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“That’s funny. I liked you better when I thought you hadn’t groomed my little sister and then fucked her over.”
“Win?” I suck in a deep breath of air. Win. Fuck. That nickname. She just falls into it so easily. I absently wonder how I’m named in her contacts. I always imagined it was “Evil Half Sister” or something along those lines.
I bet his hands are rough. I bet he smells like leather. And after the man I’ve spent the last several years with, I’m unable to tear my eyes away from the rugged appeal of the man before me.
Because the very last thing I need in my life is someone who makes me feel like there’s not enough oxygen in my lungs when I’ve only just caught my breath.
“It’s dark and snowy! I don’t know the area. There could be wildlife! Driving slowly is safe so long as a back-forty hillbilly isn’t riding my ass in his small-dick truck, flashing his high beams at me.”
really like this girl. I should stop. I should walk away. I should channel my maturity and not flirt with her by infuriating her. But I’ve always been a little reckless.
I want to know more about Winter Valentine. Like when that divorce is happening.
And she’s talking about NHL superstar Jasper Gervais. One of my dad’s clients, and the man who is sitting beside her, staring at her like she can shoot rainbows out of her vagina or something.
“Careful, that one’s got claws,” Cade offers right as Willa shoves a pointy elbow into his ribs. I grin. “That’s okay. I like having my back scratched.”
“I just want you to get back home safe.”
“Depends.” I scrub at my chin like I’m turning this offer over carefully, even though I already know I’m going to take it. There’s something different about Winter, and I’m not ready to say goodbye. There’s a draw I can’t explain. With any other woman I would probably take one look and think too much work, but I’m eager to get to know her better. To figure out what’s underneath that icy exterior. “Are we drinking more wine?”
“No. I think it’s more of a tequila kind of night,”
“I think I like you because you are a heart-stopping, jaw-dropping type of beautiful.”
“I have not. You’re just using that as an excuse. If you aren’t interested, just be direct. I’m a doctor. I understand how the biology of attraction works. You can’t force it. I get it.”
“Winter. I’d have properly fucked you in the back room of that gas station if you’d asked me.”
One night only. We never tell anyone. But I’ll probably beg you for another shot, eventually.—Theo Silva
“I can’t wait to see how fucking pretty you look when you come with my name on your lips.”
I don’t want to be the one-night stand who’s used to scratch an itch. I want a woman like Winter Hamilton—beautiful, and smart, and sharp-tongued—to look at me and see a future.
Divided by seven equals three. Cycle starts.
But after confirming what I already knew with a positive pregnancy test this morning, I know I need to talk to Theo.
She was there for me while I was pregnant and alone. She was in the delivery room holding my hand. She was at my house, filling my freezer with meals when I got home. I’m not sure I deserve her, but I’m too selfish not to lap up what she’s giving me.
What the fuck kind of cruel joke is this? He’s planning on living next door to Vivienne and pretending she’s not his?
I want to pick up a rock and throw it at Beau’s stupid GI Joe head. Friends. God. We are much more than friends. And nobody knows except us. The shreds of dignity I kept in my grip when I left Rob were all I had and admitting to anyone that Theo didn’t want me either was more pain than I was equipped to handle.
“Shut your dog up, Theo. If it wakes my baby up, I’ll castrate you.” Then I slam the door on them in a fit of frustration. Then I hear Vivienne’s startled cry. Then I sink to the floor and cry too.
“Beats me, man. Like I said, she’s an island. That baby girl is nine months old, and no one has a clue who the dad is. She hasn’t told a soul. Says she was drunk and doesn’t remember.” And just like that, all my jokes turn to stone and land heavy in my gut. I really need to look at a calendar.
“Winter, I need you to tell me the truth.”
“Okay.”
“Is the baby mine?”
“I’m not trying to be funny, Winter.” “We’ve already talked about this, so I don’t know what you’re playing at.” “Talked about this?” His face scrunches and his arms gesture open on either side of him. I’ll give it to him. He appears to be genuinely confused. “Yeah. I believe the last text message I received from you was”—my hands gesture beside my head in air quotes—“Thanks for letting me know.”
“You’re telling me I have a daughter and I missed it all? The pregnancy? The birth? Everything?”
“Now that I’m here? I’m here. Okay? No expectations, but I want you to let me help you. I want to get to know her if that’s okay with you.” She nods, and more tears fall. I bring my other hand up and try to catch them all, but I fail. They come too fast, so I pull her head against my chest and opt to let her soak my already damp shirt. Seems like the least I can do for this woman after how thoroughly I’ve let her down.
He stands and bounces gently, walking toward the big bay window that overlooks the front street. He turns them toward his yard. “That’s where I live. Right next door. So, if your mom says it’s okay, I could come visit now and then.”
Which is why I cannot, for the life of me, account for the way my body reacts to the sight before me. Theo was already hot as fuck, and Theo holding a baby is even hotter. If he goes out in public with Vivienne, he’s going to get more pussy thrown at him than he already does.
“So, what led you to pick Vivienne?”
“Um …” I glance around the room, feeling like I might be stronger if I don’t have to look at them. “It means ‘alive’ and, well … she made me feel alive again. She made it when my last baby didn’t. And it felt like a good adult name, you know? Like she could be prime minister with a name like that.”
“Listen, if you’re not comfortable, I can leave. I don’t want to barge in here and demand time you aren’t ready to give. This must be weird for you.” For me. That’s the final straw. Tears build in a way that is impossible to stop. All my life, not a single person has prioritized how things might feel for me. And here is this man I barely know, prioritizing me.
“I can’t think of a single better person to watch her right now.”
“Willa took a very graphic video. I can show you sometime.” “I would love that.” “It’s not sexy.”
“That I’ve got some catching up to do. And that she can’t wait to see you.” “Vivi, you mean? Yeah, that will be nice.” He peers up at me. “No, Winter. You. She can’t wait to meet you.”
“I could fucking bury whoever made you believe you’re as unlovable as you seem to think.”
“Ya know, I’m in the middle of something. Something I have a good feeling about. So it’s a no.” My stomach goes hot, like it’s melting in on itself. Her responding laugh is shriller this time, her tone not as sweet. “Oh, my bad. I didn’t realize you were with someone.” His eyes slice over to mine, busting me. Again. “I’m not. Yet.”
“You and me.” She shakes her head, followed by a scoff. That can’t stand, though, so I hop out and round the truck. Based on the way she’s digging through her purse in her lap, I have to assume she expects me to go for Vivi. But I rip her door open and step close enough that my knees butt up against the edge of the truck. “What are you doing?” Her tone bleeds alarm as she jolts and faces me. “What’s so funny about you and me?” Her hands flip out in disbelief. “Seriously?” “Seriously.”
With one hand propped above me on the roof of the truck, I lean in, my lips hovering over hers as I whisper, “That’s a fascinating assessment, Winter. But I’m not pretending a single fucking thing. Because for a year and a half all I’ve had to do is remember you and me that night to be stuck walking around all day like this.” I cross a line.
My hand darts out and I grip her wrist, pulling her hand down to slide it over my rock-hard cock.
reckon she’ll wanna spend a little extra time getting to know her new grandchild.”
Theo saves me. Like always. “Well, Winter and I spent a lot of time talking about how to bring this up, but I should have known to just leave it to you, Harv.” Sloane is sitting straight across from me, hand on her chest, pretending to be shocked. Bless her. “Thank you,” I mouth to her.
“You didn’t tell him? Or anyone? You’ve known all this time, and you didn’t say anything?”
There’s disbelief in his voice, but also accusation. Of course, he’d think the worst of me. I might be sitting at the table with this family, but I’m not one of them. No matter what I do, they’ll always regard me with a hint of suspicion.
“Watch your fucking tone when you’re talking to the mother of my child.”
“You don’t owe us an explanation. If you guys are happy, I’m happy. Vivi has so much love, and she’s the luckiest girl in the world with two great parents in her life now.”
