Page 48 of Dirty Little Secret, Baby
I cut myself. Something that hasn't happened to me in years. I quickly stick a small bandage over it and wonder what's wrong with me. Even the mere thought of Alex seems to make things happen that normally wouldn't.
"Hey," I suddenly hear a voice behind me that makes my knees go weak. "I thought I'd stop by. Am I interrupting?"
"Alex," I whisper, feeling hot and cold all over. He's wearing a white shirt and dress pants that I'm sure show off his tight ass perfectly and... damn, am I actually staring at where his dick is?
"What brings you here?" I add, turning my attention back to my flowers and trying not to look at him.
"You left so quickly this morning. I just wanted to tell you..." he begins, and out of the corner of my eye, I see him approaching me. My fingers are trembling. I put the knife down, afraid I might cut myself again. "Last night was nice," he whispers in my ear, and for a split second, I feel like I'm going to faint.
His scent is back, and vivid images from last night flash before my mind's eye.
"Yes, it was," I say with a pounding heart and turn to face him. We're so close again. Far too close. I don't want him to move away, and at the same time, I know that's exactly what I should be saying.
"Hey, we're back. I just forgot the diaper bag upstairs and... oh... hello," I hear Veronica behind me. She's come into the shop with the stroller, scurries past us without a word, goes upstairs, and rushes past us again a moment later with the diaper bag and a few toys. "On my way out."
"Does she..." Alex asks, gesturing behind him, "always keep her diaper bag and her kid's toys at your apartment?" he asks, looking at me thoughtfully.
"Well... she's over a lot and... so there are just some baby things in my apartment," I stammer, and immediately regret it. One more little lie. Not a big one, and I didn't actually lie, per se. But it didn't help the truth, either.
But I can't say it now, because it would look like I'm only coming clean because I'm being forced to.
I want to tell him in a different way. Of my own free will.
"Beth. There's something I want to ask you," Alex says, looking at me seriously.
Oh God. Does he suspect? What's coming? Or is this the thing he's wanted to tell me for a while? He looks serious, and I have a feeling that if he asks who the baby belongs to, it could all be over right here, right now.
Chapter 20
Alex
Shortly before
The way we parted this morning was typical for Beth and me. Something was on her mind. She’d wanted to talk yesterday. But I didn’t want to, even though I should have.
But the way she stood there with her wild black curls, her white top and jeans. So close to me. I just had to kiss her. And what happened after that was just as amazing. I think the last time I spent an entire night having amazing sex was...
... also with her. More than a year ago.
God, just thinking about what we did last night and all through the night, I want to do it again. Again and again. And only with her!
But there’s something else she should know. The thing with the shop, not to mention my bet with Jake.
How did I even get the idea that it would be smart to have wild, uninhibited sex first and then talk the next morning?
How could I have assumed that would work?
But I didn’t even get the chance to really talk to her. I thought maybe a relaxed breakfast atmosphere might help. I’d explain my plans for her shop and at the same time find her a suitable replacement. Who could say no to that?
Besides, I’d read an analysis of the flower shop market, if you can even call it that. The trend was moving farther away from pure brick-and-mortar and more toward online orders.
Maybe she didn’t need a storefront at all, just a place to process her orders. But I basically have no experience in her line of work, and who likes being told how to run their business? I sure don’t. And certainly not by someone I’ve slept with.
And I doubt Beth is any different.
But before it came to that, Beth was gone. Just like that, completely frantic and without giving a reason. It had kind ofbecome our weird little tradition that when we say goodbye or are about to kiss, something gets in the way or someone gets cold feet.
But we were past cold feet. What happened with Beth last night... that was unbelievable!
