I sink onto my bed, clutching the phone tighter. I hadn't expected him to agree with me.
"I've been thinking about us," he continues. "About what I've done. The arrangement, the photos, everything that happened in my office." He pauses, and I hear him take a deep breath. "I realize now that I put you in a precarious position. I pursued you, knowing you were married, knowing you needed money."
My throat tightens. I want to defend him, to say I wanted it too, but I let him continue.
"That wasn't fair of me. I saw something I wanted,and I used every advantage I had to get it. My money, my position... I essentially seduced you into a situation that's now causing you pain."
I press my palm against my forehead, emotions swirling. Part of me wants to absolve him, but another part knows he's right.
"You have a family," he says. "A life that existed long before I came along. And I..." His voice catches slightly. "I selfishly inserted myself into that without considering the consequences for you."
I watch Oliver intensely staring at a small spider on the wall—the kitten Caine gave us, another intrusion of his presence into our home.
"I didn't exactly fight you off," I point out.
"You shouldn't have had to. I should have respected your marriage from the beginning."
I close my eyes again. "What are we doing, Caine? What is this?"
"I don't know," he admits, his voice softer now. "I just know that I can't stop thinking about you. But I also know that I've complicated your life in ways that aren't fair."
The house is quiet around me. Liam is at school. Reeves is at the hall. I'm alone with Caine's voice and the weight of our choices.
"What happens now?" I ask.
"That's up to you," he says. "I won't pressure youanymore. No more proposals, no more money. If you want to walk away, I'll understand."
But that's the problem. I don't want to walk away. And I think he knows it.
"Can I come over?" I ask, the words tumbling from my lips before I can catch them.
They hang in the silence, surprising me with their boldness. My heart hammers against my ribs as I wait for his response, fingers nervously twisting the loose thread on my worn jeans.
The rational part of my brain screams that this is exactly what I shouldn't be doing, but something deeper, something I've been trying to suppress, has taken control.
I stare at Oliver, who's now batting playfully at his own reflection in the window, completely oblivious to the way my world is tilting on its axis with just those four simple words.
A part of me feels justified. If Reeves weren't such a total asshole these days, maybe I wouldn't be so tempted to run off to another man's place.
"Are you sure that's a wise idea, Jenna… you were just saying—"
"Reeves is being an asshole."
"Well, I… yes, if you want… you're certainly welcome here anytime." His voice is so gentle, it makes my chest ache. "Just to talk. No funny business."
I laugh, but it comes out brittle. "Well, that's guaranteed anyway. I'm on my period."
"Thank God for that," he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice. "Glad to hear I didn't knock you up. One less complication."
"Don't worry, I'm on the pill. I'm not completely reckless."
“I know you aren’t,” he says. “I know you’re a good girl.”
I smile. I am a good girl. “You know I’ve only been with two men.”
“Really?!” he blurts, clearly surprised.
“I know… shocking, right?”
