Page 25 of My Only

Especially before I exchanged vows with Ayla in Jamaica six years ago.

His words echoed in the corners of my mind in that moment, numbing me.

Making it impossible to focus on anything else.

“Any woman who would want to ruin your marriage is a woman who wants to ruin your peace.”

Harper had always been flirtatious.

I used to brush it off.

Office banter.

Nothing serious.

But lately?

I was starting to wonder if I had been willfully blind.

I had assumed Harper’s flirting was innocent, like every other woman in my past. But now, I wasn’t so sure.

This felt deliberate.

And with Levi walking in, seeing what happened… I hoped it wouldn’t become office gossip.

Levi wasn’t the type to stir shit up, but still, I was concerned.

I shook my head, inhaling a deep breath, then forcing the thoughts away on my exhale.

Then, I flipped open the folder Levi had brought me and forced myself into work.

But deep down, I knew.

This?

What just happened?

It couldn’t happen again.

Not after last night.

Not if I wanted to fix what was already breaking.

CHAPTER 3

THEN – EARLY SUMMER 2017… SIX YEARS EARLIER

Hassani

“Hassani, would you get up?”

Ayla’s voice was soft, but I could hear the smile behind it.

I glanced up from my sketchbook, watching her at the kitchen counter, reaching for ingredients, and got distracted.

By her.

By the way those soft, round hips moved as she stretched just a little too far.

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