Page 90 of Casita Casanova
My ex-husband and my daughter have now caught me—two separate times—in the arms of a man thirteen years my junior.
A complete stranger.
Except…
Breathing deeply, I lift my head, then make my way back into my yard.
Casisn’ta stranger.
Sure, I met him less than a week ago, but in that time, we’ve created something. I don’t know what it is, or how long it will last, but I can’t say he’s a stranger.
Not with any conviction.
I bend to give Ribbit some love. Poor guy’s been lying by the gate, whining for the past hour. “I’m sorry, buddy.” I rub his ears and kiss his nose, then stand and make my way to the shed.
I don’t condone physical violence, but what Cas did tonight was on my behalf, in mydefense, and I can’t be mad at him about that.
Eddie surprised even me by bringing Ari here like that, such a vicious, hateful thing to do to me. To her.
My ex-husband deserved everything Cas gave him and more.
The shed door is open and the light is on, but he’s not here.
Frowning, I make my way into the house, leaving the back door open because I want him to know I haven’t closed the door onhim.
I pull the wine from the fridge and pour a glass, pressing the cold bottle to my cheek and rolling it as I sip from the glass.
Leaning against the counter, I wait.
Twenty minutes later, I’m still in the same position, one glass in, and he’s standing at the base of my porch stairs, illuminated by the glow of the kitchen.
God, he’s beautiful.
He’s shirtless and soaking wet, sweat dripping down into the waistband of his running shorts.
He breathes heavily, every muscle in his torso still flexing and contracting from the exertion of his run.
We remain locked like this, staring onto each other’s eyes, until I finally say, “Come in.”
He steps up the stairs slowly, opens the door and comes inside with trepidation in his eyes. “I’ve been thinking.”
“Okay.” I grab another wine glass and fill it for him, then think better of it and pour him a glass of water.
He chugs it down, then meets my gaze, heat in his eyes that hits me harder than any look he’s ever given me before.
It steals my breath.
“Here’s the thing, Maryn.” Cas stalks toward me slowly, each deliberate step making my pulse race just a little faster. He’s all hard, corded muscle beneath smooth, sun-kissed skin, and a shirtless Cas is hard to resist.
“I don’t regret what I did.”
I swallow hard.
“I would do it again.” He stops in front of me, looking down into my eyes. His hot breath hits my skin, sending goosebumps across my flesh. I lick my lips and his gaze drops to my mouth, then he looks up again and says, “If he comes here again and steals your joy, Iwilldo it again. I don’t care where I am in the world. If he puts that pain in your eyes again…” He squeezes his eyes shut. A muscle works in his jaw. “I’d do it again. Do you understand?”
I nod, my throat tight in response to the determination in his voice.
“I’ve seen you in here, you know.” His voice is lower now, moving into that dangerous territory that crumbles my defenses. “Dancing around the kitchen, or your bedroom, like you’re the happiest person on the planet. And itkillsme, Maryn. It kills me that I don’t know what that feels like, but even more, it kills me that anyone would try to take that from you.”
