The Rivals - Dylan Allen Page 0,450

She couldn’t understand why, if he’s married, he needs to jack off.”

He snorts a laugh. “That’s the last thing I expected you to say.”

I prop a hip on the vanity and watch him towel off. “I don't understand why his coworkers didn't say anything..." I muse.

Stone grins at me in the mirror and slings the towel around his hips. "They were enjoying the show.”

I scoff. “I doubt that, most women I know don't enjoy watching the men they work with beating one out.” Now, if their coworkers looked like Stone...I might believe it.

He laughs to himself and starts rubbing lotion into his chest

“What’s funny?” I sit on my hands to keep from taking over.

His smile turns nostalgic. “We did a lot of virtual calls with the satellite hospitals last week. Kofi’s son walked in and announced that he needed his dad to help him dig a turd out.”

“Oh my God. I can’t imagine. He must have about died.” I laugh when I picture the stoic anesthesiologist that works with him. "Wait, his son was there?”

“Yeah, he’s moved his whole family now.”

There's a wistfulness in Stone's voice that pricks my worry. “Are you sad it's over?”

“No, I'm happy to be home.”

That prick turns into a full-blown puncture “I know you are. But, that’s not what I asked. Are you sad that you're not going back?”

Our eyes meet in the mirror and the tension bracketing his moves me from my perch on the counter.

He once told me that he always feels safer when we are touching, that it grounds him to know that he’s got a hold on me. So, I wrap my arms around him from behind and lay my cheek on his warm, damp back.

“Tell me, baby.”

“They offered me a permanent position.”

He says it like he's announcing a diagnosis for a terminal illness.

“That's amazing. Oh, my God, I am so proud of you.”

I look up to find his eyes closed.

“What’s wrong? Don't you want the job?”

He shakes his head, “More than almost anything else.” His brow furrows like he’s in pain.

“Then what's the problem?”

"The one thing I want more is this life we've built here with you and the kids.”

My heart…oh how well loved it is by this man. I slide around so that I’m standing between him and the counter. I cup his dear, far too serious face in my hands.

“I do. But we can do that wherever we are. Here, Mexico, the moon...wherever we are, is home.”

Hope flares in his eyes before he shakes his head and clears it away. “You love this house, Regan.”

“Right now it's my favorite place on earth. But when you’re not here, it could be a cardboard box.””

“Come on,” he says dismissively and tries to pull his face from my hands. I hold on.

“I mean it.”

“What about your podcast?”

“All I need is a power source and an internet connection for that - I can record it anywhere. Say yes."

"Eva--"

"Will be thrilled.” I finish for him.

“And if she’s not?”

I quirk an eyebrow at him. “I know she’s mature for her age, but she’s only 12. And until she’d old enough, she has to do what her parents say.”

He winces and I want to cry at the way he loves my children. I stroke his back while I try to soothe his worry. “The hardest part of being a parent is saying no to the people you’d die to see happy. But you’ll get used to it.”

He side long gaze is full of skepticism. “Promise?”

I nod. “You've wanted this for so long. Say yes. We’ll figure the rest out. That’s what we do, right?”

“Right.”

I shake my head in wonder at him. “I can't believe you were going to turn this job down. You're insane.”

His eyes darken and he drops his head so our lips are almost touching. “No. goddess. I'm in love.”

Chapter 8

Tina

I Choose You

"I'm not sure about this Maxwell, I think my children have had enough surprises to last them a lifetime, maybe we should just wait to tell them when there’s not so much at stake."

I scowl at my reflection- my eyes are too wide, my smile to placating, and he’ll know.

I lie to the whole world, I lie to my children, but I’ve never been able to lie to myself and I’ve never been able to lie to Maxwell.

“Are you talking to yourself in the mirror?”

I snap my compact closed and stop myself from yelping in surprise. “Isn’t it obvious?”

He laughs, but his eyes stay on the road and I wish desperately