Page 70 of Keeping Skylar
As his gaze falls to my wrists and the red marks that seem to be brightening by the second, his expression shifts, a frown knitting his brow. “Did I hurt you?” he asks with genuine concern in his voice.
I shake my head and smile. “No. You were perfect,” I reassure him, as I run my thumb along his swollen lips.
He breathes a sigh of relief. “Okay, that’s good to hear.” He lowers himself again, resting his face gently in the crook of my neck. “Want to join me for a shower?” he whispers, his voice soft, almost teasing.
I nod, and he gently pulls out of me before rising slowly to his feet. The moment I’m upright, he cups my arse and lifts me with ease, my arms and legs locking tightly around him as he carries us towards the bathroom.
Once in the shower, Heath steps us into the stream of steaming water, the heat cascading all over our bare skin. It instantly soothes our aching muscles, drawing soft moans from our lips as we melt into each other, unwilling to break the closeness just yet.
Without even realising it, I’m moaning softly into his ear, causing his cock to harden once more between my legs. Suddenly, I’m being pinned against the tiled wall, his lips crashing into mine in a deep, hungry kiss, one that steals all the air from my lungs.
Slowly, he guides his cock inside me, only this time with a little more tenderness than before. He spends the next several minutes making love to me, and it’s just as thrilling as when he’s pounding me hard.
Doing what he does best, Heath brings us both to a mind-blowing climax for the second time tonight, leaving us weak and boneless yet thoroughly satisfied.
After our shower and lovemaking session, we dry off and head into my room, slipping beneath the covers, still naked. The moment my head hits the pillow and his arm wraps tightly around me the rest of the world falls away.
That night, I sleep more soundly than I have in a very, very long time.
CHAPTER 30
Skylar
A new work week dawns, and I’m out the door earlier than usual. There’s a low, familiar hum of early risers and brewing coffee drifting through the morning air as I wait for Hannah at our usual café for a quick latte before we slip into the bustle of the school day.
This morning, we’ve arranged to meet a little earlier so I can finally catch her up on everything that’s happened since my birthday dinner, only two nights ago. There’s far too much to fit into a text, especially with everything that’s been quietly unfolding between Heath and me. I’m also certain she’s curious—perhaps even a touch impatient—to hear how things played out with Kaden after he unexpectedly crashed our little party.
I’m seated at a table just a few feet from the door, about to take another sip of my hazelnut latte, when the devil himself strides into the café—impeccably stylish, as always, in a sharp navy blue suit. Unfortunately for me, he spots me right away, and the instinct to bolt kicks in hard. But of course, the bastard is standing in front of my only exit.
He flashes that infuriatingly smug grin, the one he wears like a weapon, and it only widens as he closes the distance between us. ‘Well, what a lovely surprise. Twice in under two days. How did I get so lucky?’ He smirks, and I almost barf from the way his eyes sweep over me like a sleezy, arrogant pig.
Today, I’m wearing a floral print dress that stops just above my knees, and I can feel his gaze linger a little too long on my barelegs. My stomach twists in a mix of disgust and frustration, but I force myself to stay still, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing my discomfort.
Once upon a time, I craved his attention, longed for the desire in his eyes when he looked at me the way he’s looking at me now. But now? All I feel is revulsion, so intense, it almost burns my insides. The urge to tear out his eyes and feed them to him, just to make him stop ogling me, is overwhelming.
I roll my eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m not in the mood, Kaden. So, say what you need to say and leave me alone.”
“My, my. Aren’t we a little sourpuss this morning?” His voice is mocking, but I ignore the tone. “Is it a crime for a man to want to see his beautiful wife before he heads off to work?” He winks, as if his words are a playful game. “Anyway, I was just about to grab some coffee before my morning meeting when I saw your pretty face through the window. I couldn’t resist. I had to come in and say hi, and to tell you that I haven’t stopped thinking about you.”
“Why would you be thinking about another woman when you’ve got a girlfriend waiting for you at home?” I scoff, the words dripping with contempt. “Oh, that’s right—you wouldn’t know anything about loyalty and honesty.” I shake my head, muttering under my breath, “Some people never change.”
His expression falters, and for a fleeting moment, he looks genuinely ashamed. “Look, I’m not perfect, Sky. I never claimed to be. I know I have my flaws, but I’m trying, okay. I’m trying to show you that I’m still the same man you married, despite the mistakes I’ve made. Ever since you left, I’ve been worried about you, day and night. You’re my wife, and I still love you, whether you choose to believe that or not.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “Kaden, it doesn’t matter what I believe. At the end of the day, you’re with Lucia now, and I’m—”
“No, it matters, Skylar.” He quickly interrupts. “Because if you choose to give me another chance, I promise, you’ll always comefirst. I’ll always choose you above anything and anyone else, and I will spend my entire life proving that to you. I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on everything that’s happened over the past several months. And you know what I’ve come to realise the most?” He doesn’t wait for my reply. “I realised that all the happiest moments of my life were spent with you.” His gaze drops to the floor, his expression revealing a complicated mix of regret, shame, guilt ... sorrow?
My mind scrambles to decide whether he’s spinning another web of lies or if, this time, there’s some truth buried in his words. Then I hear it, a quiet sniffle, and notice the shimmer in his eyes, the tell-tale gloss of unshed tears he quickly blinks away.
I might despise him, but I would never take advantage of his vulnerability. So, I soften my expression, and keep my voice even. “Kaden, even if I were to consider giving you another chance, I don’t think I could ever fully trust you again. With each passing day, the bitterness and resentment would only grow, and that’s not the kind of marriage either of us wants. It just doesn’t make sense for us to stay together. Why can’t you see that?”
He shakes his head, unwilling—or perhaps unable—to accept the truth. “What I don’t understand,” he says, his voice taut, “is how someone can easily walk away from six years of marriage and a decade of building a life together. Yes, I know I fucked up and hurt you. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make things right again. That’s my promise to you, Sky. We will survive this. I know we will. If we face it together, we can come out the other side stronger and better than before.”
This isdefinitelynot how I imagined my morning would go—face to face with my ex-husband trying to plead his case and win me back. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I ever forgive him, let alone give him another chance.
He takes a step closer, his voice low and gravelly. “Skylar, baby, I’ll take every blow you throw, every ounce of pain you think I deserve—no matter how long it takes—if it means there’s even the smallest chance for us. I can’t just walk away from you. Not without fighting for what we had.”
I’m just about to speak when he raises a hand, stopping me mid-breath. “I have to head to my meeting now,” he quickly dismisses me. “You don’t have to give me an answer today. I’d rather you take time to really think about what I said.” He pauses, his eyes holding mine. “But know this, Sky—I’m not giving up. Iwillfind a way to win you back. Just wait and see.”
