the road. The only reprieve was the music playing through the sound system and the green landscape as it flashed by the windows. The tension rose between them, and the longer the silence, the more uncomfortable Vivienne felt.
When they arrived, Vivienne went straight to her room and locked the door. It was a silly gesture, since Jacob wasn’t likely to come looking for her. But she was annoyed. After stripping off her summer clothes, she turned on the shower. When it was warm, she stepped inside, letting the spray wash away all the sand and grime.
Unfortunately, the water couldn’t wash away the hurt that Vivienne felt inside. It wasn’t fair. Jacob expected too much. She wondered if this was how he behaved with any other woman who’d shared his playroom, but she thought not. The difference was that she also shared his life, and did so despite the inherent risk. Unwittingly, she had instigated the argument, although she felt that Jacob was just as responsible.
After Vivienne shampooed and rinsed her hair, she stepped out to dry off. It was good to be clean again. For dinner, she dressed casually and put on some makeup. Her blond hair was wild, similar to how she felt inside, so she left it that way. Then she flopped on the bed.
Hugging the pillow to her, Vivienne tried to make the ache in her chest go away, but it was useless. She had no idea what was going on with Jacob, and, even after knowing him this long, didn’t understand why he behaved as he did. If only he would share what he referred to as the darkness , then Vivienne might comprehend what she was up against. She might even be able to help.
Yet Jacob was convinced that speaking of his past wasn’t good for her . That he was doing the right thing by protecting her. Vivienne only wished she knew what he was protecting her from, because she didn’t need to be shielded from whatever Jacob agonized over. She’d rather be a part of it than be excluded. But Vivienne didn’t know how to make Jacob see that.
*****
Jacob nursed his second whiskey, waiting for Vivienne to come down for dinner. There was no way he was going upstairs to get her. She needed time to cool off, and he did too. Each time he thought of Vivienne going off to Paris with another man, anger surged. It didn’t matter that the man was probably ten years older than Vivienne, or that he was a business partner.
Vivienne likely thought his reaction meant he didn’t trust her, but that wasn’t it at all. He didn’t trust another man , alone with Vivienne, on a trip. Couldn’t she see the dangers there? Traveling, and in close proximity, there would be ample opportunity for the relationship to get personal. That was something Jacob would not allow.
Vivienne was his , and he intended to keep it that way. But she had issues with obeying him. Fortunately, her defiance did not extend to the playroom. Still, there were other occasions when she needed to listen to him, but she was so darned willful.
Jacob pondered the situation, and had to admit he’d likely approached it the wrong way. With a woman like Vivienne, more tact was called for. More than once, she’d thought of him as rude , and the argument had driven that home. If he’d discussed his reasons more, possibly she would have agreed that it was best not to make a business trip alone with Alfred.
But Jacob had been in no mood for talking about it. He’d just reacted. Vivienne probably thought he was jealous, and maybe he had been. Yet it was more than that. Vivienne had become a part of his life, and he wasn’t dealing with it very well.
There hadn’t been a woman like Vivienne before, so it had been simple to keep his sexual lifestyle compartmentalized. The playroom was a powerful release, one that Jacob needed. But he hadn’t foreseen where that might lead with Vivienne. He did things with her, and allowed her privileges that were inconsistent with being her master.
Now Jacob had to pay the price. It was too late to retrace
When they arrived, Vivienne went straight to her room and locked the door. It was a silly gesture, since Jacob wasn’t likely to come looking for her. But she was annoyed. After stripping off her summer clothes, she turned on the shower. When it was warm, she stepped inside, letting the spray wash away all the sand and grime.
Unfortunately, the water couldn’t wash away the hurt that Vivienne felt inside. It wasn’t fair. Jacob expected too much. She wondered if this was how he behaved with any other woman who’d shared his playroom, but she thought not. The difference was that she also shared his life, and did so despite the inherent risk. Unwittingly, she had instigated the argument, although she felt that Jacob was just as responsible.
After Vivienne shampooed and rinsed her hair, she stepped out to dry off. It was good to be clean again. For dinner, she dressed casually and put on some makeup. Her blond hair was wild, similar to how she felt inside, so she left it that way. Then she flopped on the bed.
Hugging the pillow to her, Vivienne tried to make the ache in her chest go away, but it was useless. She had no idea what was going on with Jacob, and, even after knowing him this long, didn’t understand why he behaved as he did. If only he would share what he referred to as the darkness , then Vivienne might comprehend what she was up against. She might even be able to help.
Yet Jacob was convinced that speaking of his past wasn’t good for her . That he was doing the right thing by protecting her. Vivienne only wished she knew what he was protecting her from, because she didn’t need to be shielded from whatever Jacob agonized over. She’d rather be a part of it than be excluded. But Vivienne didn’t know how to make Jacob see that.
*****
Jacob nursed his second whiskey, waiting for Vivienne to come down for dinner. There was no way he was going upstairs to get her. She needed time to cool off, and he did too. Each time he thought of Vivienne going off to Paris with another man, anger surged. It didn’t matter that the man was probably ten years older than Vivienne, or that he was a business partner.
Vivienne likely thought his reaction meant he didn’t trust her, but that wasn’t it at all. He didn’t trust another man , alone with Vivienne, on a trip. Couldn’t she see the dangers there? Traveling, and in close proximity, there would be ample opportunity for the relationship to get personal. That was something Jacob would not allow.
Vivienne was his , and he intended to keep it that way. But she had issues with obeying him. Fortunately, her defiance did not extend to the playroom. Still, there were other occasions when she needed to listen to him, but she was so darned willful.
Jacob pondered the situation, and had to admit he’d likely approached it the wrong way. With a woman like Vivienne, more tact was called for. More than once, she’d thought of him as rude , and the argument had driven that home. If he’d discussed his reasons more, possibly she would have agreed that it was best not to make a business trip alone with Alfred.
But Jacob had been in no mood for talking about it. He’d just reacted. Vivienne probably thought he was jealous, and maybe he had been. Yet it was more than that. Vivienne had become a part of his life, and he wasn’t dealing with it very well.
There hadn’t been a woman like Vivienne before, so it had been simple to keep his sexual lifestyle compartmentalized. The playroom was a powerful release, one that Jacob needed. But he hadn’t foreseen where that might lead with Vivienne. He did things with her, and allowed her privileges that were inconsistent with being her master.
Now Jacob had to pay the price. It was too late to retrace
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