The Burlington Manor Affair

Mustering every bit of pride she owned, Carmen braced herself. She’d had enough. “It’s a good job that I don’t give a damn what you think. You really have become more cruel and twisted over the years.”

The swipe about being left on the shelf was the last straw. She was alone out of choice. Besides, the only reason Amanda was able to use that as a weapon was because she had a failed marriage on her résumé.

Nevertheless, it took Carmen’s deepest reserves to stand there and speak so boldly, when inside she was crumbling. Because everything Amanda inferred was true in one sense or another. Rex had rejected her, and now he was only sleeping with her to burn out the old desire between them. Circumstances had made that convenient for him to do. He hadn’t pursued her before. He hadn’t even kept in touch. That was the sort of man he was.

I know all these things, so it shouldn’t hurt.

But it hurt because she wanted him. Carmen didn’t want to be here with these people, not in their weekend time. She wanted to be here with Rex. Alone. I want what I was promised. Yes, whatever the circumstances, she wanted every moment of their time. Possessive, angry emotions were threatening to overwhelm her. She wanted to run, but she forced herself to stay. She’d tough this out, and then she could step away having maintained her dignity.

“Oh, look, Rex is waving at me,” Amanda said, swaying as she did so.

“Good for you,” Carmen muttered.

Amanda swung around to face her. “Suck it up, buttercup. I’ll be screwing him again before you even get off the starting grid.”

It hurt too much.

Carmen turned and walked away.

CHAPTER NINE

THE FRIENDLY WAVE and the forced smile Carmen gave Rex as she disappeared from the party didn’t fool him for a moment.

Something was badly wrong.

She’d seemed to relax over the course of the evening, which was a mercy after the fraught tension she’d given off when she’d arrived. Things hadn’t gone exactly to plan, and Rex regretted organizing the party. Later, when he’d seen her enjoying herself and happily chatting with the guests, he felt a bit better about it. He was still eager to get her on her own and explain things properly. He’d seen her expression change as she chatted with Amanda. He’d been watching. And when Carmen headed off, there was such a pained look in her eyes that he felt it, physically.

That look hit him like a lumbar punch. What had Amanda said to her?

Amanda had always been out of control. In retrospect he probably shouldn’t have invited her, but he thought she might have matured. Sometimes she used to screw with people’s heads for entertainment. In his youth it had a certain appeal; he’d even identified with it. Now, it appalled him. It made him wonder if he’d been as bad as she was. His instinct was to boot her out, but Rex wanted to know what had happened.

He didn’t have to wait long to find out.

When Carmen slipped away, Amanda shrugged and sauntered his way, obviously trashed and on the prowl.

“I see Carmen is as frigid and frustrated as ever.”

Irritated, Rex shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I do. She used to share everything with me, sad little virgin that she was, fixated on her stepbrother.”

Too much information. Rex tried to process it while he decided what to say. He was fuming. She’d obviously said something hurtful to Carmen. In fact, she was still running off at the mouth, loading on the insults about Carmen being a frustrated spinster because of her unrequited desire for the unattainable stepbrother.

“Poor little rich girl, Carmen Shelby, harboring fantasies about the man she could never have, the one who never wanted her.”

Conversations nearby ceased as heads turned in Amanda’s direction. Her voice had been getting louder and she was getting theatrical with it.

Rex fought the urge to silence her by putting a hand over her mouth. Perversely, he wanted to hear what she had to say.

“Amanda, stop it.” It was Nate.

Amanda’s head swung in his direction and she gave a harsh laugh. “No way, I’m having fun. Me and sexy Rexy have to catch up.”

“We’re here as friends,” Nate continued. “It’s not long since Rex buried his father and he’s trying to get things back to normal here. For God’s sake, try to keep your twisted sense of fun under control.”

Rex didn’t need Nate to watch out for him, but right then his thoughts weren’t ordered and he appreciated a second.

“She’s too weak for a man like you,” Amanda stated while looking up at Rex. Brazenly she met Rex’s stare and smiled, ignoring Nate.