Page 22 of So Close to You
“I’ll take Ivy upstairs,” Elliot says as he gathers the glasses. “She’s half asleep.”
“Thanks,” she replies.
He gives her a warm smile before disappearing upstairs with the little girl curled against his shoulder.
Seraphina watches them from the kitchen and feels an unbearable mixture of tenderness and guilt.
That should be enough.
That life.
That man.
Those children.
Anyone would give anything to have what she has.
So why does that emptiness still remain, devouring everything inside her heart?
She heads upstairs twenty minutes later, after making sure Oliver is in bed as well.
The house is quiet.
The master bedroom is dimly lit, illuminated only by the warm glow of the bedside lamps.
Seraphina steps into the en suite bathroom and begins removing her makeup in front of the mirror.
She studies her reflection for several seconds.
Perfectly groomed.
Elegant.
Deeply unhappy.
The memory of Nerissa returns uninvited, along with the pressure of her fingers around her wrist.
“You don’t own me.”
She squeezes her eyes shut.
She can’t keep living like this.
But she doesn’t know how to stop.
A few moments later, Elliot appears in the mirror, still unbuttoning his shirt. His hair is slightly tousled, and he carriesthe relaxed expression of someone who believes the day has been a success.
He steps up behind her.
His warm hands settle naturally on his wife’s waist.
Once, that gesture made her feel safe.
Now her entire body instinctively tenses.
Elliot presses a kiss to her neck.
“The kids fell asleep right away,” he murmurs against her skin.
