Free Lost and Found by Lorhainne Eckhart Page B

wandered back into her sunny sanctuary, this time curling up in an overstuffed chair and ottoman, shutting her eyes , and waiting for Richard’s return.

Chapter Fourteen
    Rattle , rattle, clank. Maggie blinked, needing a moment to wake up. She sniffed the spicy aroma of lamb curry. Her favorite. A moment passed before she remembered where she was as she lolled her head back against the overstuffed cushion. She clutched the patchwork quilt now nestled over her. When did she cover herself? How long had she been asleep? Her eyes widened and took in the shadows of the brilliant sunset filling the room.
    Maggie’s stomach grumbled , and for the first time in a really long time , she was hungry.
    She tossed back the blanket and crept across the room wearing her fuzzy pink slippers . She stopped in front of the wall mirror with the Beech wood frame just outside her sunroom. Her eyes looked glassy, and the skin under them was tinted gray , but at least she had some color in her cheeks. Her shoulder length curly hair was tangled and stuck up at the roots on one side. And for the first time in many years , she worried about how she looked to Richard. Even though he’d seen her at her worst.
    She ran her fingers through her hair trying to work out the tangles and stepped into the kitchen where Richard stirred something in a pot. Steam rose from another. He glanced up, frowning with what appeared to be concern as he studied her. “You’re better.”
    Maggie felt her cheeks warm and nodded. She shoved her hands in the deep pockets of her brown sweater. Uneasy , she pulled her hands out and tucked her hair behind her ears.
    Richard smiled in a teasing way. “You look fine , Maggie.” And then he glanced away distracted again.
    “Did your meeting go okay?”
    “I didn’t say I had a meeting.” He opened the refrigerator , grabbed a bowl , and then set it on the counter.
    “Okay . No, you didn’t. But you said you needed to go out , and you left in a hurry . I know you’re bothered by something. We were married. I know when something’s going on with you.”
    “We’re still married , so get that straight.”
    “I realize the divorce isn’t final…” She stopped , unsure where to go, and then paused , surprised by the intensity that flared to life in his eyes. He abandoned stirring whatever was in the pot and crossed his arms as he stepped toward her.
    “You don’t even remember the meeting at my lawyer ’ s, do you? You didn’t think I didn’t know you were on something that day ? ” His voice climbed with each step he took toward her until she could feel the heat of his body. She opened her mouth to say something. But he didn’t let her respond . Instead he spoke right over her. “You think I’m going to let you go ? No divorce. Ever!”
    She was stunned by his passion , and his caveman “ I’m the boss , you’ll do what I say ” attitude raised her hackles. However, she was still mad at herself for the screw-up with the pills that turned the entire day into one big blur. She let out a heavy sigh and wiped her palms down the side s of her face.
    “What did you do?”
    “Let’s just say all the cards are exposed on the table. And I advised the lawyers, yours and mine , of our rekindled relationship.”
    He was leaning into her , and her jaw slackened as she sputtered , trying to respond with something intelligent.
    “We didn’t rekindle anything. You fucked me against a wall ; it was sex…just sex.” Although, and she k new it , the laws of the state were clear in divorce proceedings — no personal relations for a year before divorce can be filed. What a bastard ! He used it.
    “How could you?”
    “Don’t look at me like that. I told you the divorce isn’t going to happen.” He relaxed a bit as he rested his hands on his slim hips , a package that looked darn good in the dark jeans he always wore.
    “That is underhanded even for you , Richard.”
    “ Knock it off and drop this nonsense.