Page 91 of All Twerk, No Play

Goddammit, I shouldn’t have come into this enclosed prep space, now he was blocking my exit.

His gaze slithered down my body like he was assessing its value at an auction. “I had no idea you’d look this good in your late 30s.” Like if he’d known that I’d keep it tight, he would have worked harder to hide his mistresses.

His entitlement loosened my tongue. “Why the fuck are you here?”

“Language, Vickie,” he scolded with Beverly’s refrain from my teenage years, when a simple ‘dang’ earned me a slap.

“It’s Victoria now,” I said, gripping the handle of the Sub-Zero double fridge like it could cool the sweat forming along my brow. “Answer the question. Why are you here?”

“We had some good times here, didn’t we, Vickie?” he smirked. “Moonlight swimming in the pool, that blue bikini—”

“Spare me the walk down memory lane. Where's your wife?”

"In New York until tomorrow. I needed to talk to you alone."

I crossed my arms. "Then talk."

He scrubbed his chin in frustration. “Rebekkah’s always known that if you showed up I'd go back to you. And here you are,” he said, his eyes lingering on my mouth. sa"So I owe you an apology. For everything.”

My brain spun in circles, unable to form a reply as my mind skipped like a scratched record.

If I weren’t already unsteady, Spencer’s alleged remorse would have sent me spiraling. These were the words I wanted to hear a decade ago, the apology that would have brought me home.

And now? They just sounded like bullshit.

I must have swayed because he took my hand. “You were brilliant and beautiful, so beautiful. I should never have let you walk away.”

He lifted my hand to his chest. “I can’t undo the past, but I don’t think I ever got over you.Til death do us part, we said, and I meant that. And now that you’re single again, maybe we should try ag—"

“Everything okay in here?” Eric rumbled from the doorway, his shadow blocking the pool lights. His massive presence felt like a balm, like my overstimulated nerves sensed that he was here now, so I would be safe.

His handsome face was etched with concern, scanning my body for injuries, lingering on Spencer’s grip holding me against him. His fist clenched.

I tugged my hand out of Spencer’s grip, practically lunging for Eric. Relief flooded me as Eric’s hands became a safety net around my waist.

“That’s him?” his mouth moved against mine, and I nodded discreetly. His huffed exhale warmed my cheek. Craving his reassuring warmth, I cradled his cheeks and pressed my mouth to his, but his lips stayed tight and unyielding.

Spencer cleared his throat. “Aren't you going to introduce me?”

Eric interlaced his warm fingers between my ice-cold ones, and the tightness in my chest loosened.

“This is my boyfriend, Eric de la Cruz,” I said, and shock flickered on my ex-husband’s face. Eric shook his hand with a venomous smile. Normally I’d be annoyed at the blatant display of masculinity, but I secretly delighted at Spencer’s bones straining in Eric’s firm grip.

“Not a lawyer like the last one, I presume?” Spencer flicked his wrist like he was shaking off cooties while sneering at Eric’s gorgeous tattoos.

“Personal trainer,” I traced his pec through his shirt. His grip on my hand tightened.

Spencer gave my body another appreciative scan. “Worth every penny.”

“Taught her to throw a mean right hook, too. Keep your hands off her, or you might get a demo,” Eric snarled.

Then he turned to me, his whole demeanor softening. His hand rolled up my spine to gently squeeze the nape of my neck. “Come on, you’ve had a long day." Then he looked directly at my ex-husband. "Time to shower off the grime.”

"Say Something," A Great Big World

Cruz

Victoriadidn’treleasemyhand until the suite door clicked shut, trapping me inside with my lingering rage fueled to a frenzy by her tense silence. She slipped off her heels and shrugged off her suit jacket, acting like everything was normal. Like she hadn’t been ambushed by her ex. Like I hadn’t walked in during his confession that he wanted her back.

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