Free White Lace and Promises by Debbie Macomber

press her lips to his. As she drew near, he whispered something. At first Maggie couldn’t understand his words, then she froze. Stunned, her hand flew to her breast at the unexpected pain that pierced her. The arctic chill extended all the way to her heart and she squeezed her eyes closed to fight back the burning tears. Choking on humiliation, she struggled to untangle herself from the sheet. Her frantic movements woke Glenn from the nether land of sleep to the world of consciousness.
    He turned on his side and reached for her hand. “Good morning,” he said cheerfully. At the sight of her stricken face, he paused and rose to a full sitting position. “What’s wrong?”
    “The name is Maggie,” she whispered fiercely, shoving his hand away. “And in case you’ve forgotten, I’m your wife as well.”

Chapter Four
    T ugging the sheet loose from the mattress, Maggie climbed out of bed. Her hands were shaking so badly that she had trouble twisting the material around her.
    Glenn had mistaken her for another woman. A woman he had obviously once loved and apparently still did. Holding the sheet together with one hand, she sorted through the tangled mess of clothes on the floor. The tightness in her chest was so painful she could barely breathe. The room swayed beneath her feet and she closed her eyes, struggling to maintain her balance and her aplomb. Everything had been so beautiful. So perfect. How readily she had fallen into the fantasy, believing in each minute with a childlike innocence and trust. She’d been living in a twenty-four-hour dreamworld. That fantasy had been shattered by the reality of morning and she was shamed to the very marrow of her bones.
    Glenn wiped a hand over his face and struggled to a sitting position. He vaguely recalled the contented pleasure of sleeping with a warm body at his side. In his sleep he must have confused Maggie with Angie. He cursed Angie for haunting him in his marriage.
    Straightening, she turned to regard him coolly before speaking. “Enough.”
More than enough
, her mind shouted. Clenching the sheet in one hand, her clothes in the other, she marched across the floor, her head tilted at a stately angle. She’d never felt more like crying in her life. Her pride and dignity remained intact, but little else was as it should be.
    Once inside the bathroom, she leaned against the heavy door, her shoulders sagging. Covering her face with both hands in hurt and frustration, she let the sheet slip to the floor. Equal doses of anger and misery descended on her until she was convinced she’d slump under the force of their weight. She didn’t know what do, but taking a bath seemed important.
    “Maggie.” Glenn stood on the other side of the door, his voice low and confused. “At least talk to me.”
    “No,” she shouted, still reeling from the shock. “I don’t want to talk. I’ve heard enough to last me a lifetime.” Forcing herself into action, she turned on the faucet and filled the tub with steaming hot water. She had been a fool to believe in yesterday’s illusions. The morning hadshattered the dream—only she didn’t want it to end. Glenn was someone she had thought she could trust. In her heart she knew that he wouldn’t be like all the rest.
    “Maggie, for the love of heaven, give me a chance to explain.”
    Sliding into the steaming bath, Maggie bit into her bottom lip and forced herself to think. She could demand that they divorce, but she didn’t want that, and Glenn didn’t, either. For twelve hours she had been a happily married woman. Somehow Maggie had to find a way to stretch twelve hours into a lifetime.
    In the other room, Glenn dressed slowly, his thoughts oppressive. Things couldn’t be worse. From the moment Maggie had met him at the airport he had seen how reserved and untrusting her inheritance had made her. Now he had hurt her, and he silently cursed himself for doing the very thing he vowed he never would. He could still see her