Annie’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Alice. “I don’t know who you think you are. I live here, not you.”
Alice waved her hand in the air, dismissing what Annie said. “Sure, whatever. Burke never did have good luck with housekeepers.” She turned toward the stairs. “Just do as you’re told and bring in my things.”
Annie sputtered as she watched Alice walk upstairs. Alice could go to hell and so could her bags. She wanted Burke, she needed Burke, but who knew when he’d be home? She had no idea how long it took to get cattle unbogged or whatever they were. Huffing in aggravation, she grabbed Cat and walked out of the house. She didn’t want to have another confrontation with that woman. Besides, she would have noticed by now that Burke obviously lived with another woman. All of Annie’s things were in the master bedroom.
Annie heard Alice yell. She probably made it to the bedroom.
Well, too damn bad for Alice, She had horses she needed to introduce herself to. There was no way she was going back into that house without Burke. But, Annie did feel a pang of envy. The women at the diner were right; there was no comparison between her and Alice. Alice was a beauty and she was nothing but plain. She wondered if it bothered Burke that she wasn’t beautiful. Did he find her lacking? She certainly wasn’t a big-boobed Barbie like Alice, but what did he think?
Annie wasn’t in the mood to talk to the horses. She wasn’t even in the mood to watch Cat play. Even though Alice was an impossible wench, Annie couldn’t shake the fact that Burke had once loved her.
She couldn’t bring herself to go back into the house. She felt so helpless and disgusted. That was her house, Burke was her husband, and she knew that she needed to go in there and have it out with that adulterer of a woman. She should have set Alice straight as soon as she treated her as a servant. Just who did she think she was calling Burke her husband?
Annie dug deep and found her strength. She was not going to let Alice ruin her life.
No way in hell
, she chanted to herself. She picked up Cat and made her way back to the house. The motto:
never let them see you sweat,
popped into her mind. Her mouth turned up into a slight smile. Taking a deep breath, she felt as though she was going into her first cage match. She hated confrontations and she’d had enough violence in her life, but she had to face Alice or she would never be able to look at herself in the mirror again.
Annie entered the house and found Alice sitting at the kitchen table flipping through a fashion magazine. She’d taken off her designer suit jacket and Annie could see her breasts practically falling out of her push up bra. Her silk blouse was unbuttoned practically to her belly button and it was disgusting. But Annie did have to admit that the red blouse perfectly matched Alice’s nail polish, which perfectly matched her lipstick. She felt at a disadvantage in her dirty T-shirt and jeans. She knew that her hair looked a colossal mess, but now wasn’t the time to cry about spilled milk. She set Cat on the floor and watched her take off as if the devil chased her.
Annie straightened her shoulders and looked Alice right in the eye. “I think there’s been some mistake here,” she began, trying to sound calm and cool.
Alice laughed at her. “Don’t worry, honey; I threw all of your things out of my bedroom.” She looked back down at her magazine as if Annie didn’t matter. Before Annie made a reply, Alice suggested that she might want to get her dirty clothes out of the hallway before Burke got home.
A pit formed in Annie’s stomach and she wanted to run. Alice’s sharp tongue could make even Sonny cry. She didn’t have the arsenal to fight this woman, but she didn’t have a choice. “Burke is
my
husband,” she said in warning.
Alice looked her up and down and laughed. “Nice try, sweetheart, but you’re too ugly and definitely not womanly enough for Burke. He likes big busted, curvy women who won’t scare him when he looks at them over the breakfast table,” she said scathingly. “He might be taking you to his bed, but I bet it’s always with the lights off.”
Annie gasped.
“Alice, that’s enough!” Burke commanded as he walked into the room. He gave her a scornful look and went to Annie, pulling her close to his side. She knew he could feel her trembling. “Annie is my wife and you should have a care what you say to her,” he warned.
Alice completely changed when she caught sight of Burke. She squealed in delight and rushed over to him, practically knocking over her chair in her hurry. “Darling, it’s so good to see you again,” she gushed. She took Burke’s hand and adeptly separated the married couple. “I drove all day just to catch a look of you, Burke.” Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She sighed, loudly kissing him with relish.
Annie watched in horror while Alice kissed her husband. Her little sighs were like tiny daggers to Annie’s heart. She knew that Burke was strong enough to set Alice away from him, but he didn’t, and it made her want to rip every bleached blonde hair off Alice’s head. Her fury turned to sickness as she realized that Burke wasn’t fighting the kiss at all.
She couldn’t contain the sob of distress she made. She flew out the kitchen door. She wasn’t going to hide in the barn again, so she just sat on the porch steps, looking out at the land she’d grown to love. The days were growing longer and the sun had yet to set.
Annie gazed at her favorite roses. She loved to see them dance as the cooling breeze went through them. Maybe her marriage was a mistake after all. She closed her eyes, replaying the kiss between Burke and Alice. She sat on the step not knowing if she waited for Burke to tell her either their marriage was over or the kiss was all a big mistake. Either scenario could happen. After all, Burke never claimed to love her. She laid her head on her knees and waited.
*
*
*
*
Burke’s disentangled himself from Alice, and wiped his mouth in disgust. “What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.
Alice simply smiled at him. He hated her smiles; they usually worked in the past.
“I came here for a reconciliation. I realize now how wrong I was to walk away from you.” Walking toward him again, she placed her hand on his chest. He flinched, but that didn’t seem to deter her.
“We were so good together, remember?” she asked huskily. “I’ve missed you dreadfully.” She batted her eyelashes and she gave him a pleading look. “I need you, Burke. I need you like I’ve never needed anyone before.”
“I’m married, happily married,” he responded. “You’re going to have to leave.”
Tears welled up in her steel gray eyes. “I can respect that Burke. I just need a place to stay for a few weeks.” She let her tears fall freely. “Please, Burke,” she pleaded. “I have nowhere else to go. I used the last of my cash to put gas in my car to get here.”
Burke ran his fingers through his hair. He didn’t want her here, but he couldn’t turn her out either. He knew that the next few weeks would be a living hell, but as her ex-husband, he felt a certain responsibility toward her. He shouldn’t, but he did.
“All right,” he agreed, sighing deeply. “You can stay, but just for two weeks, and I want you to help Annie around the house. This isn’t a bed and breakfast. Understand?”
Alice’s tears quickly evaporated and she laughed in delight. She threw herself at Burke covering his face with kisses. “I’ll be good,” she promised, “you won’t even know I’m here.”
Burke highly doubted that, but he didn’t know what else to do. Right now, his main concern was Annie; he’d seen how hurt she was before she went outside. How he was going to manage the next two weeks he didn’t know, but he had to reassure Annie.
He saw her sitting on the steps and braced himself. He didn’t know what to say. From the look of things, they weren’t getting along when he came home. He wasn’t sure if Annie could defend herself from Alice’s sharp claws. He knew from experience just how mean and spiteful she could be. Why in God’s name did he tell her she could stay? Shaking his head, he started for the door and felt Alice right behind him.
He turned toward her. “Annie and I need to talk alone.”
She gave him her pouty look, but right now, he didn’t care. He needed to make things right with his wife.
*
*
*
*
Annie heard the screen door slam. She felt so weary. All she wanted in this world was peace and love. Right now, she had neither and she felt crushed. Things were going so well between them and now… Annie was afraid, afraid that she was going to lose Burke. Alice was so beautiful. Well, at least until she opened her mouth and then any beauty disappeared. Burke sat beside her and put his arm around her.
“I’m sorry, darlin’,” he said, his voice full of regret.
Annie shrugged his arm off her shoulder and stood up whipping her head around to face him. “Don’t you dare call me that again! She calls you that!”
Burke frowned. “She calls me darling. I call you darlin’.”
“Same thing!”
“Believe me Annie there is a world of difference, but that isn’t why I came out to talk to you.” He stood up at the bottom of the stairs and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go somewhere where we can talk alone.”
Apprehensively, Annie let him help her up and began to walk hand in hand with him. She knew that she was trembling and it shamed her. She walked with him, breathing in the scent of him. He smelled of leather, spice, and masculine sensuality. He also smelled of hard work and the outdoors. Closing her eyes, she willed herself to make a memory of his scent for when they were no longer together. It wasn’t fair, she lamented to herself. Alice had no right to come back. Burke was her husband now.
She realized that Burke had stopped walking. Annie looked up into his sky blue eyes and saw unhappiness and deep regret. Mentally bracing herself for what was to come; she straightened her spine and raised her chin, waiting for the blow.
To her surprise, he stoked her cheek. .His gentleness was the last straw. Embarrassed, Annie turned away to try and hide th
e tears welling up in her eyes.
She fought fiercely to get herself together. It had been an awful day with that woman showing up. She knew deep down that she wasn’t the type of wife Burke needed. He needed someone made of sterner stuff, not some wilting ninny like her.
Annie wanted to tell him that she loved him, but she refused to make a fool out of herself. She shuddered as she felt Burke’s warm hands on her shoulders. It felt as though he was lending his support to her and she wished it were so.
“Shhhh, Annie,” he murmured. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back snug against his strong chest. He kissed the side of her neck, causing her to shiver.
“She can be a spiteful bitch, and I’m sorry that she unleashed her anger on you,” he said, holding her tight.
Annie felt so protected in his brawny arms. The feel of his strong hard chest made her stomach feel as though it was full of butterflies.
“I’m just so edgy today.”
She turned in his arms and laid her head against his chest. She finally calmed her breathing and drew back enough to look at him, blushing at his smile. It was unexpected. She laid her head against him again and sighed as he rubbed her back up and down. He was the only one in her whole life who had ever held her when she cried and she wanted to prolong the soothing feeling.
“Annie,” he said hesitantly. “Alice will be staying with us for two weeks.”
Annie pushed against his broad chest to put distance between them. Sparks practically flew from her hurt eyes. “No way in hell!”
Burke looked quickly at the house hoping that they weren’t overheard. “Please, keep your voice down. I don’t want Alice to know our business. Annie, I know that we’re just beginning to make our way as a married couple, but Alice has no place to go.”
“Like that’s our problem?” she demanded, folding her arms in front of her.
“Unfortunately, as much as I hate the idea of her being here, I feel a sense of obligation toward her.” Burke ran his fingers through his brown hair. He cupped her cheek in his large work worn hand, cradling it, beseeching her with his eyes to understand.
“I know it doesn’t make sense, but it’s just the kind of man I am, the kind that I’ve always strived to be, a man with compassion and integrity, a man who doesn’t turn his back on his obligations no matter how distasteful they may be. Unfortunately I see Alice as an obligation that I can’t turn away.”
She rubbed her cheek against his hand. Reaching up for his hand, she kissed it lovingly. “Only two weeks, right?” she asked quietly.
“Only two weeks,” Burke agreed as he drew her back into his arms and kissed her. He backed her up against the corral fence. Kissing her deeply, he started to unsnap her jeans but stopped when they heard the unmistakable sound of the screen door slam.
“We’ll get through this, honey,” he whispered.
Annie jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “We’d better, cowboy,” she replied. “I guess I have a mess outside our bedroom to clean up. I don’t suppose her highness would have put everything back?”
Burke grinned at her. “I wouldn’t bank on it.” He grabbed her hand and walked her inside.
*
*
*
*