“Will you let him go? That’s the doctor that you sent here!”
“The fuck he is. I sent Doctor Patton!”
“That’s his son!”
“Well, I didn’t know that, now did I? The gilipollas should have spoken up!”
“Quit calling him a dickhead and maybe he would have spoken up if you would quit choking him! You’re killing him! He’s turning blue for Christ’s sake! Will you let him go?”
I drop my hand from the asshole’s neck, ignoring his gasping and coughing beside me.
“Tell your father he will be dealing with me later. When I ask for him to come out, I mean him. Now, get out,” I order him, but I’m looking at Beth. Her gray eyes are watching me. There’s something shining in them and the only word I can think of to describe it is excitement.
For the first time in years, ever since Beth left my life, I’m feeling the same. My blood is thrumming through my system. My heart is beating hard against my chest. My dick is jerking against my pants and I feel… alive.
“Listen, Mr… errr… Skull. Dad retired last month. When your men called my office, I just assumed—”
“That was your first mistake. One I will be bringing up with your father. Now. Get. The. Fuck. Out.”
“Maybe if you hadn’t had Dr. Torres tending to your needs so often, you would have known,” Beth snips.
I haven’t taken my eyes off of her. I couldn’t if my life depended on it. She’s enjoying challenging me. She’s baiting me. She’s breathing heavy and her breasts are heaving against the tight black turtleneck she’s wearing. Breasts that I remember vividly. Breasts that are larger now that she’s had our daughter. Breasts that I want to bury my face in and just… breathe.
The doctor finally leaves, which should make me happy. Instead, I want to growl because Beth is hugging that damned stuffed pony against her chest like some kind of fucking lifeline, blocking herself from me.
“When did you learn to speak Spanish?” I ask because she knew what I called the asshole. That’s new. What other secrets is Beth keeping?
“I thought it would be useful. I figured you would want… I mean, I wanted to teach Gabby to speak Spanish, and they say it’s best to start them young… and I, well…”
She trails off, but her slip didn’t escape me. She thought I would want Gabby to know Spanish. She started to say that before she changed her mind. Did she plan for me to become part of Gabby’s life before that damn package in the hospital? Is this just another game? Another lie in a line of many that I seem to keep falling for?
“You shouldn’t have done that,” she whispers when she gets tired of my silence. Her cheeks blush a pale pink from me continuously staring at her.
“He had his hands on you.”
“He was examining me,” she says.
“I don’t give a fuck,” I tell her, taking a step toward her and closing the distance between us.
I reach out and pull her to me, keeping each of my hands on the cheeks of her ass. Those damn gray eyes of hers go large.
“Skull? What are you doing?” she asks, bringing her hands up to my arms and holding on, maybe to push me away, but she doesn’t do it.
“It’s both of us here, Beth,” I tell her, wanting her to admit that she feels this fucking pull between us.
“What are we doing?” she asks, and I could almost smile.
Instead, I bring my head down closer. “We’re learning, mi cielo, learning…” The old nickname slips out and I regret it instantly, but I can’t call it back. She gasps against my lips and her nails bite into my hands.
I know she’s made note of it. It makes me feel weak, but I can’t stop.
I take her mouth with mine. My tongue slips through her lips and finds… home. Her taste, the feel of her… It’s like a spark to the ashes that have been lying dormant, just waiting. I curve my tongue around hers, demanding she join me for this ride. She hums, and it’s all I can do to hold back. I want this kiss to be different. Slow and gentle. Reconnecting… remembering… reclaiming something I lost. I ignore the voice in my head calling me a stupid fool and instead I lose myself in the taste of the woman who nearly destroyed me years ago.
When we break apart, I keep my eyes closed and hold my forehead against hers, trying to regroup.
“What are we learning?” she asks, her voice thick and soft. How do I tell her I was trying to see if she could pull me from the darkness again?
I can’t.
I pull away and clear my throat, retreating to the door. I’m confused as hell… and horny. I want to push Beth onto the bed and fuck her until the voices in my head are gone, until the anger and the darkness are obliterated. I can do neither.