Page 10 of Deserving Maisy
“It’s my shampoo,” she whispered.
“I like it.”
She stared up at him, her body tense, her fingers digging into his upper arm as if she was scared. Wait, was she afraid of him? The thought made Jack frown. “Areyouall right?”
“I’m not the one who hurt my head and has amnesia,” she replied.
Jack frowned a little deeper at that. It didn’t escape him that she hadn’t actually answered his question. He tried again. “Does this make you uncomfortable?” he asked. “Sleeping with me?”
“We’re married, it’s what married people do,” she said.
There. Again, she’d deflected his question. Jack scowled.
Something caught his attention on her upper arm, where her shirt had ridden up. He pushed her sleeve up a little more with his finger and exposed a pretty nasty bruise. “What’s this? What happened?”
“Nothing, I’m fine,” she said breezily. “I bruise easily. I need to get up.”
But instead of scooting back and letting her swing her legs over the edge of the mattress, Jack moved closer, straddling her thighs and caging her under him. “What happened? I didn’t do that, did I?”
“No! Of course not.” She tensed even further, if that was possible.
“I won’t hurt you,Stellina.”
“I know.”
Jack relaxed when he heard the sincerity in her response.
“Are you scared of me?” he couldn’t help but ask. Shehadn’t relaxed under him, was stiff as a board. And he hated it.
“No.”
“Are you sure?” he asked with a tilt of his head.
“What doesStellinamean?”
“Little star. It’s Italian.”
“Why’d you call me that?” Maisy asked.
“I don’t know. I’m guessing I haven’t used that term before?” When she shook her head, he said, “It just seems to fit. In my head, everything’s dark. Shadowy. My memories are there, but they’re shrouded in blackness for some reason. But you, you’re like a shooting star, a light in that darkness. I might not remember what kind of man I am, or my past, but I must’ve done something right to have you as my wife.”
To Jack’s alarm, tears filled Maisy’s eyes.
“What? What’s wrong?” he asked, feeling panic rise up within him for the second time in as many days.
“Nothing. It’s just…that was really sweet.”
Jack studied her. He didn’t like that such a simple compliment could have her reacting so emotionally. It was apparent he hadn’t given her nearly enough of them during their marriage if she reacted like this. He made a mental vow to do better.
“What’s on our agenda for the day?” he asked.
She blinked up at him. “Um…I don’t know.”
“What do we usually do?”
Maisy bit her lip and her gaze slid away from his.
Jack’s eyes narrowed. Yet more evasiveness.
