was about to spend the next few months convincing the woman he loved more than life, that he couldn’t stand her.
This was not going to be fun. His stomach curled in anguish. Not fun at all.
Chapter Four
Drew jangled the tiny bell Larissa had placed at his bedside for that purpose. When no one appeared he threw the blanket aside and sat up. One hand under his cast, he gingerly swung the leg overboard—and then wished he hadn’t.
Pain shot from his toes up his leg and into his brain in point-zero-two seconds.
With a hiss, he gritted his teeth to keep from screaming like a baby.
He sat there for a moment, one hand on his ribs, the other on his leg until his breath returned and the pain settled to a piercing howl.
His whole body trembled, a condition that infuriated him. If he could get his strength back, he could be mobile. Having never been dependent on anyone in his life, he hated the helpless feeling.
Five days back in Tulsa and he was still so mad he could spit. How had Larissa managed this? How had she manipulated him into living under the same roof with her again?
To make the situation even more difficult, she had moved him into the downstairs guest room and then surrounded him with luxury. She’d filled it with things he enjoyed, including a plasma TV mounted on the wall and a remote to open and close the drapes. A remote no less, so he could look out onto the backyard at will. She’d put enormous effort into making the room comfortable.
That was the problem. She was killing him with kindness and making him love her more, instead of less. He needed to get out of here and do it fast, but his body wouldn’t cooperate.
No matter how much he growled and fussed and acted like a general creep, Larissa kept smiling and bringing him goodies. But he was a detail man. He could see the hurt she tried to hide, and he hated himself for putting it there. But he had to. Someday she’d thank him for it. Someday, when he could get out of her life for good.
Despising himself, he pressed the window remote and opened the drapes to stare broodingly at the yard.
Though Tulsa moved toward winter’s end, the weather here was unpredictable. One day would be springlike, the next day snow or ice. Today was sunny, and the television claimed that temperatures were decent enough to be outside.
He’d spent too many years outdoors to appreciate much time inside a building. No matter how much he hurt, he was as restless as a windshield wiper.
Larissa’s backyard, like her house, was pretty, even in winter. Birds pecked at feeders and flitted among the glossy green holly bushes. Wrought iron benches beckoned him to come out and play around the koi pond.
If only he had his camera equipment he could at least get some shots.
He rang the bell again, more insistent this time. Where was she? The more he annoyed her, the sooner she’d give up and send him to rehab. And he definitely was cranky enough to annoy anyone, even himself.
He’d slept away the first few days back, not caring much about anything. If his information was correct, he’d slept most of the last three weeks. But now he was awake and in a bad mood.
“Larissa!” he yelled and the effort set his ribs to aching.
As if she’d been standing outside the door waiting for him to hurt himself, his wife materialized. Dressed in trendy jeans and a sweater with too-long sleeves that was somehow exactly right on her, she took his breath away. Or she would have if he hadn’t already lost it to the rib pain. Coco, the funny little Yorkie he’d bought two years ago to keep her company, trotted in behind.
“Do you need something?” She hovered in the doorway, anxious to help.
She’d been like this since his arrival and he was pretty tired of it. Sweet and kind and accommodating. Why couldn’t she just hate him and get it over with?
“I’m bored.” Coco trotted over and sniffed his toes. He wiggled away the tickle, frowning. “Go away, mutt.”
Larissa’s giggle washed over him as she came in and perched on a chair too close to his bedside. Her perfume came with her and tantalized him. All day long, he had to smell that delicious, irritating perfume.
“Okay. What would you like to talk about?” she asked.
His frown deepened. She was way too chipper. “Your attitude.”
Her lush lips quirked at the corners. “My attitude?”
Okay, so he was the one in the foul mood. “Yeah, your attitude. Stop behaving like a servant. I don’t like it.”
Expression mild, she refused to let his crankiness rattle her. “How would you like me to behave? You aren’t able to take care of yourself yet.”
Like he needed that reminder. “Have the nurse stay longer. I don’t want you in here all the time.”
The last shot was hateful, so he braced against her inevitable flinch of pain.
It came, then quickly went as she shot back, “Dare I mention that you summoned me like some cranky king?”
Oh, yeah. He had. Lacking a reasonable answer, he did the only thing he could. He glowered.
Larissa got up to retrieve a pillow from against the wall. He’d thrown it earlier in a fit of frustration.
The woman amazed him with her serenity. How could she be calm when he was such a jerk?
“Leave it,” he barked. “It’s a throw pillow.”
She picked it up, taking aim in his direction. Eyes narrowed, she said, “Don’t tempt me.”
His mouth twitched. Mixed with Larissa’s grace and class was a good dose of spunk. Sooner or later, she’d get her fill of him.
“If I’m such a pain, send me to rehab. Get me out of here.”
“We’ve had this argument.” There was that annoying calm again. “You want to be here. You’re just too stubborn to admit I was right. The home health nurses are doing a great job, as is the physical therapist.”
So was Larissa.
“None of this changes the inevitable. I want out. You might as well cut me loose now and save us both the stress.”
He hadn’t planned to blurt that out, but the subject was on his mind most of the time anyway. The longer he stayed here, soaking up her kindness, the more restless he became. He was terrified of falling back into the habit of thinking of this place as his home. It wasn’t. It was her house. Her town. Her everything. She deserved it. She belonged. He didn’t.
Brocade pillow cradled like a protective shield between them, she refused to rise to the bait. “You need to get well. That’s the only thing that matters right now. The rest can wait.”
“So, you’re saying, as soon as I’m well, you’ll agree to divorce.”
“That’s
