Page 95 of Milo

“Are you having sex with Chr—”

“Fuck Christina.”

Tilting her head, she shrugged her shoulders. Her nonchalant attitude had always been something rather attractive about her, but right now, it was the power source to my displeasure.

“Milo, there’s absolutely nothing I have to say about my private life. If you’re looking for answers from me, then you’re not going to get them.”

“Three stipulations, Nay. I had three fucking stipulations when we agreed to have Mason. Natural conception. Co-parenting. And in the event you decided to date again, I was first in line, giving our son a chance at a two-parent household. How quickly have you forgotten?”

“Me? Forgot? Milo, please be serious right now.I forgot?Or did you forget that I initiated things, twice, and both times, I was slapped in the face with your lifestyle and the fact that I didn’t fit in it.

“Have you forgotten I came to your home and found your assistant descending the very stairs that my son will climb the rest of his life? Have you forgotten that I tried returning the favor, bringing you lunch at the office, only to discover you and your assistant had already indulged in the very act that I was craving at that very moment?

“Or what about the fact that you nearly missed your son’s birth? If that’s not enough, you missed his very first pediatric visit, leaving me alone to deal with his diagnosis? Since, have you improved? Yes. ButIhave not forgotten. I’m not a revengeful person. It benefits me none. But I’ve had my share of heartache over the last few months.

“Excuse me for wanting to feel something else. If that means seeing other people, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.” Calmly, she explained.

“All you had to do was say the word, Nay. Shit, all you have to do is say the word and I’ll drop all that. None of that matters. That was just something to do until I got shit right with you.”

Snickering, Nature shook her head.

“Say the word? Milo, I’ve said the word. And I shouldn’t have had to. If you truly wanted to get things on track for us, you would’ve dropped them all because you wanted to, not because I wanted you to.

“Pursuing me doesn’t mean falling into a routine because we’re used to each other or because we have history. You messed up, yet I feel like I’ve been doing all the repairing. Pursuing me means actively going for me, showing me, without a doubt, that I’m the one person you want, need, and yearn for. Not once, Milo, can you actually say that you have.

“I carried your son for nine months. Nine months and the most I got from you, aside from harmless flirting, was a text message that said, I miss y’all. And what did I do with that inkling that you truly wanted this? I ran. I ran to you. I ran so fast and so hard that I fell flat on my face when I reached you.

“You’ve had chances, Milo. Don’t act like you didn’t know that I wanted this, wanted you. I’ve always wanted you, wanted us. But I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for you to really apply some freaking pressure instead of thinking things would be a breeze for you and me as they always had been.

“No. It was only always a bunch of talk. There was no action. And last year on my birthday, I thought that maybe it was the start of something different. I thought you’d stop at nothing to secure a spot in my life, no matter what imaginary boundaries I set.

“Those were just tactics. Those were just reasons for me to feel better, knowing that if you’d just pushed on those barriers a little bit, they would’ve fallen and I would’ve caved. But you didn’t. And when I couldn’t take it anymore, I came running to you.

“Even that failed. So, what’s the issue now? Why is dating suddenly an issue for you after you’ve actively shown me that it’s not me you truly desire? We just sound good together to you, Milo.”

She shrugged, forking her food around her plate.

“That’s untrue, Nature.”

Her words crushed my spirit. She hadn’t lied. Not once. Not until the last few words.

“Honestly, I don’t know what’s true anymore. My intentions weren’t to come and ruin you and Mason’s time together,” she grimaced, standing to her feet. “I just missed him.”

My heart swelled as I watched her eyes gloss over.

“Since we’re being honest, Nay, was it really Mason that you came for?”

“After all of that, Milo, after all I just said, your only response is to ask if I missed you or Mason?”

“That’s not what I asked.”

I’d heard her loud and clear. She’d answered my question without answering it.

“I’m done responding with words. You’ve made it clear that I must actively pursue you. What the fuck do we have to talk about, Nay? I’m just trying to get myself together. Finding out the woman of my dreams is fucking another nigga got me stuck right here in this seat, trying my hardest not to crumble. Forgive me for needing a minute to pick my pieced heart up out of my glass dish.”

“I’m not having sex with him,” she blurted, closing her eyes immediately after realizing what she’d said.

Her need to soothe my ache was heartening, beginning the healing process much faster than I’d imagined it would start.

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