His body clenches, but I pull him in tighter refusing for there to be any distance between us. “Every time I got close to a man, it felt wrong. Every first date, I had a nagging feeling. I knew why, I just never admitted it to myself, but Julian made it easy, maybe too easy, but I didn’t want that. When I saw you in the restaurant, it all made sense. I knew at that moment it couldn’t be anyone else, but stubborn Charlie wasn’t going down without a fight.”
Lex restrains his words, his breaths heavy and muscles tense even in my embrace.
“I have never been so jealous in my entire life,” he says in a bitter tone. “It drove me to do things so out of character for me. It cost me a lot with my business.”
I pull him tighter, regretting the hurt and pain I caused him. “I’m sorry.”
“It consumed me, this jealously. It was ugly, and I was nothing but a monster to everyone around me.”
“Kate?”
“Yes, Kate. She definitely was first in the firing line. Honestly, I had no idea you were her friend with the ‘fucked-up love life’…”
“I had no idea you were that hot boss in love with a woman you couldn’t have.”
He hugs me tighter, spreading his hands on my stomach, the gentle caresses on our baby warming my heart. In just twenty-four hours, he proves to me he wants this just as much as I do.
“I never did brunettes.”
“Huh?” I ask in confusion.
“You always said I preferred blondes, but that wasn’t the reason behind it. After you, I couldn’t go near a brunette. It reminded me too much of you, and each time it got harder to climb out of that depressive self-destructive spiral.”
It makes complete sense, I just never expected him to be so affected by our parting. I honestly thought he had moved on, and our affair had become an afterthought, assuming men weren’t emotionally capable of feeling such loss.
“Why didn’t you look for me?”
“Why? Because I wasn’t stupid. I knew how I left you, and as the more time passed, the more I knew you would move on, despite what I wanted.” Burying his head into my neck, his grip around me becomes tighter. “Charlotte, this right now, this is what I’ve dreamed about since the moment we ran into each other in my parents’ kitchen. I’m so happy right now it actually fucking hurts because I don’t know what to do with myself. I’m obsessed with you, every part of you. You are my addiction, but one I never want to stop.”
“Then, I’m glad I am not the only one.” I smile, elated to hear him say exactly how I’m feeling too. “You are so stuck with me for life. Let’s be obsessed together forever.”
“Oh, that sounds like a bad eighties song.” He laughs, then kisses my shoulder. “I can’t think of a better way to put it, let’s be obsessed together forever.”
We continue to lay down, although it’s only the afternoon. Shortly after, there’s a knock on the door. Mrs. Landry, my neighbor across the hall, wants to make sure the noise was me and not some burglar. Unfortunately, I greet her in only my tank and bed shorts forgetting to wear a bra. It happens to be the same time my other neighbor, Mr. Garcia, walks past. I use the opportunity to grab Coco back from Mrs. Landry and thank her repeatedly for taking care of her.
“Oh, by the way, I want to introduce you to my husband, Lex.”
I call for Lex to come to the door, much to his annoyance.
Standing in only his boxers, his torso shirtless, Mrs. Landry eyes him from head to toe.
“Well, Charlie, I see you’ve been busy.”
Lex extends his hand which Mrs. Landry shakes with a flirtatious smile across her face.
“Oh my, quite a handshake.” She presses her hand against her chest. “Well, I’ll leave you two honeymooners alone.”
As the door closes, I introduce Lex to Coco.
“I’m not a cat person.”
“You’re a pussy person, so I’m sure you can love Coco just the same.” I mock, a smile playing on my lips.
“I’m not a pussy person… for the love of God, can we not compare anatomy to your damn cat?”
I cover Coco’s ears. “Shh, she’s sensitive and can sense your negativity toward her. Anyway, if you’re not a pussy person, what are you? Tits or ass?”
“When it comes to you, Charlotte, everything…”