Paxton changed the subject. Only because Paxton hated to be put in his place. “Ha, ha. Did you make plans for Ophelia’s birthday vacation?”
Ophelia was the one to answer. “Yes, and we’re going to stay in a pool. Right, Mommy?”
“Something like that. It’s a water resort. Two miles from the park. It’s so cool, Pax. Wait until you see it. We can spend a few days just relaxing there.”
“And there’s four water slides,” Rowan said while helping me out with the excitement card. I couldn’t wait.
Paxton pissed on my Cheerios as soon as he looked at my plans. He didn’t say it words, he didn’t put out the excitement fire the girls had burning, but he didn’t have to. The look he gave me and the two little lines on his forehead told me he was pissed.
It wasn’t until I started carrying things in from outside that he told me what his problem was. He helped. That right there was a dead giveaway. Paxton never helped me with chores. It wasn’t his job.
“California? You know the geographical distance between California and Florida, right? What the fuck was wrong with Orlando? Now we have to fly, too. Four-hundred-twenty bucks a night? We’re you born this stupid?”
“Were you? Even the girls know the difference between Disneyland and Disney World. You said Disneyland. Disneyland is in California, not Florida. You didn’t say anything about any of that, Paxton. How was I supposed to know?” He did say Disneyland. I heard him with my own ears.
“How many nights?”
I sort of ducked behind myself, hunkering my shoulders to hide. “Five.”
“Great. I’ll be in my office for the next two weeks, trying to get enough work to pay for it. Come in there as soon as you get the girls to bed. I’m going to take about five grand out of your ass for the next two weeks.”
“Paxton, how can you be mad at me for something you told me to do?”
“You shouldn’t have told the girls without talking to me first. Now what? Are you going to go out there and pull the five star resort out from under them now? Tell them we’re staying at Super 8 instead?”
“I would, Paxton. They wouldn’t care. They’re happy just to go to Disney. Do we need money?”
I grunted a little when my back hit the door jam. Paxton’s hand habitually went around my throat, and his lips moved close to mine. “Money in this house is never your business. Your business is this house, those girls, and taking care of me. You got it, Slut?”
I shoved him as hard as I could. “Fuck you! I’m not a slut. Don’t call me that again. Don’t ever call me that again.”
Paxton stumbled two steps back with a look of utter shock. Eyes wide with a dropped jaw.
“Mom! Mom! Rowan spilled her drink.”
Paxton gathered his bearings with the distraction. “Walk away, baby girl.”
I did. I walked away with a roll of paper towels, and a pounding heart. Holy shit. I just shoved Paxton Pierce. I had a death wish.
Paxton didn’t lie about spending his time in his office. As much as I wanted to go to him, try to talk to him, and get him to see how much he was overreacting, I didn’t. I even let both girls fall asleep beside me on the couch so he would come out and carry them to bed. He did that, but he also ignored me.
I could see him busy at his desk. Engrossed in the papers in front of him and his computer screen. It took me at least ten minutes to get up the nerve to interrupt, but I finally did it. Fast with words running together. “They’re both out, Paxton. Can you carry them to bed?”
He looked up from his work still wearing reading glasses with dark frames. Damn. Paxton was one of those guys. Glasses looked sexy as hell on him. He slid them from his face and dropped them to his desk without a word or another glance.
Our eyes locked again when he lifted Rowan from my right arm. My eyes soft and pleading, hoping to lighten the mood. His was tainted and angry. Talk about pouting over spilled milk. Jesus Christ. I took a deep breath when he walked away, kissing Rowan’s blood head, and rubbed the whiplash out of my neck. The exact same thing was repeated with Ophelia. I didn’t get the time of day. Restricted eyes and a glare. That’s it. And there went the two steps back again.
Paxton walked right past me without another glance, back to his office. This time, closing the door. He never requested my presence to bend over his lap or his desk like he’d promised. As messed up as it sounds. I felt rejected and that made me sad.