I’d have half an inch of respect if he tried to intervene, but he just stands there looking really uncomfortable, his mouth gaping. Fuck it. I flip him the bird.
I guess I never did grow up after all.
CHAPTER
TWO
Willow
When we’re far enough away from the others, I yank my hand away as fast as I can, turning to face Haze, I point my finger in his face. “I know what you’re doing.”
The sly bastard puts his hands in his pockets, feigning innocence with a look on his face I could knock off with one swipe. “I’m all ears.Wife.”
“That!” I snarl. “That right there. Stop calling meyour wifewhen we haven’t been together for five years, Austin.”
He piques a brow. I admit he’s an attractive man. There’s always been something appealing about him. I’m not going to deny that, but this is ludicrous. It’s typical Haze behavior, but calling him by his real name always gets a reaction.
“You and I both know that’s not true.”
I flush, my eyes widening… Okay, there was that one time on New Year’s Eve over two years back…
“Shut it. You shouldn’t be here.”
As usual, he ignores me. “I’ll be Austin. I’ll be Superman. I’ll be your fuckin’ cabana boy if it means you put your hands on me one more time.”
“Shhhh!” I glance around, making sure nobody can hear us. “Jesus. You sure as shit know how to make an entrance.”
He grins. “Don’t pretend you don’t like it. And you used to like me putting my hands on you, well, not just my hands if I remember correctly.” He wiggles his eyebrows and now I really do want to punch him in the face.
“You’re making me angry.”
“You know there are ways to work out that frustration a little more productively. That’s where I come in.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “Let me take a stab at it… We’d be fuck buddies, just like college all over again.”
“You married me, sweet cakes, I don’t think I was really as bad as you make out if you declared your undying love for me.”
I huff, lowering my voice. It gets to me, even now, because even when I was younger, I wanted marriage to be for life. “Stop calling me that. We both know we were naïve and stupid, and when you’re younger, you do stuff without thinking about the consequences until later.Muchlater.”
“You didn’t mind one iota when I sent you to sleep after using my mouth every night. Oral is very relaxing, sweet cakes, and you do look a little stressed?—”
I shove him in the chest but because he’s so big, he doesn’t move a muscle. “Stop it.”
“Make me.”
“I’ll fucking shoot your ass in a minute if you don’t shut up.”
He grins wider, asshole. “Always threatening me with violence. I know you won’t do it in front of the commissioner, but just know this, if you shoot me in the ass, you’ll be pulling out the bullet,Little One.”
Little One.Another one of his nicknames for me that pulls at my heartstrings. I can’t stand all the rest, but I remember when he used to call me that, then kiss the top of my head like I was the most precious thing in the world. But that was a long time ago.
Stop it. This is what he does… like on New Year’s Eve…
“You buyin’?” Haze’s voice is low and growly as he slides onto the stool next to me.
“Have I ever bought a drink before?”
“Touche.” He gives the bartender a chin lift, ordering his usual bourbon, then a dry martini — my drink of choice. Of course, he knows exactly what I like and don’t like, which is unusual for most estranged husbands. This one just won’t go away.
