Page 182 of The Professor's Wife

“Nothing too stressful then.”

“Shouldn’t be, except for Lucy.” His mouth tightened at the name.

I gave him my undivided attention now, recognizing the displeasure in his voice. “The girl that keeps sending you emails?”

He looked pleased that I remembered. “They began innocently.”

“And now?”

He shook his head. “Now I will be recording every encounter I have with her.”

“Oh, no.” I looked at him with concern. “You have this problem every year.”

“I’m not crossing any lines,” he said quickly, looking deeply at me now. “Never, sweetheart.”

I went to him then and settled in his lap. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and gave him a doting kiss. “I know that, Oliver. You would never do that.”

He kissed me slowly, his hand running up and down my body. He gripped my hip and squeezed. “I wouldn’t need to. I have you.”

I nodded, moaning as his tongue slid into my mouth. “You have all of me, Professor.”

He hardened beneath me, and I let out a breathless giggle, pulling away. “Your bacon is going to burn—”

“I don’t care for that.”

As he kissed me, he murmured, “Perfect. So perfect, Daisy.”

After he disappeared into his office for his meetings, I cleaned up the kitchen and gathered the laundry. I hummed as I went about our home, smiling dazedly at the pictures on the wall. I stopped in front of a wedding photo, blown up and hung in the entrance room of the home. When you walked into the house, the photo greeted you directly. A good first impression, Oliver had said. Under the picture on a mantelpiece were more frames and Oliver’s recent Tree of Life goblet he’d been given as a token of appreciation after one of his readings. It was heavy and gleaming and utterly stunning. The earthy green and brown cup was crafted with a carving of a tree with wide branches and deep roots. Oliver said its placement complemented the photos.

I returned my gaze to the wedding photo. I studied my face. I was so happy. My heart tugged at Rowe’s smiling face, his eyes on me. Oliver was looking at me, too. Two of the most important males in my life were looking at me like I was their everything.

I traced Oliver’s face, though my eyes clung to Rowe’s form.

The photo felt like it belonged to another lifetime. I could not get back to the woman smiling inside it.

I moved along, disappearing into the laundry room. As I crouched to throw the laundry in, I found the small pill bottlebeneath the bed linen. I hummed as I discreetly popped it open. I turned my back, so it was facing the entrance of the room and then slipped a pill into my mouth. I swallowed it down without water, feeling it slide down my throat one inch at a time. Then I closed the bottle back up and shoved it back under the linen that had needed washing for the past several months. I turned on the washer and went about my morning, very much aware of the cameras capturing my every move.

I could feel him watching me.

Every inch of me prickled with awareness.

When the doorbell rang mid-morning, I had a list ready to give to Louise.

“How are you, Daisy?” she asked, smiling brightly at me as she took the list from my hand.

“I’m wonderful,” I said. “How are you, Louise?”

She waved the list. “Glad I have work today.”

“It’s been slow?”

“I’ve lost so many clients this month.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m sure it’ll pick up.” She looked me over, and her brows shot up. “Love your dress! I’ve never seen you in it.”

“Thank you. Oliver got me this recently.”