Perfectly Scripted Read Online Free PDF Page A

happened this time?” he asked softly. His eyes met mine, and somehow, I thought he knew.
    I expelled a deep breath. “The cigars and the music, I think triggered that memory.” With my voice barely a whisper, I managed to croak out, “And…maybe even the sex.”
    My heart crumbled as sadness washed over Ronan’s face. Like the glow of a fading flame, the sparkle dimmed from his eyes. He stared at me blankly, and after a few moments, he lowered his head. Then he climbed out of bed and into the shower.
    Water poured over him as he stood motionless with his palms pressed flat against the tile wall and his legs stretched behind him. Steam enveloped the room and fogged the glass, so I could only see the shadow of his body as I lay in bed sobbing. No doubt he was trying to drown himself or wash away the soul-crushing pain I had caused him. I should have followed suit and marched right out to the water. Let the waves carry me away to the darkest depths of the ocean.
    Had I soiled the most intimate part of our relationship? What the fuck have I done? I must have shattered him into a million pieces. Fearing something was broken between us now, I wasn’t sure how to repair the damage. At some point, I managed to fall asleep through my aching pain and muffled sobs. And I never heard or felt Ronan slip back into bed.
     

     
    Our last full day in paradise before jetting back to Manhattan and we had to spend it putting on a show for the tabloids. While I wasn’t thrilled with the idea, I was resolved to remain upbeat for Ronan. Being photographed alongside my lethally sexy movie star boyfriend while spending a romantic day on a private yacht? My life could have been worse.
    Although, after last night, I wasn’t sure that our slightly scripted romantic adventure was still happening. Lying in bed, I stared at the ceiling, listening to the waves crashing outside. Ronan’s side of the bed was cold, and he was nowhere in sight. Uneasy, I rolled out of bed and then padded on bare feet towards the living room.
    While wandering aimlessly around the villa, I noticed that Ronan’s pajama bottoms were casually tossed over the chair in the bathroom. Well, at least his luggage was still in the closet. He hadn’t fled and left me to fend for myself in a foreign country. He probably went for a workout or a walk. I was sure he needed to clear his head.
    But when I checked my phone to see if he’d sent me a message, there was nothing. His iPad was sitting on the dining room table though. And a notepad and pen were nearby, but nothing was written. So I turned his iPad on. Several articles were open.
    HOW TO HELP A LOVED ONE WHO’S BEEN RAPED
    SOMEONE I LOVE HAS BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED
    RAPE CRISIS INFORMATION
    WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS SUFFERING FROM RAPE OR ABUSE
    WHAT IS RAPE TRAUMA SYNDROME?
    A MAN’S GUIDE TO HELPING A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN RAPED
    Was he up all night reading?
    Passages had been highlighted, specifically on the topics of flashbacks, night terrors, panic attacks, and dissociation. My heart flooded with an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
    I placed his iPad back on the table, and went to take a shower. The hot water surging over my skin soothed some of the tension I was feeling. Still, I desperately wanted to talk to him about what had transpired last night. Clearing the air was my top priority.
    A cool breeze tinged my skin. I felt Ronan behind me even before he spoke.
    “Hi, my beauty.”
    “Hi,” I said, throwing my arms around his neck, to hug him tight. He drew my mouth to his, kissing me heatedly.
    “Where were you?” I asked.
    Running his hands through my wet hair and over my shoulders, he stared at me. We stood in silence for so long that the glass shower door fogged over, trapping us together again. I had become familiar being with him in this place, where the whole world was shut out and we were intimately close.
    “Ronan,” I mumbled, tracing the curve of his jaw.
    “I know,” he whispered,