Fallen for Her: Book 2 (4 page)

~ Bob ~

Furious about the dog, he restrained himself.  He didn’t want to get into a long argument with Ella, not tonight anyway.  He was sure he could convince her to give the dog away after she realized how much he was suffering with allergy symptoms.  His eyes were already itchy and he felt an asthma attack brewing.  Damn dog.  And, what a name – Boomer?  He’d give it to a shelter if he could.  The puppy would probably piss all over the house too.  Just what he needed on the perfectly refinished cherry hardwood floors.  Since Maverick died, he hired contractors to freshen up the place.  The agreement with Ella had been:  there’d be no more pets.  He could see that Ella wasn’t going to live up to her end of the bargain.  This really stuck in his craw. 

After he printed off the contract in his office, he went over it carefully making sure his commission was correctly stipulated.  Then he trudged up the stairs and viewed Ella naked in the tub.  She had her head back and her eyes were closed.  She looked so sexy he stepped into the bathroom and stared at her for a long moment until her eyes opened. 

“Oh, Bob, I didn’t even hear you.”  Ella murmured.  “Just relaxing.” 

“Yes, me too, I need to relax right now,” he exhaled.  The light from the window rippled on her small ivory breasts with perfectly pink buds.  He dropped his clothing to the floor and slipped into the tub with her sitting opposite.

“Ella, honey, would you tell me how much you missed me?  You haven’t said that yet.  You know how much I like to hear that.”  Bob whispered.

Ella sat up and gazed at him, the humidity and soapy smell mesmerized him as he placed his hand on her leg.  “Come on, honey,
show
me.”  Bob felt he was begging her and didn’t like the feeling.  She didn’t seem the least bit excited to see him.  She pushed his hand away from her leg and got out of the tub. 

“It’s all yours.” She said, toweling off and heading for the master bedroom to get dressed.  The image of her moving his hand away and getting out of the tub angered him, but he relaxed in the soapy hot water for a while longer, wondering what it was this time.

He wasn’t a mind reader and he had no idea what was bothering Ella.  He knew she was deep in grief regarding the loss of her father.  But he planned to cheer her up tonight.  He’d just landed another client, was taking her to one of the most exclusive restaurants in the state, and had given her a compliment by touching her leg and trying to get intimate.  What the hell was wrong with her?  He was getting tired of trying to figure her out.  Women were too complicated for him.  That’s why he preferred hookers, and not the cheap ones.  The kind that make a guy’s eyes pop.  They were expensive but they knew what he wanted and there was no drama.  They made him feel like a man, not insignificant the way Ella made him feel lately. 

~ Ella ~

Ella was in the bedroom drying her hair.  She felt nothing when Bob touched her leg in the tub.  Whenever they had sex lately she felt empty afterward.  He didn’t seem to care about her needs sexually.  His constant demands for oral sex were becoming ridiculous.  It was as if he just wanted a release and her mouth was expected to provide it.  He didn’t kiss her or tell her she was beautiful.  There seemed to be a complete absence of concern for her needs. Did Bob even understand she had needs?  He wasn’t even there for her father’s funeral.  He acted almost
glad
when Maverick died.  As she applied lipstick she heard Bob walk into the master bedroom and he disappeared into his closet.  There was never any conversation unless it was about his client or his most recent trip.  Not much was said about Ella or what she wanted.  He didn’t ask about her job, her friends or her life.  She sometimes wondered if
she
even existed in his mind.

Ella sifted through her closet and came upon the red dress Bob asked her to wear.  It had a small amount of fabric in a halter style that had a peek-a-boo effect with her breasts.  It was open in the back and dipped lower than she liked.  Bob had purchased it for her two years ago in St. Bart’s.  He liked her to wear her hair up with this dress.  Besides her lips, Ella knew her breasts and the small of her back were the areas of her body that Bob seemed to gravitate to. 

She remembered the last time she wore the dress.  It was at a cocktail party full of strangers at Bob’s company over a year ago.  He kept his hand on the small of her back and his eyes were on her breasts all night.  When they got home, he could hardly get inside the door before the dress was tossed onto the floor and he was on top of her.  It seemed Bob never cared if Ella enjoyed the experience.  That’s the only association she had with wearing the red dress.  It was a reminder that she was some sort of trophy or vessel for him to use.

Although Ella was in tune with what Bob wanted, she was getting tired of being a doormat.  For the first time in her life, she was questioning things that Bob did.  His continual travel, few things in common with her, and most of all his attitude that he was right and the rest of the world was wrong.  The first year living with him had been a period of adjustment to one another’s habits and schedules.  Both were busy and away from the house most of the time.  The more time she spent with Bob, the more she questioned their compatibility.  Although he claimed to love her, he wasn’t a demonstrative type of guy.  He didn’t verbalize his love.  He hardly ever made eye contact with her unless he wanted sex.  He was either reading something on his computer, on the phone, or watching television.

She piled her hair atop her head and carefully secured it.  Choosing a necklace to highlight the cut out back of the dress, she put it on, and carefully applied a muted shade of red lipstick, Bob’s favorite.  She heard him in the shower and knew he would be dressed and ready to go to dinner in twenty minutes or so. 

She walked downstairs with Boomer and looked at her iPad.  Ray was on Facebook, and she messaged him,
I’m
Looking forward to Friday
. 

She stared at the photograph of her sitting on the bench at the train station with Ray, holding Boomer.  Beneath the photo, he had captioned:  Ella and Ray with little Boomer.  They looked like a happy couple; Ella was smiling a genuine smile and she noticed that Ray’s arm was around her in a protective way.  She didn’t even realize it until she looked at the photo closely.

Ray’s response came immediately
, I can’t wait to be with you again.  I think you are sweet.

His words made her smile.  Then, daringly, she allowed her real feelings to be expressed,
I loved being with you.  You’re a special guy.

Bob’s footsteps were on the stairs, “Ready, honey?”

“Yes,” Ella closed the iPad quickly, and Bob slipped on her wrap.  “Good night for a walk.”

Bob looked handsome, tanned and healthy in his black suit.  “What do you think?” He asked her.  “It’s new.” 

“Looks great.” Ella managed to say barely looking at him.

“I got it in Palm Springs.  Once you buy tailored stuff you can never go back to off-the-rack, you know, honey?”  Bob seemed to be talking to himself.

“Yes,” Ella smiled.  The two of them walked a few blocks on the winding path through the woods to the enormous building known simply as The Club.  A monstrosity of concrete and glass, It was an over-done modern structure with huge windows overlooking the golf course and a pond.  The doorman took their coats and handed them to the coat check girl and the maître d' came up to them immediately. 

“Ah, Mr. Albertson, your table is ready, this way.”  Ella noticed the man didn’t even notice her.  It was as if she was an accessory on Bob’s arm.  They were seated at a corner table overlooking the pond and the maître d' lit the candles.  “You both look lovely tonight,” he replied without looking at them as if he’d said it a thousand times to a thousand couples. 

“A bottle of the finest champagne tonight,” Bob ordered. 

“What’s the occasion?” Ella asked him with a slight smile.  “Getting a new client usually doesn’t bring on this type of celebration.” 

When the sommelier brought the bottle of champagne and uncorked it, Bob, took the deciding sip and nodded.  The man poured and the server behind him took the dinner order and disappeared. 

“It’s a special night, honey.”  Bob smiled, his blue eyes twinkling as if he had some sort of deep secret.  Just at that moment Bob’s phone rang and his eye contact with her broke as he glanced down at it.  “I’ve got to take this call, it’s important.” 

Ella sipped the soft champagne while Bob spoke on his cell phone, loudly of course, and everyone in the dining room was now glaring at their table.  She felt as if she wanted to slink away to the ladies room and stay there until he finished the call.  Bob’s face was animated and finally he told the caller he was eating dinner.  He wrapped up his discussion and placed the phone back on the table. 

“I’ll be getting another call in a moment.  There’s another client ready to sign with us.  If I had stayed in Palm Springs
just one more day
, I would’ve gotten that one, too.  And, he’s a bigger fish than the first.  They’re in the same club and golf together.  Plus their wives are friends.  You’ve no idea what a big deal this could be.” 

Ella just stared at him and smiled her usual fake smile.  Bob was gorgeous on the outside, confident, handsome, assertive, everything she thought she wanted.  But he seemed to be running in a totally different direction than her.  There was never laughter or quiet moments.  Their home was just a stopping off point for him to prepare for the next trip, the next deal, and to get some sort of sexual gratification from her. 

“Yes, I can hear you…” Bob was on the phone again.  Ella ate her meal and cringed as everyone in the hushed atmosphere of the club heard his every word on the call. 

“Great, yes, I’ll make sure the contract is written that way.  You know you can count on me.  I greatly appreciate it.  Yes. Yes. I’ll catch you at the club when I fly out to Palm Springs next time.  I’ll be back out next month.  Again, thanks for your confidence.”  By the time he hung up the phone, Ella had finished most of her meal and some of the patrons of the club had gotten up and left.

“Waiter,” Bob called loudly, and the maître d' rushed to their table.  “Can you heat this meal up?  I had an important call.”  The waiter swept Bob’s plate away and left quietly for the kitchen.  Bob’s eyes met hers with excitement.

“Another client, honey.” He was jovial, lively.  Happy – for the moment.  Money, that’s what thrilled him.  Ella watched as Bob reached into his jacket pocket.  He rummaged around for a moment. 

“I have something for you, honey.  I hope you like it.”  Bob handed a small turquoise box to her.  Ella immediately saw the words Tiffany & Company imprinted on the top.  Oh, God.  He was proposing to her.  She had wondered about his intentions for nearly two years and now she didn’t want to open the box, but she did.

“Oh Bob, you really shouldn’t have…” she blurted as she took the nine-carat diamond out of the cushioned setting in the box. 

Bob reached across the table and slipped the ring onto her finger.  The nine-carat stone was so big it covered her whole finger and then some.  It was beyond huge, it was colossal and over-the-top.  But it screamed wealth, status, money, and Bob considered it to be a thing of beauty.  Ella smiled as the remaining diners around them nodded and applauded.  Their table was the center of attention in the country club.  The waiter brought the reheated meal out to Bob.

“Well, what do you think?  Do you like it?  Marry me, Ella.”  Bob didn’t seem to be asking, it was more like a demand.  

With everyone’s eyes upon her at that moment, Ella smiled and whispered, “I can’t accept this, Bob.”   

Ella watched surprise, then disappointment register on his face. She knew his ego had suffered the ultimate blow, being refused in public.  Whispering back, Bob pled with her, “For God’s sake, don’t embarrass me.  Not here, like this.”  

Ella blushed and looked down at the ring on her finger.  There was nothing more to say.  He wanted to play out the little charade and she saved face for him. 

He finished his meal and rose from the table.  As they walked to the coat check, several employees at The Club asked to see Ella’s new ring.  She held her hand out and they made the appropriate comments. Ella caught the enormous ring on her cashmere wrap and untangled it.  She had no idea how she could live with this massive ring on her finger.  It wasn’t sensible.  She was a gardener and wanted a low-profile diamond, if any at all.  Although they’d only window shopped once, she remembered specifically telling him that.  It was obvious that Bob knew nothing about what she wanted.  The diamond was more of a statement about him than her.  She would wear it home to save face for him at the club, but decided to refuse it once she got home.

Walking home with Bob became an interrogation session. 

“So, how do you like the ring?  You’ve been awfully quiet since it’s been on your finger.” Bob asked her.

“It’s lovely, Bob.  I can only imagine how much you paid for it.” Ella murmured.  She couldn’t tell him her true feelings.  It was a monstrosity, something a real housewife on a bad television show would wear.  Not Ella’s style at all.  But it wasn’t just the ring she couldn’t accept, it was Bob’s proposal.  “I can’t accept this, Bob.” 

“Well, if you must know I spent half of my bonus on that ring.” This was Bob’s way of telling her how much he cared:  the price tag.

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you inside The Club.  It was too…public.” Ella said.

“Okay,” Bob recovered, “You can tell me now.  When do you want to set the date for the wedding?” 

“I don’t want the ring and I am not planning a wedding.  I need time to heal right now. I am getting over the sudden loss of my father.  I’ve been very emotional lately.  You’ve not been here to notice.”  With tears in her eyes, Ella felt she was pointing out the obvious.  But she always felt that way with Bob.  This was the dance they did, over and over and over.  “I’m sorry, Bob.  You may have to exercise a little bit of patience.” 

“Right.  You want me to be patient.  Got it.”  Bob was trying to appease her. 

“Let’s just go home and change the subject for tonight.” Ella suggested.  She was truly exhausted with the whole discussion.

But Bob wasn’t done with the subject.  An imposing figure at six-foot four, he stopped on the path and stood in front of Ella.  As his hands grasped her shoulders he put his face close to hers, “We’re getting married and that’s final.  I don’t want to change the subject. 
This is the subject, damn it.
  I love you, Ella.  You’re the one who’s got to be more reasonable.  What’s up with you lately?  Everything I do seems to be wrong.”

She couldn’t withstand the intense glare of his blue eyes.  Her eyes dropped to his suit and she felt his grasp loosen.  She knew he felt defeated and he did not deal with that emotion well.  “Please, Bob, can we just go home?” 

He grasped her hand, “You love me, right honey?” 

Automatically, Ella muttered, “Of course I do.”  For a moment, Bob was silent.