But that had changed with her trip to Wyoming. She’d never felt more alone in her entire life than she did at the moment.
Picking up her bag, she had to admit that wasn’t quite true. The only other time she had felt such a keen sense of loneliness had been eight months ago when she’d returned from her vacation in Las Vegas and she was facing the night alone without Blake to hold her.
Her breath caught on a sob and she hurried out of the exit to the line of yellow cabs, waiting to take travelers to their destinations. While the driver stored her bag in the trunk, she settled into the backseat and prayed that the man wasn’t overly chatty. She really didn’t think she could talk to anyone without making a fool of herself. All she wanted to do was go home to her apartment away from the prying eyes of strangers and cry herself into oblivion. Thankfully it was dark enough that even if she did lose control, chances were the man wouldn’t notice.
When they reached her apartment complex, she paid the cabdriver and pulled her travel bag along behind her as she slowly walked the short distance to her ground-floor apartment. But once she approached the door, she spotted a man sitting in the shadows on her porch step. Unsure whether to proceed and demand that he leave or turn around and run for help, she stopped dead in her tracks. That’s when he looked up.
Her heart pounded and drawing a breath was all but impossible. “Blake?”
“This isn’t safe,” he said, shaking his head. “There should be lights along these sidewalks and dusk-to-dawn security lights on every building.”
“I left the front-door light on,” she said defensively. “It must have burned out.”
“I don’t like you living in a place where the security is this lax,” he said, rising to his feet as he looked around.
“Oh, really?” She shook her head as she reached inside her handbag for her key. “How safe it is where I live isn’t any of your concern anymore.”
“Like hell!” When she pulled the key from her bag, he took it from her trembling fingers and unlocked and opened the door for her. “You’re my wife. Your safety is of the utmost importance to me.”
His attitude and his reference to her as his wife infuriated and broke her heart at the same time. How could he claim to want the best for her when he hadn’t trusted her with the truth?
“Get real, Blake.” She brushed past him to enter her apartment and turn on one of the lamps at the end of the couch. “The most important things in your life are your precious ranch and your bank account. I doubt that I even make the top ten on your list of things you value.”
“That’s not true,” he said, following her into her small living room. “You’re more important to me than my next breath.”
“Whatever,” she said, dropping her purse on the coffee table. She turned to face him. “I don’t know why you’re here or what you think you’re going to accomplish by following me to Seattle, but—”
“I came to talk to my wife,” he said, closing the door behind him.
“I don’t see that there’s anything left to say.” She shook her head. “You had ample opportunity to talk to me while I was at the Wolf Creek Ranch and you chose not to. And stop calling me your wife.”
“I’m here now to set things straight,” he said stubbornly crossing his arms. He stood like a stone statue and she realized he had every intention of making her listen to what he had to say. “And why shouldn’t I call you my wife?” he asked. “We’re still married.”
She rubbed at the tension, causing her temples to pound unmercifully. “Please leave, Blake. I’m exhausted and you’re not helping my developing headache.”
He took a step toward her. “Sweetheart, I’m—”
“Don’t call me that,” she said, shaking her head as she backed away from him. “That’s an endearment and one that you obviously don’t mean and never have.” She took a deep breath. “Now, will you please leave and go back to Wyoming, where you belong.”
“I belong where you are.” He walked over and sat down on the couch. “And I’m not leaving until we work this out.”