Page 88 of The Dom with the Clever Tongue

After a deep breath, Scarlet tugged out of her embrace and lifted her head. “He’s getting back together with Ivy. He told me tonight that he’s going to ask her to move in with him again.”

“Ivy? Didn’t she break his heart?”

She nodded and sat up then looked down at Reece. All evidence of crying was gone like she was trying to put on a strong front for Reece. “But you know he loves her. He told me tonight she visited him and begged him to take her back. He decided to give it another chance.”

Reece’s heart jumped in her throat. “But she’s bad for him! We’re better. We make him happy. Our kinks line up. We’re good together.”

“I know. But he loves her. Really, really loves her, and has for a long time. We can’t mess up this chance for him. If we get in the way, he’ll never know if it would’ve worked with her.”

She scowled. “She doesn’t deserve him.”

Her girlfriend flopped down onto her back with a sigh. “If we love him, we’ll let him go.”

Reece turned and rested her head on her elbow to look at Scarlet. “And if he comes back, we know he’s ours? Isn’t that a little Hallmark for you, Romeo?”

A hint of a smile played at Scarlet’s lips. “Smartass.” Without warning, she swung her body onto Reece’s and straddled her hips.

When Reece sighed and went to push her off, Scarlet grabbed her wrists and pinned them on either side of her head.

“Not tonight, Scarlet. I’m too tired and sad.”

“Mmm,” she purred. “But I can cheer you up.”

Mind on everythingbutsex, she shook her head. “How are we gonna handle hanging out with him twice a week just as friends? I could barely look at him tonight without bursting into tears.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” she mumbled sadly then pushed away. “I have a feeling once he’s back with Ivy, that’s the last we’ll see of him.” Scarlet lay back down next to Reece but pulled her against her chest and wrapped her arms around her.

“Really? But he seemed so adamant about staying friends.”

“Think about it.” Scarlet ran her fingers through Reece’s hair, making her eyes drift shut. “What woman would be okay with their man hanging out with two kinky bi girls he’d played with numerous times?”

“Oh.” She yawned. Part of her wanted to pound her pillow as she screamed then collapse onto it and sob, but she was too tired for such theatrics. Maybe tomorrow she’d dredge up more emotion. This wasn’t over, she knew that much. The pain was just beginning to surface. As the realization that he was truly gone struck fully, there’d be more tears.

For now, Scarlet’s petting lulled her into a deep sleep.

Chapter 16

Malachi chewed the last bit of the burger, swallowed, balled up the wrapper, and batted it into the garbage can a few feet away.

“Score. You get a big gold star, boss,” Jake said lazily, checking out the situation before he went back to working on the angel wings on his client’s back. She was another customer from off the bus who had come in at lunchtime.

“Gold star, huh?” Which, of course, reminded him of Scarlet.

Sabrina had once told him about how she and Q joked about getting a fondue set if they converted straight girls to bi. What would he get if he converted Scarlet to full-on bi? Fondue wasn’t his thing. A new tractor for the farm would be a helluva lot more useful. Not that it was likely to ever happen. They were done with him, weren’t they, and vice versa?

He ran his tongue under his lip, thinking.

The way her mother had eyed him when he and Reece had been caught kissing... He shook his head. Scarlet had dismissed the whole incident, but he’d wormed more info from Reece later on. Her mom was worried he’d break up the girls. After she’d told him, Reece had shot him a dubious look, like she’d said more than she should have, and she’d clammed up.

He didn’t want to have that on his conscience. Those girls were as in love as anyone could be. Like Cross and his girls, or Jude and his. Or him and Ivy? Damn.

He scrubbed his goatee – a little angry even. It had been frustrating, going from Dom of the month to the man who was supposed to be invisible, and back and forth, like some yoyo. Lost cause. He should forget them.

He pulled out the white envelope, turned it over a few times then drew the letter out. When he’d opened the shop on Monday there’d been this envelope on the floor – slid under the door by someone. There was no name on it or the letter.

This had hammered the first nail in the coffin of his hopes. He’d thought to pull away and give them some space while they all sorted out their feelings. He’d been ready to gently ask them to sit down and talk with him if, after a week or two, he’d still felt any hint of promise for the three of them.

But the next nail had been Reece and her talk of weddings. The girl was set on marriage to Scarlet. Who the hell was he to mess up her dreams? His big fat male ego had no right to squash her hopes for a wedding and a normal life.

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