Page 58 of Restless Ink

“Come over. I need to hold you and tell you all the crap that’s been going on. Because, Dimitri? It’s a whole load of crap.”

“I’m forty minutes away,” he said.

“Don’t speed. Stay safe and come home to me.”

He let out a shaky breath. “I miss you, babe.”

“Miss you, too. And I miss Captain. Can I go over to Molly’s and steal him? Dognapping isn’t too bad of a crime, is it?”

He squeezed the steering wheel, trying to stay in control so he didn’t get in an accident since people were speeding by him on this one curve that most people drove too fast on.

“I’ll get him tomorrow night since it’s too late tonight.” It was just after dinner time, but he knew he and Thea needed to talk before he went and saw his ex.

“Have him stay here with me. I…I don’t want him with her.”

“I’m almost there, baby. You need to tell me what happened to make you react like this, though.”

“Not when you’re driving.”

“Worrying about what it could be is just going to make it harder.”

“I think Molly is actually trying to push us apart. She’s pushing us together so she can look like the bigger person while tearing at us so we break apart, and she ends up on top. It’s insane, but after she lied about the shrimp and then all those little remarks over time…it’s just weird.”

He sighed, looking at the mile marker and wishing he were already there rather than so far away. “I think you and I are on the same page. Jesus, Thea. What a mess.”

“It gets worse.” She told him about the flour delivery and how a woman had called to change it. “I don’t know if it was her, and it’s probably a stretch, but seriously, it sounds like someone is out to get me. And that sounds delusional. But she’s the only one I know who might do something like that to get back at me for some slight. And doing her ex-husband isn’t just any slight.”

Dimitri wanted to groan and close his eyes at that, but since he was driving, he resisted. “First, it’s not delusional or paranoid if they really are out to get you.” She laughed, but he knew it wasn’t a full one. “Second, she has no right to feel that way. Not with the words and actions she’s used in the past to put us together. Yes, now we know it might have all been a lie, but that’s on her. Third, you’re not just doing me, and we both know that. Though the doing is nice.”

“The doing is more than nice.” She paused for a moment. “Come home, Dimitri.”

He didn’t comment on the fact that she’d called her home,hishome. That was one more step for them, even in just word choice. “I’ll be there soon. Why don’t you tell me what kind of cupcakes you’re making tomorrow, so we can think of good things. And when I get to your place, we can talk about what we’re going to do next.”

“I was thinking lemon, even though it’s such a summer flavor. I just need a little sunshine.”

“You can make two kinds. Summer and winter and make it a thing.”

“Cider cupcakes with lemon ones, as well? Think of the decorating I could do with the frosting.”

“Now I’m hungry. Maybe I made the wrong choice.”

“There’s never a wrong choice when it comes to cupcakes.”

He smiled. “You need that on a shirt.”

“Or a mug. Totally writing it down. How much longer?”

“Twenty minutes.”

“Let’s talk about brownies then.”

By the time he pulled into Thea’s driveway, he was hungryandhorny. Oddly, not the first time when it came to Thea Montgomery. He turned off the car and got out, only to find her jumping toward him. He caught her in his arms and held her close, needing her taste, her touch,her.

“I missed you,” he whispered against her lips.

“I missed you so much.” He kissed her again. “Make love to me, Dimitri. We’ll make our plans, figure out what’s wrong and why everyone keeps doing the things they’re doing, but make love to me first.”

He nipped at her lip. “Here? Outside?”

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