You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 110

The red marks on her pale skin were impossible to miss.

Oliver grabbed a tube of ointment from the dresser, handed it to her, and nodded toward her neck. Patricia managed a quick “thanks.”

“How was the jewelry show?” he asked.

“It was a hit,” Patricia replied, then hesitated and added, “I might go out with Jackson tonight. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.”

Oliver’s eyebrows knit together, barely noticeable. “Plans?”

“Schemes,” Patricia corrected, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

He just nodded. “Okay.” No questions.

Later that night, around eleven-thirty, Patricia sat in bed in her pajamas, fresh from the shower, feeling out of place in her own skin.

Honestly, how did things end up like this? Two marriages, and this was her first time actually sharing a bed with a man.

She leaned back against the headboard, listening to the sound of running water in the bathroom. Oliver’s words from earlier echoed in her mind.

No mention of ex-girlfriends. None of that mess.

Did that mean… he’d never even been in a relationship before?

Seriously???

An older guy, never dated? Like some kind of late-blooming cactus finally sprouting a flower?

Patricia threw off her covers and slid out of bed, rubbing her temples as if she could massage away the awkwardness.

“You okay?”

The sudden voice made her jump. She shot upright, wide-eyed.

Oliver stepped out of the bathroom in a deep blue robe, his hair damp and dripping, water droplets sliding down and vanishing into the collar. He had a tall, athletic build—broad shoulders, narrow waist, and a presence that filled the room without even trying. Six-foot-two and he looked every inch of it.

So what about those two years in Toronto? Didn’t that count as living apart?

Toronto in April still felt like winter, but over in Riverdale, the weather couldn’t make up its mind—spring one minute, summer the next. Warm at dusk, then howling wind and flashes of lightning by night.

Theo was driving Ruby home when a burst of thunder split the sky. She flinched, pulling her shoulders in.

He reached over and rolled up the window, sealing out the noise.

Ruby glanced at the steering wheel, the BMW logo front and center. “You’ve had this car for years. Never thought about getting a new one?”

“It doesn’t look like much, but it’s been modified. Bulletproof glass, armored body—military grade. I care more about safety than appearances.”

No wonder, Ruby thought, nodding.

“Keeping a low profile is smart,” she said. “All that showy stuff three years ago really backfired on you.”

He just gave a small, knowing smile. He’d learned.