Page 22 of Burning for You

“In our first years together, Blake and I were like unmade rope.”

“What does that mean?” I chuckle.

“We were destined to be together, we both knew it, but we didn’t know how to make it work.”

Bear smiles, obviously recalling how he and Blake have managed to prove that love conquers all. He goes on. “Through time, we twist into each other. We’re pulled, knotted and thrashed around, and surely we fray, but we still hang on to each other.”

His philosophical reflection tickles me right in the heart. “I wish I could be like you two.”

“It’s not too late, you know,” Bear says. “Do you love him?”

I take a moment to wonder. “I don’t know.”

“If you want to make it work with Josh, my only advice is to open up to him. If I’m honest, I must say, you two feel like… a transaction.”

I sigh. There’s never been a more accurate description of Josh and me. But the idea of dropping my guard and potentially letting myself be torn apart by my husband is terrifying.

“Just food for thought,” Bear says and puts away the bridal sketches. “Now, tell me. Did you meet Hayden Christensen today? Is that why you look so suspiciously weird?”

Well, close to. Bryan has a comely appearance that is as epic as a galaxy far, far away.

My cheeks heat. But I’m not prepared to give out my explosive bathroom encounter yet. “I had an argument with Joshie. Normal argument. Work argument.”

“Right… Since when do you have Mexican after arguing with your fiancé?”

I stare at my plate. I finished my tacos? There’s still some remnants of avocado, which I swipe clean with my forefinger.

“Holy guacamole!” Bear says, watching me licking my fingertip. “Did you just sleep with someone?”

“Bear! If anything, I haven’t slept since San Fran,” I say. I flew into New York only this morning.

“I guess you and Joshie have been apart for weeks now. Haven’t caught up with that yet?”

My mouth forms a lopsided smile. I remember my last smear test, but shamefully, I can’t recall the last time I saw Josh’s cock. Maybe we had sex before our crazy travels in the past month, maybe we didn’t.

There’s no point dancing around Bear. “I fainted in the bathroom at Brilliance,” I say.

“Caro! Are you okay?” Bear holds my hand, his eyes apologizing for joking around.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. I was just stressed out.”

“Hmm… but you look happy.”

Do I?

“Someone saved me.”

“Oh, good on her.”

“It was a he.”

Bear scrunches his face. “What? Was he a janitor, or a plumber?”

“No. He’s a freelancer. He went into the wrong room and found me.”

“Describe him.”

“He was wearing an alabaster shirt. I would’ve loved him to go one size smaller.” The man has got sturdy shoulders and tight upper arms that are worthy of a tighter outfit, that’s for sure. “His tie was a boring steel-gray—too slim for a normal office day. He has an undercut hairstyle, not one of those top-heavy, buzzed at the sides things. It’s subtle, classy.” Once again the vision of his hair gets me thinking about his erotic potential.

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