In the end, you turned out just likeyour dad.
Shame beat back desire, but not completely. When Millie came back, fully dressed, and gave him his clothes, he kicked into his jeans and buttoned them up, regret sharpening with every button.
She knelt before the fire and tidied up. On the floor, just where they had spent most of the night.
Wastedmost of the night not making love.
Bitterness filledhis mouth.
Dawn
I should go, right now.Millie’s brain advised.Walk out, tide or no tide. She folded her shorts and stuffed then into the tote, then wasted more time folding theblanket.
I can’t sit here after he’s just rejected me. Again.She collected her herb cuttings and placed them carefully into the bag, careful not to crush them.
Her heart shrank with humiliation.What am I waiting for? Stop tidying up like a housewife and just go.
Shestood up.
“I am sorry, Millie.” George spoke up. “Christ—all I seem to do when I am around you isfuck up.”
“I don’t want an apology.” She didn’t look at him; her eyes would show too much. “An explanation, however, wouldbe good.”
“My bloody father.”
His father?“He’s not even here.”
“He is always here, inmy head.”
Must be very crowded in there with all the anger and the controlling and God knowswhat else.
“Also, I…” He blew out a breath through his lips. “I have a girlfriend.”
Her eyes snapped to him.
Of course, the phone call he wouldn’t take.BW.This situation was getting better and better.
“Nothing serious,” he said. “It was virtually over, but we talked earlier, and I...” He paused, took in a deep breath, his chest swelling, then blew it out.
Oh, for God’s sake.Millie watched him, not caring now if her anger showed
“I think I gave her the impression we’re still on.” He went on talking, something about his father cheating and breaking hearts. Millie was no longerlistening.
So. She was rejectedandthe other woman at thesame time
“…but later I thought,” George was saying. “…they were just women who fell in love and they were hurt too.” He pulled on his pollo shirt and straightened the collar.
Why was he talking about his father when he didn’t behave any better himself? Why did he kiss her if he had a girlfriend? Not just kiss her but roll her on the floor, push her clothes up and touch her— And then her mind took her back — it wasn’t George who’d initiated the kiss. She’d made the first move. And the second, and third. In fact, he had tried very hard to resist her.Ugh, as if I wasn’t feeling rejected enough five minutes ago.
“You deserve better,” George said. “Christ, every woman deserves better.” He gave her a difficult smile. “I don’t know, I am not making much sense. Throbbing toe and frustrated erection don’t make for a clear head.”
The flippant words didn’t hide the emotion inhis eyes.
She softened. “It’s okay. You make more sense than you think.”
“Millie, I want you very much.” His eyes were almost black in the grey light. “You mean a lot more to me than one night of passion. I won’t let this become something sordid. Something guilty. Andnot here.”
Millie’s heart kicked up faster. Just when she thought she understood what happened, everything changed too quickly. She needed time to think, and her mind and body were sending her conflicting advice.Not to mention Mr Mixed Messages here.
