Page 15 (1/1)

"Look at me, Chessy"

She turned slowly, her face pale, fear in her beautiful eyes He sed back the knot in his throat because this was not the time to hesitate or stand down He had to pull a full-court press

"First thing I want to say to you, because it was never addressed last night"

She sent him a faintly puzzled look but at least he had her full attention now

"I have never been unfaithful to you, Chessy," he said in a clear, distinct and earnest voice "I have never even entertained the thought I love you You are the only woman I ever want to be with"

Chessy’s breath intake ift and sharp She stared at hi his face, as if for the truth in his words

"Then as that woht?" she choked out "On our anniversary, as the woman as all over you in the bar of the restaurant ere supposed to eat at?"

The bitterness in her voice e to co his fidelity, but she was also questioning every aspect of their s and failures over the last two years

"She was a potential client," he said, looking her straight in the eye "I don’t knohat the hell you thought you saw, but I was not all over that wo the possibility of her transferring her portfolio tocoup Her husband died and left her a lot of money Most of it in stocks and bonds, and she’s unhappy with the financial advisor her husband used So yes, I was having drinks with her I told her I could only ot delayed Tiot away from me I had no idea so much ti to hurt you You have to believe that"

"But you have hurt ain I can’t even count on two hands the times you’ve left me for a client When we’re at friends’, with Dash and Joss or Kylie and Jensen When I’ with clients or taking them to dinner Without me You used to include me in your dinners and social affairs but then you quit Are you ashamed of me? Did I fail you in sonitude of hurt she was feeling All piled up and finally exploding last night--and now It flayed his heart open and he was bleeding on the inside for all he’d done to this precious woman

"God no, Chessy! Fail me? Me ashamed of you? You are the ht up the entire room when you enter Ashamed? Jesus Christ I didn’t want to burden you any called upon soin and you taking care of all the details I could see the toll it was taking on you I never wanted that for you I wanted you to be financially secure and for you to do whatever the hell you wanted in your free tiations I had They weren’t yours to bear"

"I never minded," she said in barely above a whisper "I felt important to you Like ere a team I wanted to support you Be there for you And then it was the only way I got to spend tione, always on the phone, never here with me And then I lost that too I lost you"

"You haven’t lost h Nor can I say I’h I wish to hell I could say that I sahen everything went all wrong, but it just happened gradually and I took for granted that you’d always be here My wife The woman I loved"

"Don’t you turn this around onin the eyes that had been dull and filled with sorrow just o "Don’t you dare insinuate that I haven’t been here I’ve been here every da for my husband to come home To be here To fulfill my needs You’re supposed to be nificant others can see you aren’t living up to your proave you ht line "What the hell do you ave him a tired look "They’re both dominant and they treat Joss and Kylie like queens I’ve heard froift of my submission you’re supposed to put ift absolutely Respect it Recognize how precious such a gift is And they said you’re failing miserably No do you think that ed by my best friends and their husbands, or rather husband and lover in Kylie’s case"

Tate let out a lol "They have no right to judge anything What we do is our business and our business alone Our e is not up for public speculation Ever"

Chessy’s accusing eyes found his "It see as a true Dominant, not to mention husband and lover, that no one would have fodder to point out your shortcos"

The shot hit home and left hiht and it hurt that he had no comeback No excuse

"There’s no one else in this relationship except you and me," he finally said in an even voice "I readily admit that I’ve royally fked up and I intend to rectify that starting now This is our anniversary weekend and I intend to salvage it"