Page 38 of The Strength Of A Woman

Always moving his eyes over my body. Always looking like he’d like to get a taste of me.

The man makes my hair stand on end. Not because he is an ugly beast–he’s not–but because I have zero tolerance for that type of behavior.

I don’t like his touch on me because I know what it means.

What it’s always meant.

This type of behavior has always come from entitled men who thought they could do whatever they wanted to me.

The door flies open as I push through and walk into my room. Before I get the chance to turn around and close it, footsteps echo in the hallway.

I hope it’s Nona.

She enters the room and quietly closes the door behind her. Her face is blank, her eyes neutral.

“So, how are things?” I ask impatiently as I drop my purse onto a chair and head straight to the walk-in closet.

She sighs first, which means things are not that bad.

“They’re having dinner,” she says, following me into the closet.

“Turn around, please.”

She does that as I remove my dress and review my clothing options. I pick up a pair of shorts and a blouse.

The shorts are not that short, so they might work, and the blouse is like a cloud of silk blown by the wind.

The fabric is cool against my skin, the sleeves moving like serpents around my forearms.

I tie it at the waist and turn to her, fastening my shorts.

“I’m listening,” I say as her gaze dips to my shorts.

“Those won’t work.”

“I know,” I say with the giddy voice of a rebellious child.

She moves toward the rack and picks up a few hangers.

“Don’t be silly. The last thing you need right now is some extra attention on you.”

She speaks and moves quickly, tossing a long pair of pants and a couple of skirts my way.

“The longer, the better,” she suggests.

Her eyes meet mine as I look at her expectantly.

“Aurora told them you took a nap in her room before you went out for a walk. They believed her.”

I sigh with relief.

“Good. Because Julian followed me into town and saw me with Callum. He’s already started to spread lies about Callum and me, which no one will believe. The man was on a date with his girlfriend. What Julian saw wasn’t what he thought he saw. Did they ask you about me?”

“No.”

“Excellent.”

Her eyes move slowly over my face.