“She’s not woken up yet, but the doctors think she will be. It’s a long story,” he says with a sigh. “But, anyway, Amy was devastated when she found out. Ivan came to pick her up from here. They seemed close.”
“Fuck,” I whisper, “I never saw that one coming. Of all the people I thought Amy would get with, he never even crossed my mind.”
“From what she said, she’s more surprised than anyone.” He chuckles. “They hated each other, but it seems to be going well so far. It’s early days, I think. They’re in Thailand just now.”
“Thailand!” I shout, and Bailey wriggles in his blankets.
“Bloody hell, Terry. You need to work on your quiet voice, or you’ll never get any sleep.” He rocks my son gently in his arms until he settles again. “Yes, Thailand for a few days, I believe. She was really looking forward to it. He’s treating her well. I’m happy to see her happy for a change. She’s not had a break since Bex…”
He trails off, unable to finish the sentence. I’m sure I see his heartbreak all over again at the mention of her name. He’ll never move on from his loss. Ben still wallows in his grief, though he hides it well.
“But…” I go to argue, and he holds up a hand to silence me.
“Don’t,” he snaps. “Don’t tell me he’s not good enough for her. She’s smiling, that’s what matters. She’s happy. Be bloody pleased for her. You didn’t expect her to hang around for you, did you?” He raises his eyebrows, challenging me.
Perhaps part of me did.
I place my head in my hands as I sit on the couch. Despair washes over me.
“I always knew she’d meet someone,” I mumble. “At one point, I thought maybe you and her would get together.”
I look up at him, fighting a laugh, his mouth twitching.
“Me and Amy?” He bursts out laughing. “Come on, Terry. Fuck's sake, she’s like my sister. Plus, we would murder each other. I love her, but bloody hell, she’s a pain in the ass.”
His smile recedes until his brows draw together as he thinks. “I preferred my sister. Bex was my Corrigan girl,” he says, softly. “Bloody Corrigan women are impossible to forget.”
The mood in the room sinks with him.
“Do you think you’ll ever date again?” I ask.
“I don’t think I could even if I wanted to try,” he says. “Bex is still here, all around me. Packing her away has never crossed my mind. She told me she wanted me to find someone, but I can’t imagine ever being with anyone else. What we had was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and anything else would fall short. I’m not sure that’s fair on me or the other person involved.”
A once-in-a-lifetime thing. His words resonate and hit home. Hard. I threw away my once-in-a-lifetime love with Amy. Perhaps I deserve to live in a loveless relationship as payment for having my son.
Chapter thirty-five
Amy
Ivan arranged for the wooden daybed to be moved from the poolside down onto the beach for our second day in paradise. After I persuaded him that staying in our secluded hideaway would be much more fun than moving into a luxury hotel. He’d taken a bit of convincing, but after some tongue action on his privates, he was putty in my hands.
“Tell me we can stay here,” I purred from between his legs as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Or I’ll withhold your happy ending.” He’d raised an eyebrow, then wrapped my high ponytail around his wrist.
“Suck me some more and we can discuss it,” he shot back. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a prettier view than what I’m seeing right now. You on your knees with my cock in your mouth.” Taking him in my hands, I released his length from between my lips and peeked up at him, batting my eyelashes. “Are you trying to negotiate with me, Amy?” he teased.
“You’ve already lost,” I said with a smile. “We stay, or I’m leaving you sitting here with a hard-on and going for a swim on my own.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” he challenged, and I pushed myself to my feet.
“Wouldn’t I?” I lifted my t-shirt over my head then turned for the door in only my pink string bikini bottoms. As I glanced behind me, I caught a glimpse of the shock on his face. Ivan Harley isn’t used to being defied.
“Get back here,” he grumbled.
I giggled, gave my ass cheeks a wiggle, and blew him a kiss over my shoulder.
“Amy, come here and fuck me, or I’ll not be held responsible for my actions. Which will probably include rugby tackling you in the middle of the beach, bending you over, and riding you into submission.”
“That all sounds lovely, darling. But…” I paused for effect. “You’ll have to catch me first.” I took off at a run into the living room, darting to the opposite side of the sofa. He was facing me within seconds, only the bundle of cushions between us.
