Page 58 of Beneficial Misfortune

“His number was smudged. The condensation on the glass made it impossible to read.” I tell him, and while that’s true, it’s not the whole reason. I could have easily gone to them in the yard and gotten it, but what I’d seen made me panic.

“Kat.”

Again, Nathan’s voice hits me with that cold demand, and I know he’s not buying it.

How the hell does he know? Am I that easy to read?

I hesitate a moment, unsure how to explain, and both of them remain quiet.

Fuck it.

“I saw you with Addison, and I…” I pause, licking my lips as my mouth goes dry. I know it was a misunderstanding now, but I’d felt so bad that night. Thinking I’d been the other woman, no matter how amazing our time had been, all I could picture was me being the reason a happy family was ripped apart.

It’s stupid. I didn’t know. They hadn’t told me, and it wasn’t my fault. Had it been true, that would have been on him, not me, but the guilt was unavoidable, especially when I’d just dealt with that myself with Carter.

The thought of him leaves a sour taste in my mouth, but I refuse to let him have a hold on me. He made his choice, and they aren’t him, despite what I thought.

Looking at Alex, I swallow my pride and admit my mistake. “I heard someone call to you.”

It takes him a moment before he seems to understand what I’m implying.

“Rose.”

It’s not a question, but I nod all the same.

“You thought Addison was mine, and she was calling to me?” His eyes light up with understanding, and he nods. “I can see how you would think that.”

“I…I’m sorry. I know it’s terrible, but I heard her call, and then I saw her with you, and Rose called to her, but I thought she was calling to you…” My words come out in a rush, and I look down at my hands in my lap, unable to hold his gaze.

“Hey,” His finger hooks under my chin, forcing my eyes back to his, and I find nothing but understanding in his gaze. No judgment or anger. “I get it, Cherry. Actually, it makes a lot more sense why you flew out of here like your ass was on fire.”

He offers me a reassuring smile, and while I can’t return it, I’m grateful.

“You didn’t know us, and I can imagine we probably came off like the assholes who would do that kind of thing, but Iassure you that’s not who we are. If Rose had been my wife, I never would have been out with Desmond like that. I’m not the cheating type, and I’d never make anyone the other woman.”

His words loosen something in my chest, and some of the tension I’d been carrying seeps away.

I’d been so afraid to tell them, to tell Nathan I’d been with them, that they would be just like Carter, but I was wrong about all of it… I was wrong about them.

“I think there might be more to this, but that’s a conversation for another time.” I turn back to Nathan, and I swear it’s like he can see right through me, making me feel bare in a way that has nothing to do with my clothes.

“The reason I called you here is to see if you would be interested in being more than a nanny to Addison.” His gaze burns into mine with so much intensity I want to look away, but I can’t.

“I don’t understand. Like a chef?” I say, recalling what they had said the other night when I cooked dinner.

“We share, Cherry. Usually, it’s only the occasional hook-up in the pool house, but ever since you…” Alex groans, cutting himself off, and his hands finally hit the bottom of my very short shorts. My breath catches as he flexes his fingers on the sensitive skin at the top of my thigh that’s just short of being inappropriate.

I pull my gaze from Nathan to look at his hands, licking my lips at the memory of what it felt like to have his hands on me like this. It had been one night, but it plays on repeat in my dreams, and being here like this with him has my stomach in knots and my shorts soaked.

With his grip on my thighs, he gently guides my legs open. I tense, trying to stop him for a moment, not wanting him to see the evidence of how much I want him. He pauses for a moment,flicking his gaze up to meet mine with a smile, and his pupils are blown wide as he looks at me, just like he did that night.

My resistance crumbles, and I stop fighting him as he once again moves to guide my legs open.

“I knew you were different the moment I laid eyes on you in our club. You had us captivated, and you didn’t even have to do anything.” His voice is husky, and I swear the air is thicker. Every breath is a struggle as I try to keep myself from panting.

“Do you know why I decided to call you Cherry?” he asks, leaning between my spread legs. The feel of him so close scrambles my brain, and it takes me a moment to realize he’s asking me a question.

“Be—because they're red?” I guess, unsure. Trevor had made that nickname feel dirty, and while I enjoyed it that night, I didn’t like it the same anymore, something he quickly picked up on.

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