Page 30 of Mine to Share

“About work, not personal stuff like ex-husbands, or ex-wives in your case.”

He hummed a noncommittal response. What the hell did that even mean?

Rolling my eyes, I studied the geometric pattern on the rug. “Plus, when I moved here, leaving all that behind, I decided I wanted a fresh start. Didn’t want anyone to know who I’d become with him. I’m stronger now, more the me I was meant to be, if that makes sense. I know divorce happens to a lot of people, but because of my situation, I was embarrassed.”

“Why?” A puff of warm breath brushed down the back of my neck. This time there was no hiding my involuntary shiver.

“Because I married him. It was my choice,” I said, digging my short nails into the rug. “Because I put up with his controlling bullshit for as long as I did. I don’t know, a lot of reasons, really. Though if you ask my parents, they’d tell you it was doomed from the start.”

“They saw red flags and didn’t tell you before you got married?”

I sighed, relaxing back, which nestled my spine against his crotch. Feeling the heat radiating through his slacks, I lurched forward, figuring he’d want me out of his space, but both hands tightened, keeping me firmly in place. Heart slamming against my chest, I forced myself to remember what the hell we were talking about.

“Um, right, my parents? They told me, tried to warn me about Josh and his controlling tendencies even before we were married, but of course I didn’t listen to them. At the time, I thought they were trying, yet again, to convince me that marriage was an outdated symbol of commitment, sealing myself in a life of unnatural monogamy.”

Slade’s hands stilled. “That’s oddly specific. Sounds like you’ve been told that belief of theirs a few times.”

A huff brushed past my dry lips.A few times, my ass.With his hands still unmoving, I gave both shoulders a shimmy to urge his magic fingers back into action. Only his loose grip tightened in warning.

“I heard that my whole life. See, my mom is an anthropologist, and after studying all different societies, she believes the ones who have committed poly relationships are the healthiest. From animals to humans, she thinks monogamy is a way to lock both women and men into relationships that are doomed to failure.”

His responding silence to my family’s odd beliefs kicked my worry and anxiety from the background into hyperdrive. Before my thoughts could swirl with all the terrible things he would say or do now that he knew I grew up a little different,I shifted along the rug to face him.

Those green eyes searched my face, his brows pulled in tight. One hand slipped from my shoulder to clasp the back of my neck. The tip of his thumb brushed along my throat in lazy strokes as he studied me like I was a puzzle he couldn’t piece together. I licked my lips, and his hooded gaze tracked the movement.

“Slade?” There was no covering the rising desire in my breathy tone. Fuck, I wanted him. Desperately wanted him since the day I’d tripped over a rolling office chair and slammed into his hard chest. I wasn’t even sure what answer I was hoping for.

“I never said I don’t see you that way.” My heart stuttered as he leaned closer, gaze locked on my lips. “I just know I shouldn’t.”

“Shouldn’t?” I panted, eyes flicking from his lips to his eyes and back again.

“Because you deserve so much better than me. But….”

Oh, I liked the sound of that.

I twisted until I was fully turned toward him, on my knees between his. His hands slipped from my shoulders to rest on top of his thick thighs. Transfixed, I memorized the tattoos decorating the top of his right hand, gaze trailing up his inked forearm.

“I want to be a selfish bastard and ignore all the reasons I shouldn’t.”

“Shouldn’t what?”

Slade’s lips pulled into a knowing smirk. Pitching forward, he stilled when his face was barely an inch from mine. The tip of a single finger trailed down my jaw, dipping lower until all five fingers lightly grasped my throat.

Trembling in his hold, I swallowed, barely stifling a moan at the way my throat worked beneath his loose grip.

What would it feel like if he squeezed?

All this should have been a big, waving red flag, but instead it made my needy core throb and send another wave of desire to dampen my already-soaked panties.

Maybe I was part bull and red flags drew me in instead of warning me away.

“That I shouldn’t say ‘fuck it’ to all the reasons for me to stay away from you and make you mine.”

“Oh.” A medical degree and that was the only response I could come up with.

“Ruin you for any other man.”

“That sounds nice.”What the fuck is wrong with me?

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