“You can be so damn arrogant. I mean, where do you get off, hmm? Do you think I tore my ACL on my own?”
He froze. So did she.
Fuck.
Injuries happened. They happened even when everything else seemed to go perfectly right. Blame wasn’t fair, let alone productive. To imply that sort of mistrust…
No partnership could survive.
He lifted his chin, and his spine transformed into a steel pole. She’d craved a measure of emotion from him, but not the kind she saw in his eyes. Some hurts were too hard to bury on short notice.
“I do my best for you, Lizzie.”
He rolled up his mat, not looking at her, and stalked to the bathroom. She only drew breath when the pipes shuddered and the shower sprayed to life.
“Shit,” she whispered.
Digging the heels of her hands into her eye sockets, she was surprised to find the scratch of unshed tears.
Anger at her new lover had spilled into hurting her partner. That both were bundled up within Dima undid rational thought. She’d never been turned so inside out.
“Everything okay?”
Paul lounged against the liquor cabinet where they’d kissed, where last night had really launched. Two watery, warm screwdrivers still sat there, unfinished.
She soaked him in. All brightness and easy acceptance. Dressed in those jeans that sat low on his hips, he was shirtless too. Only, the effect was so different. None of Dima’s tightly held precision, just a loose-limbed grace that made her want to sink into a safe, welcoming shelter.
He held out a hand, beckoning. She didn’t hesitate. Being folded against bare skin and hard muscles was nearly balm enough to forget the hurt she’d put in Dima’s eyes. Nearly.
No. She couldn’t lie to herself. It wasn’t even close.
“How was he this morning?” Paul’s voice held a sleepy-soft roughness that melted into her bones.
“Pissed at me.”
“For last night?”
“No. I said something I shouldn’t have.” She pushed deeper into their embrace.
Paul cupped her face and urged her gaze to meet his. “Will you answer something for me?”
“Depends. Give it a try.”
“What in the hell are you both doing up so early?”
Lizzie giggled and tucked her face against his chest. “Yoga. The usual.”
“Freaks,” he said with a smile. His hands traced up and down her back, before gripping the underside of her ass. “But I must say that the results are mind-blowing.”
“Should be. Took long enough to get to this point.”
“So I suppose inviting you both along to breakfast this morning would be a waste of breath?”
“Why?”
He nuzzled her neck, hands kneading and stroking. Keep this up and she’d never be able to look at the liquor cabinet without thinking of Paul. “Because I had in mind something decadent.”
“You have my attention.” She ran flat palms up his ribs and gave his pecs a playful squeeze. “Spill it.”
“Steak and eggs. Down at Charlie’s off the park.”
“That dive?”
“Is that scorn I hear?”
She bit her lower lip. “Nope. Not an ounce of scorn. I could go for something not eaten raw or steamed or cooked in olive oil.”
“Good.” He wore the tiniest frown. It screamed concern on such an otherwise sunny set of features. “How to get him to come along?”
“Ha. That won’t happen. He’s mad at me and he’s the world’s biggest stickler for eating healthy.” She paused, eyeing Paul with curiosity. “You really want him along?”
The faintest blush edged across his cheekbones. He darted his gaze away.
“Oh, c’mon. Give it up, Paul.”
“Last night, had it been just me and you? Would’ve been great. Really good stuff.”
She grinned and flicked his ear. “You blushed ’cause you knew this would come off sounding like an insult.”
“Shut up, okay? But yeah. It was memorable because of the three of us. I’m not ready to give that up yet.”
“Your good time?”
The uncomplicated grin she enjoyed turned nasty. “You bet.”
“I’m not wrong though. He’s still not gonna go for it.” A sick weight settled over her chest. She’d done this. She’d put her foot in her mouth and ruined something tasty and playful.
Worse, she’d hurt him again. When had she become that sort of partner? Hell, that sort of person? Her bitterness was infecting more than her self-confidence.
“I don’t know about that. He’s a little intense, but he’s still a guy.”
Lizzie raised her brows. “Oh?”
“You willing to play along?”