Page 56 of The Seven Month Itch
I love Terrence, but I need a moment to myself to process my life. Without his beautiful penis as a distraction. I didn’t expect to attend a singles’ retreat, make out with a billionaire stranger,andmake love to the husband I haven’t seen in almost a year.
It’s a lot.
I steal one last glance, put on my dress, grab my heels, and tippy-toe out the front door. There’s a fifty-fifty chance Emma didn’t come back to the suite after our dance lessons, so maybe she won’t see my walk of shame—or whatever you call it when you have sex and sprint off like you’re on an episode ofCops. Dick and dash?
I make it halfway to my room when her door swings open. “Surprised you’re able to walk straight after getting your back blown out.”
My skin heats at the memory. It’s not my back that will land me in a wheelchair for the next couple of days. I face her with my bottom lip between my teeth to suppress the goofy grin that wants to break free. “What makes you think I did anything sexual?”
She saunters over in a silk robe. “For starters, your hair”—she gestures to the mess of curls on my head—“looks like it got stuck in a blender. You’re also walking funny.”
“Okay, you caught me.” Why play innocent with a bloodhound? She sees right through me and the smile I can’t contain.
“I know I did. Took you long enough to admit it.” She rolls her eyes with a look I know all too well. One that begins withdumband ends inass.
Of course she knew.
“Madison put her arms around Terrence on the dance floor. Childbirth is probably less painful than your reaction was. But the way you two eyed each other before she came…” She shakes her head. “There’s no way somethingwouldn’thappen. Did you see yourself and how quickly you agreed to dance with a man who pissed you off only a day ago?”
Terrence chose me over Madison. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it’s a tiny spark of hope, and that has to be worth something.
I love you, Justice. I never stopped loving you, and I will never stop loving you.
“I surprised myself with that one. I don’t know what came over me.”
“You want your man back. Nothing wrong with that.” She guides me to the sofa. Here comes the Danny Tanner speech. “We’ve been here for a few days now, and I don’t need a mind reader to know you wish you were still with him.”
“Youarea mind reader,” I say under my breath.
Emma checks my shoulder with hers. “Of course I am, dear. That’s not the point.” She laughs. “The point is, what you feel right now is what you used to feel with Terrence. I get why you decided to leave him—and I will always have your back no matter what—but I really think you shouldn’t deny your heart because you’re too caught up in your head.”
I don’t think I can sigh any louder. “It’s not that easy, Em.”
“Who says it has to be complicated? Did you two talk?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
I mutter something unintelligible.
“Sorry, what was that?”
“We, uh, had sex…three times.”
Emma’s eyes light up. She clasps her hands like I told her we won the lottery. “Threetimes? Praise the Lord, those cobwebs are gone!”
I shake my head and stand. Orgasms aside, there are a million and one ways why this second attempt at love won’t end well. “Something will go wrong. I know it.”
“No, Jay. You’rethinkingof all the ways things will go wrong instead of living your life. You have a chance to be happy again with the man you want. Don’t sabotage your joy because of self-doubt.”
I look to the ceiling in hopes I’ll find the answers written on the wall. “You’re right. I just need some time to think.” I went from near divorce to reconciliation, and I need a minute.
She nods. “Fair enough.”
The pep talk ends with a hug and a butt pinch for good measure. Preston and I need to speak. He deserves that much.
“Hey, Justice?”
