The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 72

Back at Riverside Court, Simon was still uneasy.

"Going back to a cold, empty house... are you sure you don't want to come with me?"

Clara shook her head. "Hurry home. Your darling will be checking up on you soon."

Simon blushed slightly. "That's just my immense charm at work. Alright, you go up. I'm heading out."

Watching Simon's taillights disappear around the corner, Clara turned and went upstairs.

The divorce agreement was still sitting under a paperweight on the table.

Clara pulled the document out, stared at it for a long time, and then placed it back in the drawer.

...

Rhys returned three days later.

Clara had spent those three days in exceptional comfort. She slept until she woke up naturally, ordered takeout for lunch, and spent her afternoons shopping at the mall or getting a full treatment at the spa.

Rhys sent messages every day, sometimes asking what she was doing, sometimes reporting his schedule. Clara replied perfunctorily, usually with no more than three words.

On the third night, Clara had just finished her shower and was sitting on the bed applying body lotion when the sound of the keypad lock beeped at the front door.

She paused and checked the time.

Eleven-thirty.

According to their previous agreement, she had been sleeping in the guest bedroom for the past few days, leaving the master bedroom available.

She didn't want to run into him.

Clara got up, walked to the bedroom door, and locked it from the inside.

The sound of suitcase wheels rolling across the floor came from the living room.

A moment later, the master bedroom door opened and closed. Then, footsteps returned, circled twice, and stopped outside the guest bedroom.

The handle was twisted twice. It didn't open.

"Clara."

Rhys's husky voice came through the door panel. "Open the door."

Clara lay back on the bed. "I'm asleep."

Rhys found this amusing and twisted the handle again. "Am I a thief? or are you hiding someone in there?"

"I'm guarding against you. Go sleep in the master bedroom and don't disturb me."

Silence outside the door for a few seconds.

"I have a key."

Rhys tightened his grip, pulling her entire body into his arms. "This is my house, too. I'll sleep wherever I want."

Scoundrel.

Clara didn't have the energy to argue with him. She struggled briefly. "Move your hand. It's cold."

"I'll warm it up for you."

He squeezed his legs in, pinning hers down, his hands becoming even more audacious as they slid up under the hem of her clothes.

"Rhys!" Clara tried to push him away, annoyed. "I'm sleepy. I want to sleep."

"You slept all day; how can you be tired?"

Rhys's kisses landed on the back of her neck, dense and lingering, as he whispered in her ear, "I missed you, Clara."

Clara paused slightly.

He did miss her; his body's reaction couldn't lie.

But it was just his body.

Did he miss her during those nights in Riverstone? Or did he just happen to think of her in the spare moments after finishing work and sending a goodnight message to Margot?

Clara had no way of knowing, and she couldn't be bothered to guess.