Husband By Request

“Wait here.” His lips grazed hers before he went back to the boat for the cooler. When he returned a second time, with blankets he’d no doubt pulled from one of the lockers beneath the padded bench, her fingers still covered lips that hadn’t stopped tingling from the electrifying contact.

He spread out one blanket on the sand. When he removed his shirt, he looked like a statue of a Greek god come to life. In the moonlight she felt bewitched by him.

Frightened of his power over her, she averted her eyes. “I can’t do this.”

“Can’t do what? Love me like you did when you came back to try and make our marriage work?”

“I—I made that request before I realized some marriages aren’t fixable.”

“I agree with that statement—if the husband and wife aren’t both fighting for it with every breath in their bodies.”

“Sometimes not even that is enough.”

He closed the distance between them and removed her life jacket. “Look at me.”

She shook her head. “It’s no use, Andreas.”

As she struggled to pull away he said, “Tonight I made certain Olympia is out of our lives forever.”

“I’d like to believe that.” Her voice trembled. “But we bo—”

“Did you hear me?” he demanded, shaking her gently but firmly. “I threatened her with a protective order. She understands that if she ever tries to come near I’ll have her prosecuted.”

Dominique’s head reared back. To her chagrin, hot tears trickled down her cheeks. “That won’t stop her. She knows how to get to you.”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me, and I understand why. So I brought you proof.”

He reached in his trouser pocket and pulled out a mini tape recorder. “What you’re going to hear is the conversation we had after we took Ari home and put him to bed. Just so you know, he’s got gastroenteritis, but he’s going to be fine.”

Dominique was glad to hear the good news, but she was still reeling from the sight of the recorder in his hand. “You taped it?”

“Yes. Let’s lie down and we’ll both listen. If you’re wondering why I’ve removed my shirt, there are several reasons. One of them being that at a certain point in our conversation she threw her coffee at me in a violent rage.”

He lay down on his side and patted the space next to him. In a daze, Dominique knelt in front of him and reached for his shirt. Huge stains had ruined the elegant cream silk material.

She let out a low moan and ran her fingers over his face and jaw. “Did she burn you?”

He caught her hand and kissed it. “No. By the time she lost control it had cooled.”

“Andreas—”

She watched him press the button on the recorder. Out of the stillness of the night came their voices.

Would you stay with me tonight?

Where’s your aunt?

She’s gone to my cousin’s for the weekend.

I thought she was too sick to go anywhere.

The medicine the doctor gave her made her feel a lot better. I think she wanted to get away from the baby’s crying.

I’ll stay for a while.

Good. Let me fix us some coffee.

Olympia?