Torn by Kelly Fisher Page B

fact my kids weren’t with me. I
swallowed back the lump in my throat that that thought brought up and managed
to smile at him sweetly as I walked in the bathroom gently closing the door
behind me. Once I shut the door and turned on the shower with a barrier between
us I sobbed and let my tears mix in with the spray of the shower.

 
                                        ***

 
                Once I
finished with my shower/tear fest I climbed out of the shower and realized I
had forgotten to bring any clothes in with me. I snatched a deep blue towel
from the shelf and wrapped the plushness of it around me. I felt a bit
embarrassed walking out of the bathroom past Archer in just a towel to get to
my PJ’s but I had no choice. I took a deep breath and quickly opened the door
trying to walk as fast as I could to my bag of clothes hoping he would be so
engrossed in whatever he was watching he would pay me no mind. I snuck a peek
at him and to my relief he seemed to be sleeping. I got my PJ’s and ran back to
the bathroom to get dressed.
                It
dawned on me that I hadn’t been to sleep at all. It was finally catching up
with me as I felt completely drained of energy. I wondered where I was supposed
to sleep. There was a small loveseat out in the sitting area, maybe I should
sleep there? But damn if that big blue bed didn’t look incredibly comfy my
conscious whined, and it was so big that we didn’t even have to be close at
all. Bed it is, my body definitely needed big and comfy right now.
                I came
back out of the bathroom and glanced over at Archer who still appeared to be
sleeping soundly. I climbed quietly into the bed and it felt even better than I
had imagined with an added bonus of smelling just like him a combination of the
woods and leather. I sighed and closed my eyes laying back on his soft pillows,
just as I was in that not quite asleep not quite awake place I felt him grab me
and pull me into his hard yet soft cool chest. My body began to tingle with the
sudden warmth that spread through my body and I gasped.
                “That
is exactly how I felt when I saw you come out of the bathroom in nothing but a
towel,” he whispered. I felt myself grow hot from wanting him although deep
down I knew we couldn’t do any more than hold each other. I was fine with that
I thought as I snuggled my head onto his chest listening to his heart beat low
and slowly like a drum.

 
    Chapter
3

 
                As I
awoke the next evening brushing the sleep from my eyes I looked around the room
realizing I wasn’t in my own bed and slowly recalling all the events that had
happened the past couple of days. My heart ached for my children as I fought
back the tears. I looked around the dark room seeing neither Archer nor my dog
Pharaoh anywhere. I looked over to the large clock on the wall and I rubbed my
eyes in disbelief. I got up out of the bed in a rush and ran over to my purse
searching for my cell phone. It was seven o’clock at night; I had slept the entire
day. I hadn’t even woke my children up and gotten them ready for school, this
was the first day I had not done so. I hadn’t even called them all day, I felt
like a terrible mother.
                I
found my cell phone and quickly called Deborah’s phone since I knew Richard had
went to stay at his mother’s. I figured I would try her phone first hoping
maybe she didn’t hate me as much as Richard did. She picked up after the second
ring.
                “How
nice of you to call at seven o’clock at night,” she said sternly and I knew Richard
had gotten to her. Of course he had he was her son she was bound to take his
side. I sighed.
                “I’m
sorry Deb. Can I please speak to the kids?” I asked as politely as I could.
                “I’m
not even sure I should let you,” she spat