Chapter Seventeen
Patricia dragged her hands through her curls at a little past eight p.m. She stood with such force that the rolling chair spun across the floor. The twin’s first surgery was scheduled for mid-October. Her eyes burned from drills and run-throughs, but she wasn’t taking any chances.
Prayers and practice were her game plans for two-out-of-two. Patricia wanted both twins to survive. She would not be satisfied with simply one surviving. As part of the protocol, the team was prepared to save whichever twin proved stronger during the surgery, but she didn’t plan to ever have to choose.
Bending over to touch her toes, Patricia released the kinks in her lower back. She needed to go home.
But her home did not feel like home without Ryan by her side. Patricia knew she was throwing a private pity party but could not snap out of her funk. She missed the warmth of his body pressed to hers.
She lifted her hair with her hands and nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a pair of masculine hands on her shoulders. She would have screamed had she not heard Timothy’s voice.
“Shh,” he said. “Relax. Let me ease your tension.”
Since when did he get so bold?
She shrugged him off. “What do you think you’re doing?” She moved away from him toward the exit.
Timothy dropped his voice suggestively. “You’ve been here for days. I just wanted to see if you could use a friend.”
Friend? Patricia studied Tim for several seconds. She understood what he was offering. Maybe she had given out a distress signal that she wasn’t feeling so desirable, and the hound dog had come barking. Timothy had abs and biceps to spare. Many of the nurses swooned in his presence, yet he had never spared them a single glance. Now, she knew why. He was interested in her. But instead of feeling flattered, she felt exasperated.
Patricia smiled. “Tim, thanks for the offer, but I don’t need a friend. My husband has been my best friend for years, so that job’s taken.”
He blinked. “I um . . . I just thought . . .”
She arched an eyebrow. “Thought that because you’ve seen me here a few nights that there must be trouble at home?”
He gave a little nod.
She lifted her chin. “I assure you all is well. Anna and Alyssa need the best team, and since that includes you, I’m hoping we can put this behind us as a misunderstanding and move on.”
He shook his head. “But I thought . . .”
“No, Tim . . .”
“But the way you’ve been acting—”
“No,” Patricia interrupted. “Are we good?”
“Yes,” Timothy said, and he departed.
Her shoulders sagged with relief. Timothy was an excellent surgeon and she would have hated to replace him on her team, yet part of her couldn’t respect how he had given up so easily. If you’re going to proposition a man’s wife, you should at least display a little gumption.
Patricia cracked up. She sashayed over to her mirror. “You still got it, girl.” Tim was ten years younger, and it was extremely flattering. She raked her hands over her body. “You want a piece of this, Tim?” She puckered her lips at her reflection and said in her best Marilyn Monroe impression, “Sorry, it’s already been claimed.”
Too bad Ryan hadn’t been claiming it lately.
She slapped her thighs with sudden decisiveness because that was about to change. God had used that small incident with Tim to show her someone still desired her.
Her fragile confidence restored, Patricia made up her mind. She was going home. No more sleeping in the guest room. Tonight, she was going to remind Ryan of what he was missing.
Patricia gathered her courage and her coral suit jacket. On her way home, she plotted her moves. First, I’ll put on that new French maid outfit I bought online. Patricia had bought it months ago but had yet to wear the hot little number. She pictured Ryan ripping it off her body. Oh yeah! Oooh. I’ll search for the “One in a Million” song to play at the right time. They both loved Aaliyah’s compilation with Timbaland.
Red light! Patricia hit the brake. She drummed her nails on the steering wheel while she waited for the light to change. Ooh, I’ll light some candles. Maybe draw us a bubble bath. Put the wine on to chill. What to do for food? Takeout. She did not have time to cook.
The light changed. Patricia smiled. She could not wait to get her seduction started. But when she entered the house, she froze. Her eyes widened.
Lit candles of Cranberry Mandarin Splash—her favorite scent—lined the hallway into the living area.
“What’s this?” Patricia’s mouth hung open as she scanned her foyer. She saw a Post-it on the huge mirror she had bought on impulse from Pier One:
Take off your clothes.
She sniffed the air and took in the soothing scent. She heard the Midnight Sax instrumental music playing and smiled. Nice to know she and Ryan were in sync. Felt like old times.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Ryan hiding behind the curtains in the living area. She smirked. He had no clue she had spotted his shoes sticking out. Might as well give him a show.
She dropped her jacket to the floor. Her skirt and undershirt followed. Clad in her undies and pantyhose, she made a show of turning her back in Ryan’s direction before wiggling out of her pantyhose. Hearing Ryan’s heavy panting, she bit back a knowing smile.
Patricia swayed her hips to the music. She pretended to reach for her underwear but decided to stretch the teasing. Making her way toward the living room, she saw another Post-it:
Take a sip of wine.
There was a decanter chilling in ice. Her husband had thought of everything. She poured the red liquid in the Olivia Pope-sized glass. Licking her lips, she sipped, making sure to “accidentally” spill some on her chest staining her Very Sexy Unlimited ivory bra from Victoria’s Secret.
Pretending to fuss over the lacy material, she snapped it open.
Ryan groaned. Loudly.
Patricia threw back her head and laughed.
He’s back, she thought. Slight tears grazed her eyes. Thank you, Lord, for answered prayers.
She executed a dance move seductive enough to make a stripper blush. Boy, was she glad for the belly dancing classes at the YMCA. That did it.
Ryan came out of hiding. He held a third sticky note on his lips:
Tonight, I’ll make you scream.
Patricia released a quick breath at the bold sentiment. Ryan’s note heightened her senses, and his eyes held promise. She knew from experience that he always kept his promises. Patricia plucked the note off his lips.
Ryan pounced into action, kissing her like a man who had starved for days. With a sigh of bliss, she obliged him, anticipating that she would need a day off tomorrow.
Ryan loved his wife, holding nothing back. He had to. When he confessed the truth, it might be the last time he held Patricia.
For a long time.
His fear made him passionate and desperate. He made love to her three times before his body gave out. “You’re going to be the end of me, woman,” he said, giving her a love pat. While he spoke, his hands roamed her body, committing every nuance and curve of her perfect-for-him body to his memory.
Don’t tell her. How can you give this up?
The familiar fear rose within him. Ryan tensed.
She’ll hate you. There must be another way.
Ryan rolled onto his side and pulled Patricia until she faced him. He gulped, ignoring the fearful thoughts. Instead, he grabbed onto Joshua 1:9 for courage, “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
“Patti, I have something to tell you.”
She touched his cheek. “Are you finally going to tell me what’s bothering you?”
“Yes, I am.”
Her sigh was mixed with contentment. “It’s about time. Your teeth grinding drove me from our bed.”
Her attempt at humor made him hesitate. No, he wasn’t backing down.
He held her hand and uttered his secret of the past five years. “Five years ago, I paid the lab tech to tell me Karlie’s paternity results before anyone.” He took a deep breath. “Karlie is my daughter.”
Ryan prepared his body for the slap he was sure was coming. Patricia lifted her hand. He squinted as her hand came close to his face. To his surprise, she caressed him.
Caught off guard, he had to ask, “Did you hear me?” Her odd reaction was scaring him. It took every bit of willpower he possessed to reject the urge to jump out of bed and put some distance between them.
Patricia nodded before uttering the last words he expected her to say. “Baby, sweetheart, is that what this is about? I already know.”