Page 105 of Pelvic Flaws

“Hey Katie. What ya’ doin here?” He took a step towards me, holding a clear bag with what looked like little tiny plastic cups inside it.

I took a deep breath, needing to get everything said before he had a chance to throw me out.

“We never really talked much last night,” I said, my face heating up as I recalled the reason why. “So, I came to apologise. I was a total idiot last night in the bar and I’m sorry.”

Dex tilted his head to one side. “You think you were an idiot?”

“Yep.”

“You have any idea why you think you were an idiot?”

I frowned, wondering what he was getting at. I’d been pretty clear I didn’t like Sophie’s hands on him or the idea of them flirting. There was no way he hadn’t understood what had pissed me off – even if I had been wrong.

“Because I accused you of flirting with Sophie.”

Dex gave a single shake of his head. “Nope, that was the consequence of you being an idiot.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Yep, there sure is.”

“So, do you want to tell me what it is?” I asked, struggling to understand what he was getting at.

“I say this with the utmost respect, darlin’, but you’re a damn idiot because you’ve let Carl and that wife of his undermine your confidence,” he said, glancing at the trolley as he threw the bag onto it.

“I haven’t,” I protested. “I’m very confident. I drove all the way to Cornwall on my own last year.” I pushed out my chest and tipped up my chin, just to prove how confident I was.

Dex’s lips twitched and his eyes softened as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at me, and I actually let out a little sigh. Because that was what Dex always did, he looked at me – really looked at me. He didn’t just watch me like I was a ‘to pass the time’ program flashing away on the TV, no Dex looked at me like I was a beautiful piece of art that needed to be appreciated and admired. He studied me and noticed every little nuance about me, but best of all, he understood all the crap that went on in my brain.

“You know exactly what I’m gettin’ at,” he said, his tone serious. “So why don’t you tell me.”

I didn’t have to think very hard. When Carl had told me that he’d met a girl, just six months after our divorce, I’d felt genuine happiness for him, but the second he blurted out that she was only twenty-two, that happiness turned to resentment. I resented Carl for being able to meet someone so young and yet still manage to have a good relationship with her, but most of all, I resented Sophie for her age.

“I’m an idiot because I’m jealous that Carl is starting over and has replaced me with a much younger model,” I whispered, finally saying it out loud after four years of it festering in my head.

“Yeah darlin’, you are.” He let out a sigh and dropped his hands to his hips.

“I don’t want him back,” I cried. “I don’t want to be his wife. Eighteen years of being his wife was plenty, thank you.”

Dex chuckled and lifted a hand to cup my cheek. “I know that, Katie Cat.”

Oh God, I loved the low rumble of his voice when he called me that.

“And I know you know that. You just gotta tell your damn brain that, because I’m gonna tell you somethin’.”

“What?” I asked, leaning into his touch.

“Carl knows exactly what he lost when he let you go, and he thinks replacing you with some bright, new, shiny little thing will fill that gap that you left behind.”

“He didn’t let me go,” I protested. “It was a mutual thing. We agreed we were more like friends.”

“Believe me darlin’, if he’d treated you right, in and out of the bedroom, there’s no way you’d be more like friends.” He placed his other hand on my hip and pulled me closer. “Are you and me, just friends?”

I shook my head slowly, trying to catch my breath as his closeness took it from my lungs.

“Exactly.” He leaned in and kissed me softly. His lips were warm and gentle, but his grip on my hip said that there was nothing soft about this kiss. As his tongue played with mine and his fingers moved to lace through my hair, he pulled me closer. My nipples were rock hard as was his dick as we kissed, desperately and brutally.

Finally, with his chest heaving, Dex pulled away.

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