Share
Chapter 174
Related chapters
Miss Goody Two Shoes Chapter 175
“Get dressed. I’ll take you out.” “Um. No? Thank you. I needs to”—Cole made a helpless gesture—“be by myself for a bit. I might go for a swim?” Aiden had become a stranger. Regarding her considerately. “I see. Would you like me to wait?” “Would you like to?” Or maybe they had both become strangers, marooned on islands of courtesy. “I’ll wait.” Cole dug out her towel and a dressing gown, and changed into her trunks. Drank about a million gallons of water, grabbed her phone, and got the hell out of the apartment. Say this for complete psychological devastation: it really put a hangover in perspective. The pool was as serene as ever, the silvery light soothing her gritty eyes. Slumping down onto one of the fancy lounger things, she rang Ellery.No answer. Of course not. She rang again. And again. And again. And again. Until at last, Ellery answered. “Hi, Mum.” “No, it’s me, Ard—oh wait, I see what you did there. A
Miss Goody Two Shoes Chapter 176
“Then that’s enough for me,” Cole caught his wrist and bestowed a fleeting kiss upon his palm. “But you have to do better with Ellery, okay?” He pulled away slightly. “I’m not sure I know how to.” “Oh come on, Aiden,” Cole sat back on her heels. “You’re not a robot or a monster. You know what you did and why it was awful. And I get you were upset, but that’s no excuse.” “Cole is different with you. She never responds well to me.” “That doesn’t mean you get to be… like almost willfully nasty to her.” He sighed. “I have spent my life hurting my sister. I don’t think either of us is prepared for that to change now.” “I think maybe you’re not prepared.” “Shouting at me about all the damage I’ve caused is hardly an effective way to open a dialogue.” “Actually… it could be. You’re the one who’s refusing to listen.” “Cole, you know what kind of man I am. You’ve always known.” “Yes,” Cole gazed at him steadily. “I do. I know how kind you are, for a start. And I know you don
Miss Goody Two Shoes Chapter 177
Saturday dawned shittily for Cole. She hadn’t slept well, and she’d done exactly zero preparation for the phenomenally posh birthday party she would have to attend, whether she went with Aiden or not.Urgh. Aiden. What had she done? She mean, maybe he was right. Maybe she was asking for the impossible. He’d told her about Nathaniel. He’d trusted her with his nightmare. It wasn’t her job to fix his relationship with Ellery. It wasn’t even her business. Back in Kinlochbervie, he’d promised to try, and she’d promised to be patient. And only one of them, really, could be said to have kept their side of the bargain. Clue: it wasn’t her. She’d been greedy, and pushy, and demanding. And not very kind. And Aiden had stuck with her, supported her, done so much for her, both practically and emotionally. And, in return, she’d made him feel like a failure. Like he couldn’t make her happy. When he did. He so did. Obviously, what they had
Miss Goody Two Shoes Chapter 178
She meant, yes, it had an entrance hall, for starters. It was that sort of place. Full of stately rooms that didn’t seem to be for anything. At least, nothing that normal people did like watch TV or wander round absentmindedly while chain-eating Pringles. It was all ornate plasterwork and inlaid panels, curlicues and chandeliers. Those really tall vase things that did nothing except proclaim that her house (and wallet) were big enough to accommodate them. It all left Cole slightly dizzy. Too much light glinting on too many surfaces. And the inescapable truth that the only circumstances in which people like her were expected to visit places like this was with a National Trust membership card. And Aiden had grown up there. This was his. Shit. She was having a Pemberley moment. Cole looked around desperately for Ellery. But unless she was wearing a particularly distinctive and Ellery-ish mask, or a name badge, maybe, she had no way of recognizing her among the
Miss Goody Two Shoes Chapter 179
Cole mustered a pathetic smile, trying to think of something to say to her. Thankfully, the woman was on the case, smiling at her as if this wasn’t potentially excruciating. “It’s so lovely to meet you at last. Aiden has told me almost nothing about you.” Cole should have been all out of hurt for one evening. But, apparently, she wasn’t. Though, this little sting was at least familiar. An old friend. “I guess he wouldn’t have,” she managed, at last. “I raised two extraordinarily secretive children. Aiden, in particular, holds the people he values most very close indeed.” Oh God. Her heart gave a desperate lurch. She wanted to believe her. To take the reassurance she was offering. Take it, grab it. Squeeze it like a small child with a teddy bear. “R-really?” “Yes. And I can see why he likes you.” Her eyes had more green in them than Ellery’s did, but the shape was similar. She couldn’t, however, imagine Ellery looking at anyone with such gentleness.
Miss Goody Two Shoes Chapter 180
“What do you look for?” Cole asked. “The thing nobody else sees,” He replied, propping his hip casually against a piece of furniture she didn’t have a name for—something ornate and impressive, probably a credenza or vitrine or whatever. “Society photography comes down to one very simple principle. Anyone can take pictures of Kate Middleton and Lady Gaga. The trick is getting a picture of Kate Middleton with Lady Gaga.” “And have you?” “Not yet. But she’s a long way from dead, and hopefully so are they.” Cole laughed. In a strange way, the woman reminded her a little bit of Aiden. The same conviction, the same merciless drive, although focused and expressed very differently. She guessed it was becoming pretty apparent she had a type.But mainly Cole was grateful. Now, when she looked across the room, she met smiles. Flashes of recognition in other people’s eyes. She knew faces and names. She could have joined some of the conversations. Instead of drifting around pathetically. Stil
Miss Goody Two Shoes Chapter 181
He didn’t quite flinch but he got that look: the closed down, I am a million miles away from you look I knew all too well. “I’ll leave you to enjoy it.” And, with that, he…went away. Again. Cole bit down on a gasp of frustration. She wanted to kick him in the shins. He couldn’t just fix what was probably years of hurt and misunderstanding with a single, and very small, gesture. Also, the fucker had barely spent five minutes with her. But she pushed all that aside and turned her very best and sparkliest smile on Ellery. “So what happens next? Do we all die of the plague?” Ellery sneered at the room. “Mm, here’s hoping.” “Wow, that’s the last time I RSVP to an invitation from you.” “I don’t mean it.” She sighed and with the air of a small child being forced to eat Brussels sprouts added, “Thank you for coming.” “I didn’t know you played the violin.” Ellery shrugged. “I’m brilliant. When I’m not rusty.” “
Miss Goody Two Shoes Chapter 182
His fingers closed around her through her dress and squeezed until she bucked and moaned. Some of the anguish faded from her face, the tight lines of her brow and mouth yielding to desire, and something tender she might have called hope. “Don’t move,” he whispered, as he stepped away. “Okay.” Her heart thumped as eagerly as a puppy’s tail. She loved the anticipation that came with his commands. And she loved pleasing him. Of course, her nose started itching almost immediately. But she was determined and ignored it and held still as he had told her to. Aiden circled the pillar, leaving her standing there like Andromeda. Well, Andromeda if she had a massive erection. Then he drew her hands behind her and she felt the cool brush of silk against her skin.It encircled her wrists. Pulled taut. Oh my God. His bowtie. He was bondaging her with his own bowtie. She made a noise of surprise and exciteme
Latest chapter
