver much longer, either.
    Warren pulled into the Peyton driveway behind a silver Mercedes. Wonderful, Warren thought. Viveca Cosgrove was here. Oliver had been seeing her for a year. Tamara didn’t like her. Even Lily didn’t like her. She said Viveca really cared about only one person—her daughter Alison. This was probably the only point on which he and Lily agreed. Oh, Viveca put on a good show of loving Oliver, but the girls saw right through her. So did Warren. Everyone seemed to except infatuated Oliver.
    The front door swung open before he reached it. Oh, hell, Warren thought. Alison. Pretty, dainty Alison with her little girl voice, her predatory gaze, her irreparably fractured psyche. She was his patient. She had a crush on him. She made his skin crawl.
    “Warren, I’m so glad you’re finally here!” Alison cried. Her blond hair hung straight, nearly touching her waist. She wore no makeup, a blue blouse with a Peter Pan collar, and Mary Jane shoes. Had Viveca known her daughter would look like Alice in Wonderland when she named her? “Lily and Oliver are just devastated,” Alison went on dramatically. “Mama and I came right over to help.”
     
    I’ll bet you’re a big help, Warren thought with distaste. He forced a stiff smile. “Thank you, Alison.”
    She did not step aside when he entered the house. He had to crowd past