Page 28 of Divorced from Number Thirty-Eight
I don’t know why I do it, but I lock them tighter, hold her closer. “It’s okay,” I murmur. “You had a long day and quite a scare,” I add, giving her that out if she wants to take it. “The emotions were sure to hit eventually.”
“Yeah,” she whispers. Another shift, firmer now, and I find that as much as I like her against me, I can’t ignore it.
I release her, crawl out of the bed.
Her face is averted again, body tense.
No more tears.
But clearly ready for me to go.
I should do exactly that.
Should leave.
But I don’t.
“She’s not my wife,” I say and her head pivots back, brows lifting. “I know I said that. I—” I shove a hand through my hair, sigh. “The truth is that she brought me divorce papers yesterday.”
Something happens in Faye’s eyes then she reaches over and takes my hand in her uninjured one. “I’m sorry,” she says again.
“Don’t be.”
“I acted like a psycho,” she whispers. “Yelling at you about a woman when I have no business knowing about your love life then losing it and crying in your arms because I?—”
“First,” I tell her, turning my hand over and lacing my fingers through hers when she tries to draw back, “don’t be sorry. I’ve been trying to get Courtney to agree to a divorce for years now. We’re…not good together and for a long time I was too young and naive to recognize that. By the time I did, she decided to hate me and refused to sign the papers I sent her. Repeatedly. I was actually starting the process for a no-fault divorce when she showed yesterday.”
“Oh,” she whispers.
“Later, I found out she showed not only with those divorce papers…but also an engagement ring.”
Faye’s fingers tighten around mine.
“I wouldn’t have done”—I wave my free hand, watch her cheeks go pink—“what I did if I knew she was engaged. Hell,” I mutter. “I shouldn’t have done what I did in the first place.”
“She’s beautiful,” Faye says softly. “I’m sure that’s irresistible to lots of guys.”
There’s something in her words that prickle through my mind, but when I can’t tease out why, I just say, “Yes, Courtney is beautiful.”
Too bad it’s only on the outside.
Too bad I was dickmerized by her perfect body and shining hair and the way she exudes sex appeal.
Because once again, I had an orgasm, but it wasn’t all that good of one.
Not when she was her usual pillow princess and I was hating myself for being a fucking moron.
Again.
Faye falls quiet.
I squeeze her hand, prompt when her pretty brown eyes come to mine. “Well?”
“Well what?”
“I shared mine, Red. You gonna share yours?”
Ten
