issues. Life hasn't always been good for her." He released my chin, but held my gaze with those deep intense eyes. "Like I said, we're friends. She needed my help and I told her in the past I'd be there for her."
I took a moment to ponder the explanation. "So, you went with her last night to…"
I stopped there. What was I supposed to say? A high road kind of woman would say 'to help her' and take satisfaction that Meat showed his honesty, integrity, and followed through with his promises. The lower road, where I now resided, wanted to fume back that he'd offered me dinner, then in the next minute, left with this Misha to go screw her brains out for the next who knew how many hours. Or maybe that would be days? I glanced again at his wrinkled shirt. The sting rushed back in a heartbeat.
"You just came from her." Another statement. No use in asking when I could easily see the evidence for myself.
He simply nodded. "I needed to see you. To explain." He fidgeted, rubbing an invisible smudge from the knee of his jeans.
My chin lowered as I focused on my shoes. Every time I saw this man, he managed to tear another tiny piece of my heart away. Lord, I wanted him. Badly. Yet, each time some monkey wrench came flying in from left field. Together with my deep down concerns about betraying my MIA husband, Meat and I were moving along at snail speed. When would I know for sure about Wills? What if the answer was never? Could I leave him in the past and move on?
"I see." I quickly built a solid wall around my heart in preparation.
He caught my hand again, pulling it up to brush his lips over my palm. "Shy?"
I looked up into his face. Those eyes spoke of sorrow and worry. "I'm sorry. The timing couldn't have been worse. I… I didn't…"
"Don't worry about it." I pulled myself back up to the high road once more. I had many years of practice putting on a bright façade, letting others believe I bounced back from life's fastballs like a kid on a trampoline.
Rotating my hand, Meat placed another soft, lingering kiss on the back of my knuckles. "I do worry about it." His tongue flicked over the area once more. "You see. I wanted to have dinner with you last night. Still do." He shot me a lopsided grin. "I guess technically we've eaten together, but I was hoping for something a bit more romantic."
I resisted the temptation to give into his flirting. "Why me?"
His head tilted. "Why not you?"
I shrugged. "She's much more beautiful." I slipped back to the petty side again. So sue me.
"Again, we're not mates. She's not the one for me." A tone of conviction carried across in those words.
"And you think I am?" I blinked up at him.
His grin appeared enough to trigger a dimple in his left cheek. "I hope so."
I could only stare and kick my brain into deciphering those words with an analytical view. Don't all shapeshifters 'hope' they find their mate? I knew that much. So, did that mean he liked me? Or he was just playing me long enough to get me in bed and find out for sure? If not, then he would run off again, chasing after another woman? Besides, what happens if Misha goes into heat again? He will be right back at her side no matter where our relationship stood. Urgh. All that thinking gave me a headache.
Chance ran over, distracting me. "Mommy, come play with us." He grabbed my free hand, giving it a tug.
Sasha did the same with his newfound friend. "C'mon. Play ball!" Sasha turned, pulling Meat behind him.
After shooting me a smile, Meat joined in, taking the ball, and pitching it slowly for the boys to try to hit.
I had visions of baseball meets the Meat. Oddly enough, those thoughts brightened my mood. If only the boys had better control over where the ball would go…
The whapping sound of a bat meeting ball broke into my thoughts. The softly hit ball slowly rolled in my direction. Acting surprised, I playfully watched it pass between my legs. Chance took the opportunity to dash from one tree to the next. I bobbled the
I took a moment to ponder the explanation. "So, you went with her last night to…"
I stopped there. What was I supposed to say? A high road kind of woman would say 'to help her' and take satisfaction that Meat showed his honesty, integrity, and followed through with his promises. The lower road, where I now resided, wanted to fume back that he'd offered me dinner, then in the next minute, left with this Misha to go screw her brains out for the next who knew how many hours. Or maybe that would be days? I glanced again at his wrinkled shirt. The sting rushed back in a heartbeat.
"You just came from her." Another statement. No use in asking when I could easily see the evidence for myself.
He simply nodded. "I needed to see you. To explain." He fidgeted, rubbing an invisible smudge from the knee of his jeans.
My chin lowered as I focused on my shoes. Every time I saw this man, he managed to tear another tiny piece of my heart away. Lord, I wanted him. Badly. Yet, each time some monkey wrench came flying in from left field. Together with my deep down concerns about betraying my MIA husband, Meat and I were moving along at snail speed. When would I know for sure about Wills? What if the answer was never? Could I leave him in the past and move on?
"I see." I quickly built a solid wall around my heart in preparation.
He caught my hand again, pulling it up to brush his lips over my palm. "Shy?"
I looked up into his face. Those eyes spoke of sorrow and worry. "I'm sorry. The timing couldn't have been worse. I… I didn't…"
"Don't worry about it." I pulled myself back up to the high road once more. I had many years of practice putting on a bright façade, letting others believe I bounced back from life's fastballs like a kid on a trampoline.
Rotating my hand, Meat placed another soft, lingering kiss on the back of my knuckles. "I do worry about it." His tongue flicked over the area once more. "You see. I wanted to have dinner with you last night. Still do." He shot me a lopsided grin. "I guess technically we've eaten together, but I was hoping for something a bit more romantic."
I resisted the temptation to give into his flirting. "Why me?"
His head tilted. "Why not you?"
I shrugged. "She's much more beautiful." I slipped back to the petty side again. So sue me.
"Again, we're not mates. She's not the one for me." A tone of conviction carried across in those words.
"And you think I am?" I blinked up at him.
His grin appeared enough to trigger a dimple in his left cheek. "I hope so."
I could only stare and kick my brain into deciphering those words with an analytical view. Don't all shapeshifters 'hope' they find their mate? I knew that much. So, did that mean he liked me? Or he was just playing me long enough to get me in bed and find out for sure? If not, then he would run off again, chasing after another woman? Besides, what happens if Misha goes into heat again? He will be right back at her side no matter where our relationship stood. Urgh. All that thinking gave me a headache.
Chance ran over, distracting me. "Mommy, come play with us." He grabbed my free hand, giving it a tug.
Sasha did the same with his newfound friend. "C'mon. Play ball!" Sasha turned, pulling Meat behind him.
After shooting me a smile, Meat joined in, taking the ball, and pitching it slowly for the boys to try to hit.
I had visions of baseball meets the Meat. Oddly enough, those thoughts brightened my mood. If only the boys had better control over where the ball would go…
The whapping sound of a bat meeting ball broke into my thoughts. The softly hit ball slowly rolled in my direction. Acting surprised, I playfully watched it pass between my legs. Chance took the opportunity to dash from one tree to the next. I bobbled the
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