relationship. So no, there isn’t and won’t be until such time as you no longer want to see me.”
“That’s not going to happen.” She grins like a jack-o-lantern.
I tip my head toward the hallway. “Good. Now, shall we continue this in the bedroom?” An odd look crosses her face. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Girl, that’s the second time you’ve said that to me tonight. Now, what is it?”
She shrugs. “It’s just that I’m exhausted. All I really want to do is sleep. Would that be okay?”
I can’t help it – I throw my head back and laugh. “You just took me on a wild ride and you’re afraid I’ll be mad because you just want to sleep? Go get cleaned up and climb in the bed. I’ll lock up and be there in a few minutes.”
There’s that one hundred megawatt smile. “Okay. I just want to cuddle with you.” She leans in again and kisses me.
That beautiful face. I’ll never grow tired of that beautiful face. Her smile is like sunshine and lights up the room. I take that face in my hands and tenderly kiss her back. “I want to cuddle with you too.” I slap her thigh. “Go! Get ready for bed.” She gives me another peck on the lips, disengages herself from my worn-out cock, and heads down the hall.
I lock the door, pick up my clothes, look around to see if anything else is necessary, and make the trip down the hall to the bedroom. There, I’m greeted with the sight of her angelic face on my pillow, eyes closed and breathing softly. Disturbed as I scoot into the bed, she rolls up against me and curls up, her face to my chest. My arms can’t hold her tight enough, my lips can’t kiss her sweetly enough. I want this woman to be mine. And for the first time in forever, I feel like I just might have a chance at that.
Clint forks up a mouthful of Caesar salad. “So, how are you guys doing?”
“I think we’re doing pretty good. You were right.”
“How so?”
“I’ve fallen for her.”
He grins from ear to ear. “I knew it!”
“The good news is that she’s fallen for me too.”
“Excellent! My goal is closer than I thought.”
I take a sip of my water. “So, what’s going on with her asshole ex?”
“He’s up for parole. I don’t think he’ll get it. From what we hear, he’s been in a dozen or more fights since he got there.” Clint pushes his empty salad plate away and props his elbows on the table. “He’s just trouble all the way around. Trish says he wasn’t always like this. Sheila thinks he got involved in drugs.”
“That’ll do it for sure.” I’ve finished my salad too and I’m really hungry for that chicken piccata. “We’re going to the club tonight. You guys?”
“Nah. Can’t. McKenna’s got some school program we’re going to.” He sits and fiddles with his fork for a second or two and then tears down my whole world with one question. “Have you told Sheila about you know who?”
I’m really confused at first. “Who are you talking about?”
“You know, She Who Shall Not Be Named.”
And it hits me. Oh, god, no. I don’t want to talk about her, think about her, hear her name, consider the fact that she’s on the same planet with me. “No. I have not. I don’t want to either.”
“Does that mean you finally got the divorce finalized?”
A sense of dread like a tidal wave sweeps over me. “No. They’ve never found her.”
“Don’t you think you should tell Sheila?”
“Why? That has nothing to do with my life now.” I’m starting to feel panicky. I feel that way any time this subject comes up. It’s like I’m being choked by an unseen hand, my chest tightening, breathing shallow, stomach churning.
Clint lowers his head and looks up at me from under his brows. “Steffen, technically you’re still married.”
That pisses me off. “No, I’m not.”
He gives me The Look. “Okay, if you decided you wanted to get married tomorrow . . .”
“Which I won’t,” I’m quick to counter.
“Okay, but if you
“That’s not going to happen.” She grins like a jack-o-lantern.
I tip my head toward the hallway. “Good. Now, shall we continue this in the bedroom?” An odd look crosses her face. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Girl, that’s the second time you’ve said that to me tonight. Now, what is it?”
She shrugs. “It’s just that I’m exhausted. All I really want to do is sleep. Would that be okay?”
I can’t help it – I throw my head back and laugh. “You just took me on a wild ride and you’re afraid I’ll be mad because you just want to sleep? Go get cleaned up and climb in the bed. I’ll lock up and be there in a few minutes.”
There’s that one hundred megawatt smile. “Okay. I just want to cuddle with you.” She leans in again and kisses me.
That beautiful face. I’ll never grow tired of that beautiful face. Her smile is like sunshine and lights up the room. I take that face in my hands and tenderly kiss her back. “I want to cuddle with you too.” I slap her thigh. “Go! Get ready for bed.” She gives me another peck on the lips, disengages herself from my worn-out cock, and heads down the hall.
I lock the door, pick up my clothes, look around to see if anything else is necessary, and make the trip down the hall to the bedroom. There, I’m greeted with the sight of her angelic face on my pillow, eyes closed and breathing softly. Disturbed as I scoot into the bed, she rolls up against me and curls up, her face to my chest. My arms can’t hold her tight enough, my lips can’t kiss her sweetly enough. I want this woman to be mine. And for the first time in forever, I feel like I just might have a chance at that.
Clint forks up a mouthful of Caesar salad. “So, how are you guys doing?”
“I think we’re doing pretty good. You were right.”
“How so?”
“I’ve fallen for her.”
He grins from ear to ear. “I knew it!”
“The good news is that she’s fallen for me too.”
“Excellent! My goal is closer than I thought.”
I take a sip of my water. “So, what’s going on with her asshole ex?”
“He’s up for parole. I don’t think he’ll get it. From what we hear, he’s been in a dozen or more fights since he got there.” Clint pushes his empty salad plate away and props his elbows on the table. “He’s just trouble all the way around. Trish says he wasn’t always like this. Sheila thinks he got involved in drugs.”
“That’ll do it for sure.” I’ve finished my salad too and I’m really hungry for that chicken piccata. “We’re going to the club tonight. You guys?”
“Nah. Can’t. McKenna’s got some school program we’re going to.” He sits and fiddles with his fork for a second or two and then tears down my whole world with one question. “Have you told Sheila about you know who?”
I’m really confused at first. “Who are you talking about?”
“You know, She Who Shall Not Be Named.”
And it hits me. Oh, god, no. I don’t want to talk about her, think about her, hear her name, consider the fact that she’s on the same planet with me. “No. I have not. I don’t want to either.”
“Does that mean you finally got the divorce finalized?”
A sense of dread like a tidal wave sweeps over me. “No. They’ve never found her.”
“Don’t you think you should tell Sheila?”
“Why? That has nothing to do with my life now.” I’m starting to feel panicky. I feel that way any time this subject comes up. It’s like I’m being choked by an unseen hand, my chest tightening, breathing shallow, stomach churning.
Clint lowers his head and looks up at me from under his brows. “Steffen, technically you’re still married.”
That pisses me off. “No, I’m not.”
He gives me The Look. “Okay, if you decided you wanted to get married tomorrow . . .”
“Which I won’t,” I’m quick to counter.
“Okay, but if you
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