I really worried about the two of them. “How you’ve managed to make honor roll all these years still blows my mind.”
“Ha-ha,” Landon mocks. “Someday we’ll be the ones taking care of you two hags on our doctors’ salaries.”
“When did you start allowing them to speak to us like this, Spence?”
“I didn’t.”
“Serious talk,” I say, looking to each of the boys. “You two need to cut this shit out. Stop stressing your momma out like this. You should be helping her right now. Don’t make Aunt Gigi come over here and whoop your little...er, big asses. ’Cuz I will totally go Gina circa 2010.” I snap my fingers in an exaggerated fashion. “Like that.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lake mutters, trying not to laugh.
Landon takes a step toward his mother giving her a big hug. “Sorry, Mom.”
“Sorry for what?” I ask, the way I have since they were little. I’m sorry are only words unless you know what you’re apologizing for.
His cheeks flush. “For defiling your tub,” he mutters.
“And?” I stare him down.
“Uhh. Shaving without asking?” he answers, his brows dipped in uncertainty.
“All right now,” I say, opening my arms and waggling my fingers. “Come give Auntie her hugs. I’ve missed you little shits.”
§
“So, tell me how it went seeing Dillon yesterday. Judging by your face, not well?” my best friend asks, plopping down beside me on the white wicker swing on her front porch.
Seeing Dillon? Was that just yesterday? In the midst of the tidal wave that was running into Jeffrey again, I’d completely pushed that disaster to the back of my mind. “Oh, uh. That was awful.”
“Is that not what you came here to talk about?”
“Honestly, I’d forgotten all about his dumb ass, with how the rest of my day went.”
Spence pulls one leg up, folding it under her bottom, and turns to face me. “Tell me everything.”
So, I start by telling her about Dillon and Clarissa, and how she jumped on my ass at Aunt Martha’s in front of everyone.
“She didn’t?” Spencer’s mouth falls open in shock. “What a cunt...Please tell me you kicked her ass, bestie?”
My blood is heating just thinking about it. “Well, here’s the thing, I was about to when Jeffrey was suddenly just standing there, staring, and then the bitch sucker-punched me while I was hypnotized by his stupid handsome face.”
Her thumb rubs under my right eye. “Right here, I’m guessing? You’re starting to bruise.”
With a wince, I push her hand off. “That hurts.”
“Sorry.”
“Jeffrey...” I widen my eyes for emphasis. “He’s the guy from the cruise.”
Spencer’s eyes get round. “Oh my God. Evangeline’s dad? I hadn’t...shit. What did you do?”
“What do you think I did? What I always do. I fucked him in the laundry room.”
Spence snickers. “You are such a slut...So, the day wasn’t a total loss then, right?” She waggles her brows with exaggeration. “Bow chicka bow wow.”
“Girl, I am just getting started.”
I proceed to fill her in on the rest of our day, all the way up to the most amazing sexual experience of my life.
She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing nervously. “So, you like him then...like really like him.”
“Fuck, no.” I shake my head. “I hate him.”
“But you just said...I thought...”
“Momentary lapse in sanity. I’m not myself when I’m horny.”
Spence spits out a laugh. “Uh, yeah you are. You are your truest self when you’re horny, hooker.”
“Maybe...”
“There’s more, isn’t there? What’s got you all upset?”
My eyes start to burn with unwelcome tears. “He—umm.” One salty drop manages to sneak out and drips down my cheek. Fuck him. “He kicked me out. Like, we spent the most amazing night together...I mean, he told me about his dead wife, Spencer. Then, he woke up hungover, and—mid-puke—started yelling at me to get out. It’s like he was disgusted by my presence. Most humiliating moment of my life. I have never been thrown out on my ass by a man before.”
“Oh, Gina.” My bestie’s eyes well up with sympathy.
“Nuh-uh. It was just a stupid mistake on my part. I knew we were never going to be anything more than sex. That was the deal all along. I fucked up and caught some feelings, but I’m throwing that shit back. Done.”
“There’s a great man out there somewhere who’s going to sweep you off your feet someday, Gina, and I can’t wait.”
“I don’t want to be swept off my feet, Spence. I like my feet safely rooted to the ground.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
JEFFREY
“MR. RYAN?” ANGIE, my secretary calls through the intercom speaker in my office.
“Yeah?”
“There’s a Kinsey calling for you on line one. I told her you were very busy today and didn’t have time for social calls, just like you’ve instructed, but she insisted you’d want to talk to her.”
Goddamn it. Kinsey is the girl I’d been casually hooking up with before Gina blew into my world like a fucking tornado, turning my life upside down. I’ve been dodging Kinsey’s calls to my cell for weeks. Now she’s tracking me down at my office? She’s persistent, I’ll give her that. “Go ahead and put her through, Angie. Thank you.”
“No problem, Mr. Ryan.”
“This is Jeff.”
“Finally,” she sighs. “You’re a hard man to get ahold of, Jeffrey.”
“Yes, well, I’m a busy man, Kinsey. I told you that.”
“I know...It’s just—well, it’s been a while, and I was hoping maybe we could meet up tonight for a quickie?” She doesn’t beat around the bush, does she? It was what I’d originally liked about her. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am. It was exactly what I thought I needed, before her.
“Tonight won’t work for me.”
“Okay, well, what day is good for you? I’m pretty open.” No shit?
“Kinsey, I’m actually going through some things right now, and sex is the furthest thing from my mind.”
That’s such bullshit. Sex is pretty much the only thing on my mind. Sex in a moon chair...sex at the strip club...sex with a sassy little blonde I can’t manage to get out of my fucking head.
“Oh...Well, you don’t think that maybe it would help get your mind off of whatever’s bothering you?”
“No. I don’t.”
“Is there someone else?” Oh, fuck. Here we go.
“Kinsey?”
“Yeah?”
“You do understand that there was never a you and me, right?”
“Oh, sure...Yes, of course.” She doesn’t sound all that convinced.
“Great. So, there’s no one else, because there is and never was an us. There is someone though, and she’s the reason this isn’t going to happen anymore.”
“But, I thought you said you didn’t do relationships. If that’s what you wanted...”
“I don’t. It’s not. Listen, I’ve got another call coming in that I’m going to have to answer. You take care, okay?”
I miss Gina, I finally admit to myself when I hang up with Kinsey. Dammit, do I ever fucking miss her, but that doesn’t change the fact that I can’t have her. As much as it hurts to acknowledge it, she got under my skin, but I’m not looking for a relationship. I will never remarry. My girls had a mother, and I’m not looking to fill that void.
My stomach twists into knots when I remember the pained look on her face when our eyes met for the last time. Gina talks a good game, but I know that I hurt her, even if she’d never admit it.
My fist comes down hard on the top of my desk, rattling its contents. I can’t believe I lost it on her like that.
I’m going to have to find a way to get over this...whatever this is.
§
“Damn, you home early,” Will
ow says when I walk through the door just after noon. I cringe.
“What did I tell you about that word?” I ask, bending to lift her into my arms.
“Not to say dat.”
“Ladies don’t talk like that, Willow. You want to be a lady, right?”
“Dat’s not true, Daddy. Gigi says sentence hancers, and she’s a bootiful wady.”
I can’t escape her, even in my own home. “She is very beautiful. Whether or not she’s a lady...Well, that’s questionable,” I mutter, setting her back to her feet.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, sweet pea. How was Willow today?”
“She was fine.”
“Oh, Daddy,” Willow says, tugging on the bottom of my shirt for my attention. “I gotted to talk to Tyle today on FaceTime!” she squeals.
“Did you?”
“Mmhmm,” she nods. “Sissy talls dem boys every day when you go to work.”
“Well, that explains your language lately,” I tease, eyeing Evangeline.
“They’re good kids, Daddy.” She sighs, dramatically.
“I know, or I wouldn’t allow you to talk to them. I do wish you two wouldn’t pick up their bad habits, however.”
Her green eyes roll back in her head. “Damn is hardly even a curse word anymore, Daddy.”
“According to who?”
She shrugs. “Everyone. Everyone elses’ parents let them say it.”
“Well then, it’s a damn good thing you aren’t being raised by everyone elses’ parents.”
“Hardy-har. What’re you doing home so early, anyway?”
Shrug. “I didn’t have much going on at the office today and figured I’d come pick you two up to go shopping...but if you’d rather hang out here, I’m sure I can go find something at the office to keep me busy.”
“Wait here...I’ll go get my purse.”
§
After damn near five hours at the mall with Vangie and Willow, in a failed attempt to distract myself from thoughts of Gina, all I managed to do was come home about a thousand dollars poorer. Sigh. Well, at least my girls are excited about their new wardrobes.
It’s creeping on midnight now, and I’m still tossing and turning. Guilt is a son of a bitch. Maybe if I found a way to contact her and apologize for my barbaric behavior the other day, I’d be able to move on.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
GINA
IT’S ALMOST EIGHT o’clock when I finish up with my final client for the day. I can’t wait til Spence returns to work in a couple more weeks, because these late nights are cramping my style. I haven’t been out—haven’t had sex—since the Fourth of July.
Well, tonight I’m going to put an end to this drought. It’s been two weeks, and I think a good hookup is just what I need to cure my sour mood.
§
“Ginaaa, long time no see, babe. Where ya been?” My little bartender bestie, Will, asks as I stroll in to Partners, my old stomping grounds. This is where I come when I’m craving some cock. Located a few towns over in Whiskey Falls, it keeps the gossipmongers somewhat off my ass, or at the very least ...their sons out of my bed.
“Ugh.” With a groan, I saddle up to the bar. “Work, work, work. I’m running the office alone until Spence is back from maternity leave, and it’s kicking my ass.”
“My poor little pixie,” he croons, setting a shot of Fireball in front of me. “My treat.”
“Thanks, babe.” As the warm liquid glides down my throat, all I can see is that CEO’s stupid smiling face and those damn crow’s feet that do inexplicable things to my girlie parts. Fuck. One more reason to hate him. Jeffrey Ryan has ruined my favorite shot. It will forever be tainted by memories of our time spent together in NOLA.
“Feel better?” sweet William asks, his blond brows dipped inward with concern.
“Can you get me a shot of tequila to wash it down?” I ask my flamboyant friend, who eyes me skeptically.
“Honey, are you sure? You always have Fireball. You hate tequila.”
“Sometimes peoples’ tastes change.”
“Touché.”
After three more shots, Will leans across the bar, “So, did you select your victim of the night?”
My eyes make another pass around the room but no one is particularly sticking out to me. “Meh,” I shrug. “You choose.”
Will’s hand lifts to his chest. “Me? Why you’ve never let me choose your cocktail before. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
“Yeah. Just pick one.” The hunt is something I always enjoyed in the past, but tonight I just wanna scratch this itch and go home.
He rubs his hands together and squeals. “This is so exciting. I’ve never gotten to choose from the straight pool before.”
This boy is a mess. “Just pick one already. I need some ass so I can go to bed.”
“That one,” Will says, pointing to a guy over at the pool tables.
“I guess he’ll do.”
“He’ll do? Honey, did you see that tight ass? Watch him. Watch the next time he bends over. Boy can work a stick, too. I bet he’s real good with his dick.”
“God, I hope so,” I say winking at my friend as I get up from my chair and make my way over to the tables. He’s got big shoes to fill.
“Hey there,” I say, walking up to the tall, dark, muscled hunk that Will picked out for me. My friend knows my tastes well. “I’ve been watching you play for a while from the bar and was wondering if maybe you could give me some tips?”
Whiskey eyes rove over my body, assessing the goods. “Sure thing, cutie.” His hand darts out for mine. “I’m Russ. What’s your name?”
“Gina.”
“Well, Gina, the most important thing I do is use a lot of cue silk.”
“Uh-huh,” I say, feigning interest. “And what’s that do?”
“It lubricates the shaft.” Russ slides his hand up and down the pool stick suggestively. “My game is always better when my shaft is super slippery.”
Oh, gawd. I think I just threw up in my mouth. “How long have you been waiting to use that line, Russ?”
His cheeks flush. “It was good, right?”
“I’m going to be frank with you. It didn’t do it for me.”
“Uh, okay,” the meathead says, looking around in confusion. I mean, how did a line that good fail him, right?
“Listen, I’m just going to give it to you straight because I’m getting too old for this shit and have to be at work early in the morning.”
“Okay.”
“So, I’m just interested in hooking up. One time. No strings. I don’t even want your number, and no, before you ask, you can’t have mine.”
His eyes light up like a kid in a candy store. “Are you even real?”
§
We’re outside, behind the bar, my back pressed up against the bricks, and Russ’s hand starts to creep up my shirt. When he cups my breast, my entire body tenses. It feels foreign. It feels wrong. Then his mouth lowers to meet mine, and instinctively my head turns.
“What’s wrong?” Russ asks, pressing his erection into my stomach as he continues to paw at my breasts.
“Nothing,” I lie, trying to force myself to get into it. I run my hands over his muscled chest, his broad shoulders. Russ’s body is truly amazing, and for some reason it’s doing less than nothing for me. Scratch that—I know the reason, and it’s fucking pissing me off. I can do this. I can get over Jeff Ryan.
When his hand wanders lower and cups my pussy, I panic, pushing him off of me.
“Whoa.” He backs away, throwing his hands up in the air. “What the—?”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, breaking out in a cold sweat. My pulse is racing, and I can hardly stand upright with how badly my body is shaking.
“Look, I don’t know what’s going on here, but you practically threw yourself at me.” He looks worried, like I might accuse him of doing something wrong.
“I—I know. I’m sorry. I wanted to. I don’t know what happened.”<
br />
His hand combs through his brown locks, his frustration morphing into concern. “Should I call someone?”
“No. I’m fine,” I stammer. “I just need a minute. I’ll be fine.”
“You sure?” His face is uncertain as he starts to walk back toward the door.
“Yeah. I’m just gonna go home. I’m really sorry for all of this.”
He nods. “I’ll be all right, Gina. Get home safe, okay?” Then, he dips his head, pulling the heavy door open.
Once he disappears back into the bar, I make a beeline for my car.
§
After a nice, warm bubble bath, I curl up in bed, ready to dive into the book Spencer hasn’t shut up about. Who even am I right now? Passing on sex for a romance novel? Oh, how far the sexy have fallen.
Reaching over to the bedside table, I switch on the lamp and pull the paperback from the drawer. Coming Up Roses by LK Farlow.
Before I know it, hours have gone by. I keep telling myself just one more chapter, but it’s like starting a new series on Netflix. I’m binging...a book!
I’m about three-fourths of the way through and arguing with myself about whether or not I actually need to get any sleep before work tomorrow, when my text message alert pings.
Unknown: Hey Tink. It’s me...Jeffrey. I hope it’s okay that I tricked Dillon into giving me your number. I may have told him I misplaced it, but I feel really horrible about how we left things the other day.
How we left things? Before I can hand him his ass via text, another message comes through, causing my heart to skip a beat.
Unknown: When I woke up and you were still there, I just...Well, I panicked. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way and I need to apologize. I’m really sorry, Gina. I never meant to hurt you. I’m so fucked up.
At least he has a valid reason to be fucked up. I just ran out on poor Russ after whoring myself all over him.
Me: Jeffrey...I wish I could hate you for so much more than your little meltdown the other morning, but I can’t. You broke me. You and your wondercock. I can’t even fuck anymore. I’m READING!
Jeffrey: Wondercock, eh? I kinda like that. What are you reading?
Me: A romance novel Spence has been after me to read for a while now. I tried to hook up with this guy and I totally freaked out, ran home, and curled up in bed, but couldn’t sleep. I decided I’d give it a try and now I can’t put it down.
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