Close Quarters: A Novel (Zane Presents) Read Online Free Page B

at the thought of being excluded from the dedication ceremony. I pushed the negativity back where it came from. I didn’t want to fight with Ellis. He had just lost his father. Considering the circumstances, I needed to be more understanding. Maybe he did think he told me about the event. Surely, he had a lot on his mind lately. He had his mother and sister to look after and a business to run. Any issues I had with him concerning the weekend could wait.
    I rubbed my hand on the back of his head. Ellis always wore a fresh Caesar haircut. I thought a diamond stud would give him a sexy edge, but he would never wear an earring. He considered it unprofessional and ghetto. His words, not mine.
    “How was your conference?” he asked.
    “Surprisingly interesting. Tons of information on new tax codes. How was your week?”
    “Full of meetings. We’re launching a new drug trial next week and anything that could have gone wrong practically did. I’m expecting this week to be even more hectic. In fact, I have a few calls to make as soon as we get to the house.”
    “Make your calls, Ellis, and then that’s it. No more work this evening. We are going to relax and enjoy each other’s company.”
    “All right, beautiful. Do you want to dine out tonight?”
    “Maybe we can grab a bite at Eden. We can get it to go, if you want.”
    Eden was one of my favorite restaurants. Unfortunately, Ellis didn’t share my sentiments. On rare occasions, he would humor me and take me to Eden, but he’d squawk the entire time.
    He touched my face again. “If that’s what you want.”
    Ellis was being way too accommodating; he knew he was in the doghouse.
    • • •
    I turned on the oven in Ellis’s kitchen and placed the aluminum pans of food from Eden inside to stay warm while he made his calls. I removed two dishes from the cabinet and set the small oak table that sat next to the fireplace. Yes, Ellis had a gas fireplace in his kitchen. I retrieved a bottle of Chardonnay from the wine rack in the corner and carried it to the island in the center of the kitchen. I uncorked the bottle and poured myself a glass. The aroma of chicken in rosemary butter wrapped itself around me and my stomach responded with a long grumble. The food was calling my name and I almost went to the oven for a little taste. I turned on the fireplace, dimmed the lights, and sat at the table sipping my wine.
    Ellis entered the kitchen, talking on the phone. His voice echoed through the room, bouncing off the pots and pans suspended from the ceiling pot rack. He slipped my wineglass out of my hand and drank from it. I took that as my cue to pour myself another glass. He sat at the table and put his feet up in the chair while I carried the food from the oven to the table. Ellis continuedhis conversation while I plated our dinner. I sat across from him with my elbows on the table and my hands folded beneath my chin. He gave me the signal that he’d be done in a second. After a few minutes passed, I draped my napkin over my lap and proceeded to dig into my food. Ellis spat out instructions to the poor soul on the other end of the phone. Every time I thought he was wrapping up his conversation, he addressed yet another concern. It was apparent he was unhappy with what he was hearing, and though he wasn’t quite yelling, he was dangerously close. Ellis got up from the table and left the kitchen with his wine.
    I finished my dinner in silence, watching the flickering flame in the fireplace cast shadows across the kitchen. I washed the dishes, covered Ellis’s plate, and left it on the counter.
    On my way upstairs, I heard him still conducting business in the study. I walked through his bedroom, directly into the bathroom to run water in the tub. I planned on a long, hot soak. I returned to the bedroom to get my facial scrub from my bag then closed the bathroom door behind me, undressed and immersed myself in the deep, triangular-shaped tub.
    I closed my eyes and leaned