Unholy Matrimony

Chapter Eleven: Sleeping Arrangements

There was a short pause.

"Look, don't cry. I didn't mean to yell at you, but this is over and you need to understand that. Yes of course we'll still be friends. Always. Just nothing more. I don't want to talk about her Julia. I'm serious, don't bring her up again. No," he sighed. "It's not like that. I got to go. Bye." He ended the phone call curtly.

Julia? So it was Julia Steinway on the phone. I guess whatever they had was done. That made me smile a little, which I quickly pulled back into a neutral face so that Tobias wouldn't know I was awake.

Wait, was I the 'her' they were talking about? What was Julia saying about me?

I heard footsteps coming closer to the bed and a shadow covered my face.

Crap was he standing over me? I tried extra hard to look like I was sleeping.

"Don't ever pursue a career in acting."

I opened my eyes and stared at him. "How did you know?"

"You were too stiff, your breathing wasn't even and deep, your eyes kept fluttering and then you would press them closed, your–"

"Okay, okay I get it," I grumbled. "So who was that?" As if I didn't already know.

"Don't embarrass yourself Talia. We both know you were listening in."

"So why did you break up with the world's top model?"

"I don't see how it's any of your business."

"What? Is it weird to tell your wife about breaking up with your mistress?"

He gave me a look.

"Come on, that was funny." I paused. "You know, I've never seen you laugh before. I've seen you smile once, but that's it. Wait, do you know what laughing is?"

"No."

I nodded. "That explains a lot."

He frowned down at me. "I was joking. Wait, do you know what sarcasm is?" he mimicked me.

I sat up, putting my hand up for a high-five, which he ignored. "You made a joke! Nice job!"

He rolled his eyes at me. "Get dressed quickly."

"Why?"

"Just get dressed."

"But why? Where are we going?"

He let out a frustrated sigh. "Just get dressed."

"But I need to know so that I wear the right thin–"

"Just wear your swimsuit."

"That's all I needed to hear."

I grabbed a swimsuit and a short white cover-up and got changed quickly, wanting to know where he was taking me.

"Where are we going?" I asked as soon as we were walking down some path.

He ignored me and kept walking.

"Tobias? Where are we going?"

No response.

"Stop ignoring me."

He looked back at me. "Shhh."

I huffed. "Fine. This better be good."

It was a good 15-minute walk and I was starting to get winded. I did some kickboxing when I was angry, but I was still very out of shape. I couldn't remember the last time I had walked for more than 10 minutes straight. Except shopping. That didn't count.

We were in a pretty isolated area soon enough, and I started wondering about his intentions. Was he taking me out here so he could murder me? That seemed quite plausible. Maybe he was going to leave me in the middle of this forest alone to find my way back. Maybe he was–

"We're here."

I looked up to find a natural hot spring. I had never seen one before but had always wanted to try one.

"Oh my God!" I stripped my cover-up off and jumped into the spring.

When I resurfaced, I saw Tobias taking his shirt off, but for some reason it was happening in slow motion.

My mouth fell open. Physically, he was basically a perfect male specimen. Wow... just wow.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer," he said, and that made time go back to its usual pace.

I looked away in embarrassment. Did he expect me not to look? Probably. I had never seen him glance once in my direction, even though I was wearing a pretty skimpy bikini. But I guess those were different circumstances. He looked like a dark-eyed Greek God while I looked like the most average female of all time.

He got into the spring and rested his head on the edge, looking relaxed.

I liked him better like this, when he wasn't all professional and stuck up. It reminded me that he was human.

Maybe he was a nice person deep, deep down inside. Maybe he had fun sometimes. Maybe it was just our position that made him like this.

Don't make excuses for him, Talia. He's an asshole.

Then I did something I would probably regret later.

I splashed him.