Ultimate Nyssa Glass by H. Burke (ebook reader browser txt) 📗

Henri flinched. Nyssa smirked. Good one, Ellis.

Ellis rolled to his workbench and pushed a button. The door swung open. “Another technological advantage. You can see yourself out.”

Henri bowed to Nyssa. “Until we meet again.”

She gave a curt nod. It was all she could do not to sigh with relief as the door shut behind him.

“Did everything go all right with the suppliers?” she asked, eager to forget the encounter.

Ellis’s gaze bored into her. “Nyssa, do you respect me?”

Her chest tightened. “Of course.”

“Really?” He raised his eyebrows. “Because this is the second day in a row you’ve told me a flat out lie and expected me to buy it like a first class sucker.”

Her stomach twisted.Oh shock me, what does he know and why is he mad? He couldn’t know about the dance lessons just from seeing Henri in the shop. He has no idea who Henri is. “What … what do you mean?”

“Forget it.” He started for the door to the hall.

“Ellis! Don’t be mad!” She rushed after him and grabbed his arm.

His shoulders shook. His hand found her wrist and pulled her closer. “Look … Nyss, I love you, but I can’t live a lie and if you …” The corners of his mouth wavered. “If how you feel about me has changed, I trust you to treat me like an adult, not a child whose feelings you have to shelter, all right? Rip the bandage off, get it over with, but don’t act like I’m a fool.”

“Ellis …” What is he thinking? Does he think I’m … cheating on him? With Henri? How could he think that? “I’d never hurt you that way. I love you.”

“Really? And the men’s cologne I smelled on you yesterday? The same stuff that idiot with the ridiculous accent practically reeked of?” He grimaced. “Who is he really?”

“Does it matter? How can you think I’d do that to you?”

I’ve got to tell him. I can’t let him think what he thinks now, but if I tell him, I have nothing for Christmas … why can’t he just trust me? A whiff of cologne is all it takes to make him doubt after everything we’ve been through?

She bit her bottom lip until she tasted blood. Ellis’s gaze pierced her.

Nyssa brought his hand to her face and kissed it. “Please, I promise, if everything works out, it’ll be worth it.”

His fingers tightened around hers. “When I entered the room, that man might as well have beat his chest. He wants you. That shot he took about my ‘deficiencies,’ that was a blatant challenge. Nyss, if you want me to fight for you, I will, but you’re not a prize to be won, and that’s not how I want to treat you.”

“It’s not like that. Henri’s a boor, is all.”

“Henri? So you do know him, then?”

“Yes, and it was a mistake to pretend I didn’t, but I swear, it is nothing like you’re thinking. He’s simply helping me with a project. When that’s complete, I’ll never see him again.” She wrinkled her nose. “Believe me, that will be as much a relief for me as it will for you.”

“Oh, I doubt that.” He rested his palm against her cheek, his fingers disappearing into her brown hair. “You could have any man you want, you know.”

“I want you,” she whispered. She bent down and pressed her lips to his, but he didn’t kiss back. When she withdrew, he closed his eyes, as if evaluating her affection. His doubt stung like a hand across her face.

She stepped to the counter, her throat tightening, and took up her cleaning cloth. “Did you get everything ordered for the shop?” she asked, wanting to talk about anything but Henri.

“The supplier should deliver the parts shortly. They also offered me a deal on some machinery they ordered for a steam car mechanic who went under and couldn’t pay for the shipments.” He pushed his hair back from his forehead. “Not anything we need for the shop, but having the parts about always stirs my imagination, and it was cheap. I’ll have them set to the side until after Christmas.”

“Speaking of deliveries, half the decorations Amara purchased for us are still sitting in their parcels. I really should put those out before tomorrow. Can you watch the shop?”

Ellis nodded.

Nyssa hurried up the stairs. She reached the sitting room only to collapse on the couch, a sob escaping.

I wanted to give Ellis a perfect Christmas and instead we’re fighting. How can he suspect me of something like that? Even if it looks bad, he should know I’d never do that to him. Shock me, Christmas is a stupid idea.

***

As Nyssa’s footsteps faded up the stairs, Ellis positioned himself behind his workbench and slipped the gift box from its shelf. The rose pendant winked up at him.

You just accused the woman who gave you a second chance at life of cheating on you, you insensitive clod, it seemed to say. What were you thinking? You know Nyss. She’s too smart to fall for the lines of some Parrisan dandy.

He rested his hand over his eyes, trying to will away a brewing headache.

A rapping made him jump. The jewelry box slipped from his grasp and hit the floor.

A burly man carrying a crate stood on the other side of the glass door. Ellis hit the button to open the door and rolled back. The box lay upturned beneath the bench. He could get it, but it would mean sliding out of his chair and maneuvering around the floor, too embarrassing to attempt in front of a stranger. He’d wait until the delivery man had gone.

“Three boxes for Cormac?” the man asked. “Where do you want them?”

Ellis pointed to the corner behind the display cases. “Back there. Thank you.”

He eyed the necklace’s box, just out of reach. That’s my next project. A mechanical arm I can use to grab things so I don’t have to scramble