Brad
I try to steady my shaking hand as I pay the pizza delivery guy.
“Shit—sorry,” I mutter when the change slips from my fingers and clatters to the ground. I scramble to gather it, cheeks burning.
He offers a polite smile and hands me the pizza once I finally get the right amount into his hands.
I’m all out of sorts. I couldn’t fucking breathe the moment I saw his face. His beautiful, perfect, fucking face.
Just standing there, looking at me like he expects me to crumble to my fucking feet.
Well, the joke is on him. I’m not going to. I’ve built a life here since he walked out of it.
Such a fucking asshole.
Such a tight, tight, fucking asshole.
No!
I breathe out heavily as I drop the boxes on the counter. I havegotto pull my shit together.
My stomach is so twisted right now, completely destroying my fucking appetite. I don’t know why we ordered three large pizzas when Veronica won’t eat more than two slices and Noah, with his tight, fit body…
No, fuck! God fucking dammit.
“You okay?” Veronica asks, looking at me with arched eyebrows. She’s sitting on the couch, bottle feeding Paislee. “You seem…tense.”
Them. They are what I should be focusing on. Not her son. Not the guy who is currently upstairs right now, lathering himself in the same body wash I used to stroke my dick with the other night, thinking about him—
Shit.
“Yeah,” I finally answer. “I mean, no. I’m fine.”
Veronica lets out a heavy breath. “Listen. I know you and Noah have never gotten the opportunity to really get to know each other. I honestly really wish the camping trip went better for the two of you. But, maybe this is your chance for both of you to form arealbond.”
“I highly doubt that.” I slam the cabinet shut, harder than intended, making Paislee start to cry.
Dammit.
He’s already got me so fucking messed up.
How am I supposed to make it through this? Being so close to him while I feelso much.
Looking at his face out there on the back patio reminded me how much I opened up to him last summer. How much I let him in. And when shit hit the fan, howwillingI still was to figure it out because he meant justthatmuch to me. And it still wasn’t enough for him. He gave me one look and walked away. No—ran away.
My blood boils as I walk over to Paislee, choosing to redirect my attention before I get really angry.
“Hey, Honeybee. I’m sorry. Did daddy scare you?” I coo, picking her up from Veronica. I see her tears run down her face as she continues to suck on her bottle, which makes me feel even worse for making her cry. When I was young and my dad was angry, it was really scary. That is not something I want to emulate. I want to be better.I’ve got to be.
“Maybe he won’t stay for long. Working with you will help him save up, and before you know it, he’ll have his own place again. We can be alone.” Veronica smiles up at me.
I look away. The thought of that makes my stomach uneasy all over again. He just got back, and she’s already okay with him leaving?
“Yeah,” I answer softly, swaying side to side.
“Oh, is that pepperoni I smell?”
His deliciously charming voice startles me. I look over my shoulder to see him make his way into the kitchen. His hair, still dripping on his shoulders, hangs in front of his face. With no shirt, he chose to wear nothing but low-rise black sweats. My eyes take in his tattooed chest and shoulder pieces that he must’ve gotten while in Hawaii. Shaded and complex, weaving into each other like one big intricate art piece.
