Page 368 of One More Kiss
Delaney knows all about him. She used to spend time with him when Liam would take him.
She was great with him.
But she isn’t mine. And I can’t think like that.
“Come shower with me.”
She blinks up at me. Smiles. “You’re getting hard again.”
I thrust forward, sliding into her and loving how her lips part on a silent moan. “Here first and then shower?”
“Yes.”
* * *
I wakewhat feels like days later only to realize it’s morning and I fell asleep maybe four hours ago after Delaney and I had our third round. The space beside me is cold and empty and my vacuous chest gives a lurch.
I didn’t want her to leave like that.
Without me driving her home or kissing her goodbye. One last time.
I have no clue what time she left. How she got home.
I said a lot of things to her last night. Put too many of my cards on the table. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so open about it all given the situation, but I’m tired of having regrets and I didn’t want last night to be another. And she had feelings for me too when she was with Liam. She said so.
Once again, I’m furious with him. For the way he treated her at the end. For the things he did. For having her in the first place and taking her for granted when it should have been me with her all along. I never would have done that to her. Ever.
Reluctantly, I slip out of bed, going for my dresser. I put on a pair of briefs with shorts over them and a T-shirt. Knox is due home… in twenty minutes. Christ, how did it get so late?
Ambling downstairs, the pizza and bottle of wine are exactly where I left them. I put away the wine and start the oven, knowing Knox will be hungry—because likely his mother didn’t feed him much breakfast—and wanting lunch. Moving the slices to a baking sheet, I check my watch again and then my phone. Nothing from Delaney, though I have her number still locked in here.
For a moment, I contemplate texting her.
I want to text her.
Pulling up her number, I stare at the digits. What would I say? Thanks for last night? No. I can’t do that. Shit. What would texting her do other than prolong something I can’t prolong?
With a sigh, I put the pizza in the oven. I promised my son I’d take him to the movies today after his mother drops him off. One of his favorite book series was turned into a movie and the movie just came out. I mentioned this to his mother, and she laughed, thinking it was ridiculous. How little she gets him. How little she understands him. Or cares.
His sensory needs are great.
And she dismisses them. An orthopedic surgeon, she has no patience for her special son. She’s been embarrassed by him since day one. Hateful woman has no patience for anyone. She’s cold and indifferent and half the time I don’t know why she bothers with the pretenses of spending time with him. She cheated on me remorselessly. Ignored Knox. Barely held him or cared about him when he was a baby.
I didn’t call the hospital to see if she was there working. It just infuriates me when I find out she is.
I have sole custody, but as part of the divorce I gave her bimonthly visitation, and every time Ann is with him, I hope for Knox’s sake that she puts in the effort. She never does, but he loves her the way a son will always love his mother and because of that, I will never keep him from her unless she hurts him.
I pick up my phone again, drawn by the pull. The need. Saying fuck it, I text Delaney.
You ran out on me. I wish you hadn’t. I had the best night with you. I’m sorry it’s not more than that. But please know, I’m always here for you. You mean so much to me and I don’t regret a second of last night. I never will. Also, I meant what I said about Jason. If he comes back or you feel unsafe, promise to call me.
I hit send and set my phone down, not allowing myself to think about it. A text comes in immediately and my stomach jumps until I see it’s from Liam. Then everything inside me plummets. Especially when he asks if I want him to join us for the movie. I forgot I had mentioned it to him yesterday morning.
Shit. What kind of brother am I? I fucked his ex, a woman he claimed to love, all night.
Sure. Knox would love that.
It’s the only way I can reply, and just as I set my phone down, there’s a knock at the door. Jogging to the front, I open the door to find one of the babysitters Ann uses and my son. Not my ex, and while that’s a relief for me, it pisses me off for him.
