The Problem with Fire - M.E. Clayton Page 0,17

his gorgeous head towards the kitchen. “A drink,” he said. “You’re not going to offer me a drink?” His smile deepened, making his dimples pop and my knees weaken. “After all, I did almost get arrested for you.”

My eyes widened, and I couldn’t stop my shocked laugh. “You did not almost get arrest,” I corrected.

Sayer smirked and it was that sexy kind of smirk that should be outlawed for the sanity of all women everywhere. “I would have, though,” he returned. “Had he kept running his mouth, I would have fucked him up, Monroe.”

That one statement brought me back to the seriousness of what just happened. I jerked my head towards the kitchen for him to follow me. As he sat down at the counter, I went to the refrigerator. “Soda, iced tea, or water?”

“Water,” he replied. “Please.”

I grabbed two bottles of water and walked over to stand on the other side of the kitchen counter, placing one of the bottles in front of him. He thanked me as he twisted the cap open. “So…”

He took a drink, but his grin was positively wolfish when he repeated, “So…”

I grimaced, because this really was embarrassing as hell. I’ve barely spoken to this man in the two months that he’s lived next door, and he’d just witness something very personal and very humiliating. I didn’t need this sex god to know that I haven’t had any action for three years.

I cringed.

Sayer let out a soft laugh. “It’s okay, Monroe. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

I snorted, and it was probably the most unladylike sound in history. “Yeah, right.”

“He’s a dick,” he said simply. “That…that scene was all him.”

I looked at this perfect specimen sitting across from me, and looking at him, how could he possibly understand? "Have you ever been married?" He shook his head. “Do you have any kids?” Again, he shook his head. “You ever been in a serious relationship?”

“Uh, it’s…it’s been awhile,” he hedged. “And it had never had the makings of marriage or forever.”

Karma was the only other person who knew my story. She’d been there for me through it all. Through picking up the pieces, through the heartbreak of not being able to help Leta adjust through the destruction, through it all. And even if this wasn’t any of Sayer’s business, he did come to my rescue. That deserved something.

“I had been rifling through my dresser drawer, looking for my favorite pajama pants, when Thomas had announced that he had wanted a divorce,” I told him. “No talk about being unhappy, or going to counseling, or anything. Just, simply, that he had wanted a divorce.”

Sayer looked flummoxed. “What a dick,” he finally threw out.

“I’m not going to argue with you there,” I replied dryly.

“So, what happened?” Then he flinched. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “That was rude and completely none of my business.”

I grinned. “Even though you’re my pretend boyfriend?”

“There’s nothing pretend about it,” he scoffed, but I knew he was only kidding. He was just trying to lighten the mood on a depressing topic.

“Anyway,” I continued, “rather than…fight for a man who, clearly, didn’t want me anymore, I bowed out gracefully with the condition that he tell Leta the truth about our divorce.” I shook my head. “I’m not sure if it was the right decision or not, but at the time…at the time, I felt like that was my…I don’t know,” I muttered, kind of surprised that this was still hard to talk about, so many years later. “In exchange for letting him have his freedom, an uncontested divorce, and a fifty/fifty financial separation and custody, I felt that was my due. He could have all that in exchange for Leta not blaming me for our divorce.” I let out a deep breath. “But…she still hates Thomas so much, I’m beginning to wonder if I’d made a mistake there.”

Sayer cocked his head. “Alright. Just hear me out, okay?” I nodded. “Granted, this is only my opinion, but…he’s the one who walked away from his family without even bothering to try. Hell, it sounds like he couldn’t even put in the effort to pretend to make it work for the sake of your feelings or the impact a divorce would have on his daughter. Why would you take part blame for that?”

“Well, when you put it like that…”

“He doesn’t deserve his troubles with Leta because he wanted a divorce, because…well, shit happens all the time,” he said. “Best laid plans, and all that. But he does deserve