Dream Lover (20 page)

Quinn blinked and looked at him blankly for a moment, ‘I'm too upset to drive, please just give me five more minutes,’ she pleaded. He shook his head and started to write out a parking ticket. ‘I'm pregnant, please just…’

‘You've already had over twenty minutes,’ he informed her as he continued writing.

Enraged Quinn started up her car and drove away much to his annoyance and to her own amazement she managed to get home safely but once inside her own front door she wept uncontrollably. She had only been home for a few minutes when the telephone rang; still crying she snatched up the receiver.

‘H... hello,’ she managed between sobs.

‘Quinn,’ Max's concerned voice sounded in her ear, ‘what's wrong?’

She sniffed again, ‘What's wrong is you are a rat!’ she snapped slamming down the phone. Quinn felt she was falling apart, and for a moment her hand hovered over the telephone she desperately needed someone to be with her. She started to dial her parent’s number but then stopped, no way could she face her mother; no way could she tell her Max was cheating on her. Despondently she dropped her head into her hands and wept.

Of course he rang again, at first she ignored the constant ringing but the noise annoyed her so much that in the end she relented and picked it up although she did not speak.

‘Quinn are you there, have I done?’ he asked after a long silence.

She sobbed once more before repeating her earlier answer and slamming the receiver down. Unsure if she was relieved or not he didn’t ring again, but he did arrive home earlier than she expected that evening.

‘You had better have a good excuse for that little out burst today,’ he warned her as he walked into their bedroom. He stopped and looked at the half-packed suitcase on the bed, ‘What are you doing?’ he demanded.

‘What does it look like?’ she snapped not even looking toward him. She couldn’t look at him; she knew it would hurt too much.

Max snatched the jacket she was carefully folding from her hands and threw it onto the bed, ‘Stop that!’ he demanded pulling the garment from her. ‘What horrendous crime have I committed this time?’ he asked taking hold of her shoulders and turning her to face him. ‘You can tell me while I’m having dinner,’ he told her smoothly.

Quinn had been cool with him since his trip to London the week before. Although he guessed it was something to do with a woman answering his mobile he stubbornly refused to put her mind at rest and tell her it had been the overseas manager’s secretary who was sixty if she was a day. Lack of trust ruined his first marriage he was damned if he would spend his days pleading his innocence once again to a wife who could not trust him.

Quinn huffed angrily at him, ‘Get off me,’ she pulled her shoulders free from his hold.

‘Not until you tell me what I have done, I left a meeting early so I’m telling you now it had better be something really bad,’ he pulled her out of their room down the stairs and into the kitchen. He stopped and looked around, no sign of cooking, ‘Where’s my meal?’ he demanded.

‘Get your girlfriend to cook it for you!’ she snapped wrenching her arm from his grip.

For a split second his brow creased, ‘She’s a terrible cook,’ he told her smoothly. ‘I prefer your cooking, you do it.’

Quinn pressed her lips together in an effort to stop her mouth from quivering; he wasn’t even attempting to deny there was someone else. ‘I won’t be staying long enough to cook for you….’

He gave a harsh laugh, ‘You are not going anywhere, before or after you cook my dinner,’ he told her, his face as dark as thunder.

Defiantly she glared up into his face, ‘You’ll starve before I cook for you again,’ turning she headed for the door only to be hauled to a stop.

Max turned her quickly and glared into her face, ‘You are damn lucky you’re pregnant,’ he hissed at her, ‘I’d give you the hiding of your life...’

‘Go to hell,’ she told him, untroubled by his threat, knowing he would never do anything to harm his child, or that he would raise his hand to a woman pregnant or not.

‘I’ve been once, didn’t like it,’ he sneered, ‘I warned you once before I won’t be cross questioned about what I do….’

‘You arrogant chauvinistic pig,’ she threw at him, ‘you lying bastard…’

Max wound his fingers through her long hair and pulled her up against his chest, ‘You call me one more name and I’ll slap your face,’ he warned her. Although they both knew he would never lay a finger on her Quinn gasped and clamped her lips together. ‘Wise move,’ he warned her, ‘the next one is to start cooking I missed lunch thanks to you and I’m starving.’

Determinedly she shook her head and stood her ground, ‘No, how dare you threaten to hit me while I’m carrying your child,’ she said her voice no more than a whisper, ‘I don’t care what you do to me I won’t look after you… I know you don’t love me,’ she swallowed the lump in her throat that threatened to choke her, ‘but I’ve done my best… I keep the house nice and…’ she brushed her fingers across her eyes, ‘you repay me by finding yourself a… such a despicable thing to do,’ she stammered, ‘especially while I carry your child.’ Her tears flowed freely this time and she made no attempt to stop them. Looking up into his eyes she saw nothing but contempt, no understand, no compassion. ‘You could have been a little more discreet,’ she whispered as he unwound his fingers from her hair. I am here

A heavy silence hung over the room. Quinn reached into her pocket for a tissue her fingers came in contact with the small white envelope from the hospital, ‘I went for my scan today,’ she held it toward him. ‘I thought you were interested in this child,’ she left the envelope to fall onto the worktop when he did not attempt to take it from her. ‘I was wrong; you obviously had more pressing matters.’ For a moment their eyes met, ‘Just remember next time you’re rolling around the bed or where ever with your whore, I’m in this condition because…’ she gasped and stepped back quickly when she saw his hand rise. Without thinking Quinn lifted her arms to ward off his blow, screwing her eyes tightly she braced herself. She gave a yelp of distress when his hand closed around her arm.

‘I wasn’t going to hit you. I swear I wasn’t...’

‘Let me go,’ she wrapped her free arm around her stomach, ‘please…’ she begged terrified he would harm their child.

‘Quinn I swear I wouldn’t hit you, I wouldn’t….’

She gasped and looked up into his eyes, ‘I don’t believe you, let me go... get away from me...’ tears flowed unchecked down her face leaving glistening trail down her cheeks.

Shamed beyond belief that she thought for one moment he would strike her he grasped her hand but gently now, ‘I swear I wouldn’t hit you...’

‘You raised your hand Max,’ she tugged at her hand held tightly in his until he released his hold. ‘You threatened to slap my face,’ she whispered horrified he would do such a thing.

‘I wasn’t going to hit you,’ he stepped toward her, horrified when she moved further away from him, her arms wrapped around her stomach. Ashamed beyond words he stepped aside for her to pass him, his eyes cast downwards as she rushed away from him.

As quickly as her trembling legs would allow she made her way into the lounge not trusting her legs to carry her up the stairs. Falling onto the sofa she rested her head on the soft plump cushions and wept until she fell asleep exhausted.

Max stood in the doorway and watched her sleeping, her cheeks still wet and flushed from her tears added to his shame. He was angry she obviously didn’t trust him, but he would never hit her, all he had been about to do was run his hand through his hair, which he was aware he often did. Max was uncomfortable and somewhat embarrassed that she thought he would hit her and now stood with his hands thrust deep into his pocket he repeated over and over in his head, ‘I was not going to hit you.’

Suddenly Quinn sat up and looked toward him, brushing her fingers through her hair she turned and smiled. ‘Hello, your home,’ she smiled again ‘Shall we have dinner?’ she asked standing and moving as quickly as she could toward him, her hands outstretched.

Max shook his head, ‘No,’ he said softly taking the hand she held out toward him. The moment she smiled he knew she was still sleeping, ‘Come to bed,’ he said wrapping his arm around her shoulders and led her toward the stairs.

‘How was your day?’ she asked smiling up into his face, ‘is everything ok?’

‘Just tired,’ he replied retuning her smile.

Maxwell helped her out of her clothes and before helping her in to her nightdress he knelt at her feet covering her swollen stomach with kisses while whispering softly to his child, Quinn did not speak but simply looked down into his face watching him. Suddenly she sighed and looked in to his eyes, ‘Why don’t you say you love me?’ she asked wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him closer.

The catch in her soft voice tore at his heart, ‘yes,’ he thought, ‘why don’t I tell you?’ wrapping his arms around her he pulled her against his chest. ‘Quinn, my sweet, sweet girl,’ he whispered against her soft fragrant hair. When he looked down her eyes were closed and he knew she was asleep.

Quinn stood in the nursery, she sighed and smiled, everything was ready all that was missing was the baby. She rested her hands across her stomach, not long now she was thinking as the door opened and Max walked in.

‘Come back to bed,’ he coaxed wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

‘I can’t sleep, I’m too excited,’ she told him, ‘I can’t wait to see our baby, I wonder if it’s a boy?’ she asked opening the tiny chest of draws to peek in at the soft white sheets and blankets. ‘Feel,’ she said as their baby turned, she took his hand and pressed it over her stomach.

Sure enough he could feel his child kick and turn, the imprint of their foot clear against her stomach as the child moved.

‘Come back to bed,’ he repeated wrapping his arm back around her shoulders, this time she didn’t object but allowed him to lead her back to their bed when he pushed her down against the pillows she looked up to him.

‘You will love the baby won’t you?’ she asked holding onto his hand.

‘Yes, I’ll love our baby,’ he said softly.

Max couldn’t sleep instead he sat by the side of the bed and pushed his restless wife back under the bed sheets every time she tried to get out of bed. He was still there the next morning when she woke.

‘What are you doing?’ she asked struggling to sit up.

‘You’ve been sleep walking,’ he told her, ‘I was just keeping you safe,’ he explained. ‘Please believe me, I wasn’t going to hit Quinn, I’m sorry I never meant to frighten you.’

She pushed her legs over the edge of the bed and looked over her shoulder to him, ‘you raised your hand, what was I supposed to think?’ she stood up and wrapped her dressing gown around her swollen body. ‘I can’t defend myself against your temper anymore, I have someone else to think about now,’ she covered her stomach with her hands and looked toward him. ‘You hurt me, you hurt our baby as well, just remember that next time,’ she sat on the edge of the bed again. ‘You know what the worst part is Max?’ she looked him straight in the eyes while she spoke. ‘It’s the reason why you were going to hit me. I saw you with another woman,’ she shook her head when he looked about to interrupt, ‘You weren’t even this far away from me, I saw you please don’t insult me any further by denying it.’

A heavy silence hung over the room until she stood up and walked toward the bathroom, ‘Until the baby is born please be a little more discreet and leave me some dignity. It’s bad enough I love you and stay knowing you don’t love me…. and probably never will.’

With a soft swish of silk she moved across the room and into the bathroom where she sat under the shower and cried until her head hurt, until Max came to find her. Ignoring the fact she was soaking wet and that he was dressed in his suit and ready for work he picked her up wrapped her in soft towels and took her into their room.

Max sat on the side of the bed and cradled his distraught wife. Although he urged her not to cry, pressed soft kisses on her tear stained cheeks, his stubborn obstinate nature would not allow him to tell her she hadn’t seen him yesterday and that it had been his brother Nigel with his wife.

Eventually she stopped crying, although her shoulders would still shudder every so often, ‘Don’t you have to go to work?’ she asked wiping her eyes on the towel.

‘No, I’ve cancelled my appointments for today,’ he lifted her chin and looked into her soft sad eyes, ‘I... I don’t want to leave you,’ he said pulling her head back against his chest. ‘I’ll get changed and fix you something to eat,’ he lay her down on the bed and started to undress discarding his damp clothes.

For a moment she lay watching him, his damp jacket fell to the floor, quickly he unbuckled his pants as they reached his feet he kicked them and his shoes away. Loosening his tie he slipped it over his head, opening the wardrobe he hung it up before working at the buttons down the front of his shirt. Quinn willed herself to look away, three buttons opened and she could see the dark swirls of hair on his chest. Closing her eyes she bit on her lip, too late to stop the waves of longing wash over her body. It had been weeks since they had made love and she missed him.

The bed dipped, ‘Quinn,’ Max whispered softly as he curled his body around hers, his thighs pressed against the back of hers. ‘Let me hold you,’ he ran his hands down her back pushing the towel away from her body. He turned her gently while he spoke, ‘Let me hold you, it’s been so long,’ his arms wrapped around her, ‘I miss you Quinn,’ he whispered softly, pulling her naked body against his own.