Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance 2(160)

Never would he have pictured himself much of the domesticated male, but Keyonna had him wanting to come home earlier, and cut down as much on his travelling and work load as he could. She had her own thing going on with her business, but when she was home he always liked the thought of his hot wife waiting with an equally hot meal when he got back.

“Yes; I decided to try out some of those seafood recipes you like.”

“Sounds delicious,” he said as she walked on ahead of him, her hips in those white jeans swaying unconsciously and giving him ideas that had nothing to do with dinner. That and the sliver of sexy skin showing in between her waistband and her matching white crop blouse.

But Nick wasn’t so insensitive not to tell his little treasure was far from being in a happy mood. Grabbing her gently by her slim waist, he drew her close and then turned her round to face him.

“What’s wrong, tesoro?” he asked softly, cupping her face and quelling her to meet his searching gaze.

She sighed deeply, her thick black lashes fluttering low. “I’m so afraid, Nick,” she breathed, and instantly his throat constricted. She continued worriedly, “I don’t know what or who to believe anymore. I can’t figure anything out. I just can’t.”

Nick could only draw her into his embrace, tucking her face underneath his chin as he squeezed his arms tightly around her for a few moments, wishing to transmit his strength, his assurance.

But then with her cheek resting against his chest, he heard her ask softly, “Was everything you told me the truth, Nick? About why I went away?”

With an inward sigh, Nick let her draw back from him. He should have known his story wouldn’t hold. Keyonna was no fool; and he shouldn’t have lied to her, no matter the reason.”#p#分页标题#e#

“No,” he replied, shoving his fingers back through his hair and flinching at her look of distress. “The truth is, you ran off on our wedding day; during the reception. One minute you were there and the next…”

He expelled a deep breath and turned to face the window overlooking the moonlit gardens beyond.

“I never understood why you did it. Yes, in the start it was meant to be just a business arrangement – one I had to pressure you into. But as time went on I began to think things had taken a different turn – and that it wasn’t all just a cold-hearted agreement. I felt it – you felt it. Even though neither one of us ever came right out and said it. At the wedding…damn. You looked like a vision. Beautiful, your eyes shining with warmth at me. I could hardly stop staring at you, wanting to sweep you away the first chance I got. I couldn’t wait to finally get you alone and…”

Nick turned to face her again, expressionless. “Whatever your reasons, you left me. You made me look like a fool and I couldn’t help wondering if that had been your plan all along; to hurt me for forcing you into marriage. I didn’t know what to think, and it took five weeks before I found you again – which happened purely by luck.”

Keyonna was staring at him. “You mean I was there for five whole weeks?”

Nick’s voice turned bleak as he turned away once more. “Five whole torturous weeks for me. I feared the worst. Kidnapping, murder. It was when I realized you’d left of your own free will that I started to get mad. I wanted to find you at all cost and make you pay for all the suffering you caused me. But then on the flight over, all I could think of was how I could win you back, convince you that I wasn’t some hard-hearted, single-minded bastard who cared only about some damned inheritance. When I saw you get run down by that motorbike…it was then I finally realized how close I’d come to losing the most important person in my life.”

Nick felt Keyonna come to stand behind him, felt her slip her arms around his waist as she rested her face against his back. He drew in a ragged breath, closing his eyes briefly before adding plainly, “I lied to you because I was scared. Yes, Keyonna…I’m not ashamed to say I was fucking scared to death that if you ever remembered what happened, it would change how you’d come to feel about me.”

“Never,” Keyonna said feelingly, making him turn to face her as she grabbed his face in both hands. “Do I really seem that fickle? Nick, just months ago you told me love wasn’t important in a marriage. I vowed to myself to prove you wrong. And now that we’ve found true love together, do you really think I would give that up? I care too much to want to lose you, ever. And nothing’s going to change that.”

Nick sighed. He took her hands, kissed them. He really wanted to believe her. But he’d felt her rejection before when she’d left so unexpectedly. He hadn’t cared so much about the embarrassment caused; he’d been more impacted by the shock and hurt that he’d been wrong about Keyonna. That she could never care for him the way he’d begun to care about her.