Memphis’s eyebrows raised. He cleared his throat. “From two places. My grandfather—the one on my mom’s side. And my own father. My granddad, he was the type that would sit down and play cars with his grandkids. We spent a lot of time doing that. He liked race cars in particular, and he used to have me over to watch the Nascar Cup Series.
“My father wasn’t quite so…hands on. But he loved his cars just as much. In fact, I remember the day he bought his cherry red Enzo Ferrari. At the time it was like, the highest priced car out there, and itlookedit.”
Ty felt her eyes widen. What kind of money did these guys have? The question almost fell from her lips, but she held it back. It wasn’t polite to discuss money. But still, wealth was something most men liked to flaunt, if they had it. If Memphis and his family were wealthier than Ty assumed, she’d be even more impressed that Memphis hadn’t flexed that side of him.
“I love the way you are with Lucas,” she said. “I can’t tell you…” She stopped there and attempted to rearrange the words in her head. To somehow help Memphis understand just why this particular hurt in her life mattered so much. “When you have a child, you see all of the incredible things about them, even before they’re born.” She chuckled as she thought back on the very beginnings.
“I bought this book that, you know, showed week by week photos of the baby in progressive stages. Each chapter talked about the new developments. I was amazed at how quickly he grew things like fingernails, earlobes, and toes. I cried when I first saw him sucking his thumb in an ultrasound. And when I first felt him kick…” A combination of joy and sorrow swelled within her. She blinked as one of the welling tears in her eyes trickled down her cheek.
Memphis reached up, smoothed it with his thumb before letting it linger on her cheek for a bit. “I’m glad this didn’t leave a mark,” he whispered. “That pregnancy book sounds awesome. I would freaking be obsessed with that thing ifwewere expecting a baby.”
The wordwein that sentence, along with the sentiment in general, made her heart thump out an extra beat. Becausethatwas the sorrow side of things. That’s where so much of her heartbreak lied. “You would?”
“Totally. I’d run a great big bubble bath for you each week, and I’d pull up a stool, sit beside the tub, and read the chapters out loud.”
Ty let out a long sigh. “That’s what I always dreamed about. Eric left us shortly after we found out we were expecting. And with every joy that I had for this incredible little human that was growing inside of me, I felt a deep, opposing ache for the fact that this little person—who I loved more than anything I’d ever loved before—didn’t have his dad there to share in the excitement.
“I hoped Eric would come to his senses before Lucas was born, or at least shortly after. When he didn’t, the hurt that I felt for the void in Lucas’s life was magnified. It was devastating to know that he might never have a father.”
Memphis nodded, his face thoughtful. “Wow, I wish guys knew this side of things when they were young. There should be a class on it, don’t you think?”
She cracked out a half-smile. “Probably. They could call itWhy You Shouldn’t Leave Your Pregnant Wife and Unborn Child.The subtitle could beIn Case You Don’t Already Know How Wrong It Is.”
Memphis chuckled and covered his face with one hand. “Aw, man. You’re right. Theyshouldalready know.”
“That’s not to say your idea was bad,” Ty was quick to say. “The fact that itshouldn’tbe necessary doesn’t change the fact that it probably is.”
“I’m sorry that he left you guys,” Memphis said in a whisper. “I wish you could have gotten what you wanted the first time around, with Eric.” His face pinched after he said it. He shook his head. “Actually, I only really wish that if this guy would have risen to the occasion and been good to Lucasandyou. If he was just going to stick around and ignore you two—not appreciating what he had—I think you guys are better off without him.”
Ty met his gaze, recalling the time Memphis compared her and Lucas to a winning lottery ticket. Her heart fluttered out of beat once more. “Maybe,” she said. “But I can’t help but think that at leastsomeattention from his real father is better than none. Even if he didn’t show me any love.”
“I think a good father should show the kid’s mother alotof love. That’s part of what makes him a good dad.”
“That’s true,” she said. “Sometimes I think we didn’t have much beyond chemistry, you know? We were young, we thought we were in love. But I think we were lacking something more substantial. A relationship can’t run on fumes.”
“Well,” Memphis said, “now you’re free to find a man who willappreciate you.Bothof you.”
Yes, she was. And the one right in front of her—who’d just said every right thing he could have possibly said—seemed like a very promising candidate. In came that magnetic energy that made her want to be closer to him. Yesterday, while they were out on the water, the draw was stronger than ever. She’d dreamt of the way Memphis’s hand wrapped around her waist, the heavenly feel of his lips along her ear, and the rush of euphoria that consumed her when his mouth met hers at last. Memphis kissed better than any man she’d kissed before.
Of course, Eric was barely out of high school when they got married, still just a boy in many ways. But Memphis, she reminded herself, was a man.
And she was a full-grown woman.
With that thought urging her forward, Ty decided to honor Memphis’s earlier request. While using the grip she had on his hand to steady herself, Ty moved in, glided her denim-covered knees along either side of Memphis, and settled onto his lap at last.
Memphis slid his hands slowly up her outer thighs before wrapping them around her waist. Ty basked in his tantalizing warmth, his spicy scent, and his pleasing touch.
She leaned in, skimming her lips, ever so softly, over Memphis’s warm mouth.
His lips parted beneath her touch, just slightly, and his hot, jagged breath teased her senses.Mmm.She liked that she felt so safe with Memphis. She could explore his kiss, his touch, knowing he’d match her passion while respecting her boundaries. He wasn’tjusta man, after all—he was a gentleman.
Memphis moved in, his lips meeting hers in a slow and sensual kiss.
Yes. So good.
A deep groan sounded low in his throat. He tipped his head to deepen the kiss. His hands flattened over her back, the pressure of his fingertips only adding to the bliss.
His tongue stroked hers as he came in again, proving—with a series of long, drawn-out kisses—that this was an art form he had mastered. Ty sank into the euphoria, the heated push and pull, the addicting fusion as he weaved a spell of delight over her.
