Colonist's Wife by Kylie Scott Read Free Book Online Page B

The woman showed her a whole lot of shiny, white teeth. “Maybe now you’ll make more of an effort to fit in with the other wives. Community is important out here.”
    He had fed intimate details about her to his friends? He had actually done that? Louise locked her knees and looked the woman in the eye. “Thanks for your opinion, Rose. If you don’t mind, I need to talk to my husband.”
    “Adam’s had a difficult life. He hasn’t always had it easy, you know.”
    “No, I don’t know. I only just met him.”
    The woman glared at her. “Exactly.”
    Fury bound her so tightly that her lungs couldn’t keep up. A million retorts rested on her tongue. What she wouldn’t give to let loose and cause a scene. Also, her husband might want to worry about how to keep his balls attached once she got her hands on him.
    Adam’s hand pressed against her lower back. “Everything okay?”
    “You’ve been discussing our sex life with Rose?”
    For the corner of her eye, she saw Taka hold Rose back.
    Wise man.
    He squinted at her as if she had spoken in tongues. “No, I just… Rose and Taka are friends of mine. But I didn’t—”
    “What goes on between us is private,” Louise said, amazed that it needed to be said. She stepped back from him, needing the breathing space. The sense of betrayal staggered her. Her throat closed as tight as her fists. “It’s all in the details, Adam. Private details about us that you don’t need to be sharing with other people.”
    Her desire to hit him stunned her. Served her right—sex didn’t mean any more than a damn contract did. She was so stupid. She had to get out of there.
    “Louise,” he said, his voice low and rough.
    “Don’t.” She put a hand up to halt him.
    She took another step backward. Then she turned and fled.
    * * * * *
     
    Adam’s shirt clung to him in the garden’s muggy air. Lighting was close to none. If she hadn’t been wearing a white top he might never have found her. His wife sat by the lagoon with her pant legs rolled up and her feet in the water.
    They did well in water. He had hope.
    “Hi,” he said when he got close enough. Though she’d probably heard him crashing through the undergrowth, despite the noise of the small waterfall.
    She lifted her gaze briefly from the pool. “Hi.”
    Adam sat down on a rock beside her, started pulling off his boots and socks. Searched his mind for something to say. Something innocuous that wouldn’t piss her off any worse. Talking just wasn’t his talent. “You know, ah…the company built all this for psychological reasons. They thought it would make the adjustment to being out here easier.”
    “There’s nothing like this at home,” she said in a quiet voice.
    “No.” The first touch of cool water on his toes was magic. He let out a groan and settled himself as close to her as he dared. His knee was a hair’s breadth from connecting with hers. For a moment he held his breath, waiting, but she didn’t move. “It’s nice here.”
    And it was. The rich smell of damp earth, the fragrance of flowers. He could see why this had become her haven.
    “What do you want, Adam?”
    His shoulders dropped and he exhaled hard. “Truthfully? To come up with a way to apologize to you without actually having to apologize.”
    Louise rested her elbows on her knees. Her face was in her hands, blocked from view. Everything about her posture radiated defeat, and his guts clenched. He’d done this to her. There was no humor to be found in this situation.
    “Princess, I’m sorry. I was an ass.”
    She turned her head with her cheek still cupped in her hand. “Why do you call me that?”
    “Ah.” He rubbed his hands together and scrunched up his face. Did they really have to go there? At least she’d spoken to him again, not much but a little, and a little felt better than nothing. It remained infinitely preferable to her walking out on him. Shit. “Well…last night, you know how we discussed our mutual