he ever thought about me the way I had him. Wishing my life could have been different. It’s amazing how one person burrows into the fractured parts of your heart, even when they’re the one responsible for creating the cracks in the first place.
“You know . . .” I have to think hard about how I want this to come across. Since the day the three of us got lost trying to find Human Anatomy 101 we’ve never kept secrets from each other, there’s no need to start now. “I’m not one hundred percent sure if Matt showed up on my doorstep divorced, I wouldn’t take him back. I may even go for separated.”
Paige rolls her eyes, and Mia sits forward in her chair, her hand on her chin listening to every word.
“It’s the dream. You know? The life I’d conjured up and never got to live. I want my dream.”
All is quiet, each of us deep in thought, and I’m lost to the memory of a night that should feel like closure, instead it feels like a new wound that will probably take another five years to heal.
“You need to get laid,” Paige announces.
“I’m pretty sure that’s what happened this weekend,” I reply.
She’s shaking her head. “Meaningless, no strings attached, fuckery,” she defines.
“Rebound sex?” I ask dubiously.
She leans forward, making sure I have her full attention. “Hot, sweaty and dirty rebound sex. Find the hottest guy you can,” her eyes travel to the balcony next door. “And rock his fucking world, or have him rock yours for that matter.”
She sits back like this is a done deal. Decision made. If only I could get on board.
It’s been a full week since the ‘affair,’ and I’ve never been happier to relish in the fact that it’s Friday night. Work has been a bitch since one of the partners in my firm took on a pro-bono case. He’s never had much interest in charitable acts of kindness in the past, but for some strange reason Thomas Feeley has developed a keen interest in this orphaned little girl. It’s a small office, but with so much of his time being spent on that case, I’ve had to pick up the slack.
My neighborly eye candy has been doing wonders to wedge Matt out of my mind. Every morning Damian appears with his coffee mug, usually something smutty, and my morning view, which used to be the ocean is now an eight pack. I can think of worse things to wake up to.
I’m settled in for a marathon night of American Ninja Warrior episodes. Nothing is going to stop me from finding out who makes it to the finals.
Planted on my comfy white sofa, Chardonnay and frozen pizza in hand, I’m about to press play when someone knocks on my front door. If this is Paige or Mia, I’m not letting them in. I’ve waited all week to see what happens on tonight’s episode. Looking through the peephole, my breath halts and I instantly start to sweat as my heart ratchets it up a notch. This is crazy.
“What are you doing here?” I’m both angry and confused, having no idea why Matt Bryson would be standing on my front porch, looking sinfully sexy, as I swing the door open wide.
He smiles, his straight white teeth brilliantly flashing at me, his dark blue eyes intense as he takes a step inside my apartment. “I needed to see you.” He removes his hands from the pockets of his dark gray trousers and steps closer. I back up, my heart in my throat, my mouth suddenly dry and my mind wondering why a married man would need to see me. Why a married man who somehow still holds a piece of my heart is slowly and gently closing the door behind him.
He locks it.
Shit.
“I tried to call you all week, but you never picked up. I need to talk to you,” he says, his voice smooth and rich, his heated gaze never straying from my own.
I’m drawn to him, too drawn, my mind erasing every reason I have for hating his guts, every minute I spent wondering where he was and what he was doing the past five years flies out the window. My body completely betrays me, reacting to his presence.
“Stop!” I throw my hands out. “You can’t come any further.”
His lip curls up on one side and . . . damn . . . he’s adorable. I scan him from head to toe. He’s tall,