But this weekend was supposed to belong just to him and her. Their previous encounters had been rushed affairs—stolen minutes during lunch breaks or a hurried evening when the kids were at a friend’s house. He'd looked forward to tonight with the anticipation of a man who'd been living on scraps for too long. He'd bought condoms, cleared his schedule, washed his sheets, and bought the wine she liked.
He’d anticipated the first time they had sex would be desperate and raw, but knowing they had all night meant the second time could be a slow, thorough exploration of every inch of her body.
Except there hadn't been a second time. Hell, they hadn't even finished the first time. He cringed.I left her fucking hanging… she didn’t even have a chance to come.
His cop instincts had kicked in the instant he'd heard the front door open, even through his closed bedroom door. He'd been buried deep in Sandra's tight heat, lost in the way she gasped his name, when his son's voice calling out for him had shattered the moment like glass.
Wincing, Terry replayed the scene. He’d jerked out of Sandra like she was on fire, barking orders for her to grab her clothes and hide in his bathroom. His stomach curdled with self-disgust. While he hadn’t been able to think of another option in that split second of panic, he knew it was a complete dick move.
It wasn't that he cared what Patricia thought. His ex-wife had forfeited the right to judge his personal life years ago… if she’d ever cared. But springing a new relationship on his kids by having them discover a strange woman hiding in his bedroom? That was a level of unexpectedness he hadn’t wanted to face.
Christ, what a complete fuckup.
He'd hustled to the front of the house, relief flooding through him when he saw both kids smiling and healthy. His heart had hammered against his ribs until he could confirm they weren't hurt or sick, the only reasons he could imagine for Patricia bringing them home early after a few hours instead of having them the whole weekend.
Emma had wrapped her arms around his waist while Toby offered his fist for their ritual bump. Both kids immediately claimed the couch, Toby commandeering the remote with theefficiency of an eleven-year-old who knew exactly which shows he wanted to watch.
"Patricia," Terry acknowledged, turning to face his ex-wife. She looked exactly like she had fourteen years ago when they'd first met—blond hair skimming her shoulders, minimal makeup that enhanced rather than masked her natural beauty, dressed in jeans and a pale blue sweater. She'd always been pretty, which was what had initially caught his attention when he was a Marine.
Their relationship had moved from casual dating to exclusive quickly, but it was the surprise pregnancy that had pushed them toward marriage. Patricia’s maternal instincts weren’t at the forefront of her personality, and they both knew they would never have married without the unexpected pregnancy. Toby had followed less than two years after Emma, and Patricia's growing resentment about her stalled career had rapidly increased.
She'd finally admitted the truth to herself and to him. She loved her children but was miserable not being able to travel freely with her job. When Toby started kindergarten, she'd accepted a position that required extensive travel. Terry had agreed to the divorce without a fight, knowing he and the kids would be better off with one parent who was completely present rather than two parents going through the motions.
For six years, he had primary custody while Patricia saw the kids when her schedule allowed. It worked for everyone, especially the children who thrived with routine and stability.
Only now, she stood in his house, giving up most of her weekend with the kids.
"Terry, I'm sorry." Patricia threw up her hand as if to ward off his inevitable anger. "I know I was supposed to have them for the weekend, but my boss called. I have to fly to California this weekend for a Monday morning meeting."
"And you couldn't spend tonight with your kids?—"
"If I'd kept them overnight, I would've had to drive them back over the bridge in the morning, then race home to pack before heading to the airport. It would've been too stressful."
Terry bit back his immediate response, forcing his voice to remain level. "I had my phone with me. Did I miss a call about the change in plans?"
Patricia's brow furrowed, her mouth pinching into the familiar line that meant she was about to justify another decision. "I honestly didn't think it would matter."
“What if I hadn't been home?"
"The kids have keys. We would've waited."
Her casual dismissal made his jaw clench. Patricia had always excelled at multitasking when it came to her career, but balancing her job with anything else had never been her priority.
Terry glanced down at his feet, guilt eating at his gut like acid.Sandra… shit, fuck… she was stuck in his bathroom.He needed Patricia gone so he could check on Sandra and figure out how to salvage this disaster. Since Sandra didn't have her car, he'd have to drive her home while the kids watched TV, another layer of complication to an already fucked situation.
When he and Sandra started dating, they'd both agreed she shouldn't meet his children until they were certain their relationship had lasting potential. But hiding her in a bathroom like some guilty secret? That was wrong, and he felt the mortification in his gut.
Next weekend. Next fucking weekend, she's meeting the kids. I'm not doing this again.
Patricia walked over and hoisted herself onto one of the kitchen island barstools, settling in like she planned to stay a while.
Terry's eyes widened. "Don't you need to get home and pack?"
"Not yet. Like I said, I didn't want tomorrow to feel rushed. I wanted to discuss the kids' summer schedule with you."
He glanced at the microwave clock, but knew the sooner he gave Patricia his attention, the faster he could get her out of his house. After finalizing Patricia's week with the kids and enduring her prolonged goodbyes, Terry finally closed the front door behind her. He drew a shaky breath before turning to Emma and Toby.
"I'll be back in a few minutes."
