I was amazed how fast time moved since Nathan had come into my life. Two weeks had passed since Caroline had joined in on our little secret. She’d been doing a great job hiding the fact that she knew anything was going on. In fact, she joined in with me against Nathan and the Boob-Squad in our less than friendly, sarcastic banter in the office, and then laughed all through lunch about the reactions.
I think she was having way too much fun, but that’s what made it great because Nathan would laugh at night about the things Caroline had said during the day.
Nathan laughing was something I wanted to encourage as much as possible. I couldn’t wait to tell him that night that Caroline had called Tiffany a “street-walker-wannabe,” due to the outfit she had picked out that day.
I shuffled the groceries, setting them on the floor of the elevator as I stripped off my suit jacket, revealing the tank top beneath. I sighed as the cool air hit my heated skin.
I hated having to hide my arms, but the bruises…I knew people wouldn’t understand.
While folding my jacket over my arm, I leaned down to riffle through my purse in search of my keys. I found them just in time for the elevator doors to open and picked everything back up. I twisted the key in the lock and made my way inside, kicking the door closed with my foot.
The sound of voices could be heard as I walked to his kitchen to put the bags down. It didn’t sound like the television and one of the voices I was certain was Nathan’s.
“Nathan?” I called out.
There was a pause and some more mumbled words before his voice rang out. “In the living room.”
I crossed the hall and turned the corner before stopping dead in my tracks.
Nathan had a visitor.
Nathan never had visitors.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I apologized, but I wasn’t sure what for. Interrupting them? Seeing them? Being me?
I was sure my eyes were wide as I took in the graying brown hair and crisp blue eyes of the attractive older man, occupying a cushion on Nathan’s couch. My attention moved back to Nathan and he beckoned me to his side. I was nervous as I walked to stand next to him, still in shock at seeing another person in his home and not knowing how to act because of it.
“Lila, I’d like to introduce you to my father, George Thorne. Dad this is Lila, my…my Lila.” His grip tightened on my waist, pulling me closer to him.
A gasp drew my attention back to the man I now knew as Nathan’s father. He was looking at me with surprised eyes, filled with joy.
He held out his hand. “Lila, it’s a real pleasure to meet you.”
Stepping away from Nathan, I walked forward and took his hand in mine. “You as well, Mr. Thorne.”
His fingers curled around my hand. “George, please.”
His gaze moved down to my arm, and shock covered his entire face. It was quickly replaced with a forced smile.
I looked down to see what brought about the change.
Nathan’s hand print on my bicep and the light bruises on my wrist from where I had pulled at his tie when he had restrained me to the bed the previous night.
“Are you staying for dinner, George? I’m making chicken marsala.” I pulled my hand free from his and stepped back to Nathan’s side.
“No, no thank you, my dear. I would love to, but Mrs. Thorne is expecting me home soon,” he said, that forced smile still in place, and his jaw tight.
I could feel the tension in the air as George looked from Nathan and back to me.
“Well…I’ll just let you return to your conversation, and I’ll go work on dinner. It was very nice meeting you, George.”
As soon as I was out of view, I heard George speak in hushed, harsh tones.
“Nathan, are you…hurting her?”
“What?” Nathan sounded truly bewildered.