Free Don't Tempt Me by Amity Maree Page B

in the first place, William Cole! You are the one who made it clear you didn't wish to discuss Katy with me, and you have yourself to thank for the fact I wasn't comfortable coming to you immediately."
    Will shook his head. "You have a way of twisting things to suit yourself, Jenna." He looked at her small bag and asked, "Are you ready to leave?"
    "Yes, I am ready to leave."
    "Good. We'll discuss this at home." Since Jenna had already checked out electronically there was no need to stop at the front desk. Their cars were brought around, and Will put her in her car with orders to stay close. Jenna didn't say a word and followed Will to the Interstate. When he turned on the ramp that led the way home, she went on by and turned in the opposite direction on another ramp. By the time Will realized she wasn't behind him, Jenna was on her way somewhere he wasn't.
    When her cell phone rang, Jenna answered. "I'm not coming home, Will. I think we need some time apart to reconsider this marriage." She hung up, and then turned off her phone.
    Will was angry. By the time he got off the highway and turned around, she was so far ahead of him, he couldn't catch up. He was positive of one thing, when he found his wife, he was going to paddle her butt until she couldn't sit comfortably for a month!

     

Chapter Six

    Will was nearly out of his mind three days later when he tried Jenna's cell phone for the umpteenth time. Instead of going to voice mail as it had countless times, his wife actually answered. "Jenna, where are you?" he asked, thankful to know she was alive.
    "I'm almost home, Will. I should be there in another thirty minutes. Will you be there?" she wanted to know.
    "Yes."
    "Please put on some coffee. I've been on the road since three AM, and I need a cup of the good stuff."
    "I will. Jenna...?"
    "Yes...?"
    "I love you," he said hoarsely, his voice full of emotion.
    "I love you to desperation, William Cole," she breathed the words. "We'll talk when I get home. Don't forget the coffee, please."
    Will wasn't surprised to realize his hands were shaking as he shut off the telephone and placed it back on the charger. He hadn't slept much the last three days, and he felt it physically. He carefully measured out coffee and started a pot. He needed a cup as much as Jenna did. He also turned on the oven and took some muffin dough out of the freezer and put the little squares into a greased tin to bake. They should come out about the time Jenna arrived. His stomach was too nervous to handle anything more than that at the moment. He put two small plates on the table and got out the mugs they normally used. The sayings on them were cute and only served to strengthen his resolve to work through this crisis in their marriage.
    He hated admitting he was wrong to threaten Jenna with a spanking for not confiding in him about Katy, but he was wrong. He'd been so stubborn, refusing to discuss Katy with his new wife, and letting her know that the subject was 'closed'. How was Jenna to know that his heart was broken and he wanted nothing more than an excuse to end the estrangement? How was she to know that his damned pride was involved and refusing to be the first to back down? The trouble was that he and his daughter were too much alike, and Katy's Mom wasn't here to fix things. He, arrogant ass that he was, expected Jenna to 'know' that he would do anything to protect his daughter. He was out of line, and he could only hope that Jenna would accept his apology before he blistered her butt for putting him through a living hell the last three days!
    He finally heard the garage door opening and he hurried to welcome her home.
    Jenna was nervous. She knew without a doubt that Will was going to punish her for running away as she had, not that she hadn't already inflicted enough suffering on herself, but she doubted he would take that fact into consideration. The laundry room door that led into the house from the garage opened before she even had the car