Flaw Less Read Online Free PDF Page B

heaved himself out of the chair and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Charles seemed anxious for her to leave and slightly annoyed, which greatly annoyed her.
    Sullivan pressed her lips together and folded her spindly arms across her chest. “Are you sleeping down here again?”
    Charles hunkered back down in his seat. “This research paper is due by seven in the morning. It’s probably going to be late when I finish up here, and I don’t want to wake you.”
    â€œSo I take that as a yes . I hate it when you sleep down here, Charles, and you know it. That bed is too big for me to be in all alone.” She curved her lips into a seductive smile and sashayed over to him. “Besides, you still haven’t seen me in the oh-so-naughty lingerie I bought last week.” She set her glossy pink lips on his neck and ran her hands through his salt-and-pepper hair.
    Charles affectionately patted her hand before pulling away. “As tempting as that sounds, I’m going to have to pass. For a few hours, at least.”
    It was an immediate blow to Sullivan’s ego, but she wasn’t going to stoop to begging, no matter how much she wanted to be near her husband that night.
    Frustrated, she snapped off the computer’s monitor. “You said you’d forgiven me, Charles,” she blurted out.
    He looked up from his computer. “What are you talking about?”
    â€œYou said you’d forgiven me for having the affair with Vaughn.”
    â€œAnd I have. We agreed to work on our marriage, and that’s what we’re doing.”
    â€œThen why doesn’t it feel like it?” she snapped.
    Charles stood up and calmly faced his wife. “What does it feel like, Sullivan?”
    â€œIt feels . . . fake and forced, and it has for the past several months. You don’t look at me the same way, you barely even touch me anymore.”
    He sighed. “Sullivan, I love you, and I’m trying, all right? It’s just going to take some time for things to get back to the way they used to be.”
    â€œAnd what are we supposed to do in the meantime?” she demanded, temper still flared.
    â€œWe keep praying and going to our marriage counselor. We take positive steps toward rebuilding the trust in our marriage, but like I said, it’s gonna take some time.”
    Sullivan rolled her eyes. “How much time?”
    â€œI can’t answer that, sweetheart. All I can tell you is that I’m trying.”
    Sullivan bore holes into him with doubtful eyes. “Really, Charles? Camping out here on the couch, eating in silence—this is your idea of trying?”
    Charles exhaled. “I can’t get into this with you right now. I have this paper—”
    Sullivan cut him off and threw up her hand. “Yeah, you have your paper, you have the church, you have orphans in Africa that need to be fed, souls that need to won for Christ, drowning polar bears that need to be rescued, and whatever else you can think of to avoid our marriage. I get it, Charles.”
    â€œPlease don’t act like this way,” he pleaded. “I’m trying, Sullivan, I really am. I honestly think things are getting better between us.”
    â€œWhy? Because we’ve said at least two words to each other in the past twelve hours? Or maybe we’ve perfected phoniness so much at church and around our friends that you’re starting to believe the bull we’re putting out to the rest of the world.”
    â€œIs that what you’re doing? Being phony?”
    She let out a deep breath. “Sometimes . . . when I’m in public smiling when I really want to scream or when I pretend not to notice that you don’t look at me like you used to. It hurts, Charles. I know I screwed up royally, but how long do I have to be punished for my sins?”
    â€œNobody’s trying to punish you, honey, and I love you as much