Free Very Private Duty by Rochelle Alers

Rose left to put in their order, she went over to Jeremy.
    “Would you like to eat in bed?”
    He opened his eyes and his head came up slowly. A slight smile played at the corners of his mouth. Had Tricia realized what she’d asked? Her naive question elicited erotic musings that made him temporarily forget about his pain. Yes, he wanted to eat in bed, taste every inch of her smooth fragrant skin from her face to her toes.
    The notion of making love to her elicited a longing and a desire he had long thought dead. Whenever he made love to other women it was only for sexual release. But it had never been that way with Tricia. He hadn’t consciously planned to seduce her, to get her into his bed, but the fact that they would share the same bed was now beyond her control, their control.
    “Yes.” The single word came out like a silken growl. His steady gaze met and fused with hers.
    A minute passed before Tricia dropped her gaze. Turning on her heel, she went over to the bed, shifted the pillows and shams and turned back the coverlet. She went completely still when she registered the heat from Jeremy’s body seeping into hers as he closed the distance between them. She shivered as his moist breath swept over the nape of her neck. She hadn’t heard him get up.
    “Help me into bed, sweetheart.”
    She took his crutches, propping them in a corneras he sat down heavily on the mattress. Bending over, she removed his shoe. Her motions were measured, precise as she placed an arm under the back of his knees and lifted his legs onto the bed.
    “Are you in pain?” she asked after he’d slumped back to the pillows.
    “It’s bearable.”
    “That’s not what I asked.”
    He glared at her. “I said it’s bearable.”
    She did not believe him, but decided not to press the issue. Reaching for the telephone on the nightstand, she dialed the number for room service. She would order something that would not only dull his pain but also his senses temporarily.
    “This is Mrs. Blackstone. I’d like to order a bottle of Chardonnay.” She ignored Jeremy’s questioning look. “Yes. Thank you.”
    “When did you start drinking?” he asked after she ended the call.
    At fifteen they’d taken two bottles of wine from the dining hall’s wine cellar and finished one in less than an hour. Jeremy had been slightly tipsy while Tricia spent half the night in the bathroom, retching violently. Once she recovered she swore she would never drink again.
    “I sometimes have a glass or two for special occasions.”
    He lifted an eyebrow. “Is this a special occasion?”
    A smile softened her mouth. “I’d say it is.”
    His smile matched hers. “What are we celebrating?”
    “A truce, Jeremy.”
    His smile faded. “I’d like to think of it as a reconciliation, Mrs. Blackstone. ”
    “Don’t get carried away with yourself. I couldn’t tell them I’m Miss Parker after you introduced me as your wife.”
    A muscle quivered at his jaw. “But you could’ve been Mrs. Blackstone.”
    She stared back at him for a long moment. “I could have been, but you chose to believe a lie.”
    Jeremy’s eyes darkened with pain. Tricia did not know how many times he had punished himself for his cowardly actions. He’d run instead of staying to confront her. Even if she had lied about sleeping with Russell Smith, it still would have been better than not knowing.
    “How long will I have to pay penance for deserting you, Tricia?”
    “Fourteen years, Jeremy,” she spat out angrily. “I loved you even when I became another man’s wife. Every time he touched me I cursed you, because it was you I wanted to make love to, not Dwight. There were nights when I feigned sleep so I wouldn’t have to make love with him. I punished Dwight when he didn’t deserve to be punished.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “He was kind, patient but after a while even he couldn’t put up with a cold and unresponsive wife.”
    Jeremy felt Tricia’s pain as