Free Twisted Vows of Seduction by N’Tyse Page B

one thing, but her body language and attitude said the opposite. “You sure about that?” That fake smile she wore in an attempt to camouflage her true feelings eventually faded. “Because you look like you mad as hell right now.”
    â€œWhat exactly do you want me to say to you, Jeff?” She grimaced. Her butterscotch skin flushed a soft hue of red.
    â€œI’m feeling a little steam coming off that ottoman and evidently it’s directed toward me because you ain’t even acting like yourself right now. You haven’t said five words to me since I’ve been here. Your lips are pushed out, your makeup’s sweating, and you’re sitting way over there. Hell, I know something’s wrong. I’m just trying to figure out what.”
    â€œHumph!” Nadine stood and scooped Canvas from Jeff’s arms. “Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong,” she said flippantly with piercing eyes. “Since you know me soooo damn well.”
    Jeff drew his neck back. Here we go with this shit , he thought.
    Nadine motioned for Deandra to follow her. They walked into Nadine’s room where she laid Canvas in the bed. She turned the television on for Deandra to watch and then walked back into the living room with Jeff, closing the sliding glass door behind her.
    Jeff let out a deep sigh, already knowing what time it was. He could tell by the scowl on her face now that he had popped open a can of bitch-a-tude.
    Nadine stood in front of him. She looked him square in the eyes. “I can’t do this anymore.”
    Jeff allowed the seriousness of her words to register. He knew exactly what she was referring to, but he queried her anyway. Herelaxed his shoulders, tightened his jaws, and casually asked, “You can’t do what, Nadine?”
    Her eyes narrowed into slits and her voluptuous cherry-painted lips parted ways. “I can’t keep allowing you to…” Before she could complete her sentence, those hidden tears that played peek-a-boo with Jeff earlier, began to suddenly stroll down her lightly blushed cheeks. She blinked her eyes a few times and more tears slithered down her face.
    Jeff stood to his feet. He pulled Nadine into his embrace, but she rejected him. On any other day it would have worked. Him holding her, trying to console her in her time of need would have been enough to calm her down and ease her worries. It would have been enough just to fuck her brains out and tell her whatever she needed to hear to settle her. But today his efforts hardly worked. She wouldn’t even let him make it to first base.
    Nadine shook her head slowly, all while staring at him as if he had some deadly contagious disease. Her face etched with an unfamiliar pain. “No,” she said softly. She took a long deep breath. “I won’t keep letting you hurt me!” she reemphasized this time with more pain in her voice, in her eyes, and on her beautiful face.
    Jeff’s body was as stiff as a board, his heart undoubtedly numb to the agony she was experiencing. Why, he didn’t know. Years ago he’d cared about Nadine’s feelings more than the feelings of his own wife. He’d cared if she hated or loved him, cared if she was happy or not. Now, all Jeff could allow himself to be, was concerned. “Where is all this coming from?” he asked boldly. As she stood there silent, the louder her tears seemed to pour down her face. He continued on. “I don’t know exactly what I’ve done to hurt you, but—”
    â€œStop!” She tilted her head sideways. “You really don’t get it, do you?”
    Jeff tucked in his bottom lip. He wished that he could empathize with her, but the truth was that he couldn’t even remotely identify with her right now. It was like a terrible storm had come through and knocked out his converter box, causing him to lose all connection.
    He looked over into the next room at his