Page 98 of Family Bonds: Coy & Angel

“Have you ever lived with a woman before?” she asked. “We know I haven’t with a man.”

“I have,” he said.

“Oh,” she said, spinning around. “I didn’t know that. Why didn’t I know that?”

“Are you jealous? They didn’t get me, you did.”

She frowned. “Not jealous. We know you weren’t a virgin.”

“Unlike the crown jewel I got,” he said. “I wonder if that made you more fertile. I’ve been thinking about that. Or maybe it was the day you attacked me in the office. Kinky office sex that would shock others could have put a baby in the belly.”

“Will you be serious,” she said, giggling.

She was smiling at least. “I am being serious. I did wonder if that was the day it happened.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “It doesn’t matter. Tell me about this woman you lived with. When it was and what happened.”

He sighed. He supposed there was no getting out of this. “It’s not a secret. Spencer knew.”

“But he didn’t tell me,” she said.

“I didn’t think he would. It was someone I was dating in dental school. She was a few years younger and getting her MBA. Spencer had graduated, but I had the apartment we lived in. I stayed and she ended up moving in with me after a few months.”

He’d had strong feelings for Cassie but soon realized they were not reciprocated.

“And what happened?”

“She got her MBA and moved out. I was a free place for her to live her last semester.”

“Bitch,” she said.

He laughed. “That could be a good word for it.”

“Coy, have you really had a lot of women only want you for your name and money? Even off this island or out of this state?”

“Yes,” he said. “I tried to keep quiet about my family history, but once it gets out, it travels fast.”

“That had to be hard always wondering.”

“It was,” he said. “I don’t wonder it with you. I never have.”

Her face softened and got slightly tender. “I don’t think it ever crossed my mind. Maybe I was too young to think a lot about it. We weren’t poor but not rich either.”

“I’m not one to flaunt my wealth,” he said.

“No,” she said. “Just calling up helicopters last minute for a quick trip to the doctor.”

“Don’t hold that against me,” he said. “I wouldn’t have done that in college even though I could have.”

“That would have drawn a lot of attention to you,” she said, snorting. “How soon was it that you told Spencer?”

“A few months,” he said. “We’d talked about not wanting to be caught unaware. I knew his reasons; he didn’t really know mine at first. Then little by little I’d talk about the island and he started to put things together.”

“He would have looked into you,” she said. “I know my brother.”

“He did. He asked me point blank and I didn’t deny it. From then on, we just had this stronger bond. He knew I’d always have his back and I knew he’d have mine.”

There were times he could have paid for things for the two of them but never wanted to insult Spencer. He’d bring it up the best way he could, but knew every man had their pride.

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