Page 42 of Stone Deep
He leaned to look past me, but he wasn’t focused on the tall man stretched on my bed. His eyes went to the pet food dish I had next to the chair. “I see you have a cat.”
“No, I—I use that to spit out the shells of my sunflower seeds.”
“No.” His stretched face bunched up into an angry crumpled expression. “I saw a kitten, an orange kitten right here on the ledge of this window.” He pointed to the front window. “I’m afraid you’ll have to either put the kitten out or leave.”
“I’ll be gone in the morning.”
“Not good enough. You signed a contract. No pets. So, get the cat out, or you’ll have to pack up tonight.”
“Fine. I’ll pack.” I slammed the door shut. “Damn it. Guess we’ll head to your place.”
“You mean our place.” Ryan dropped the pillow back down on his face. “You can’t bring the cat,” he mumbled.
“You just referred to it asourplace. The cat is going with me, so there’s the end to that part of the conversation.” I filled the ice pack and handed it to him. “Here, put this on your head while I pack.”
I walked to the closet and pulled out my bags. There was another knock on the door, and this time I was in no mood for my sour-faced landlord. I walked to the door. “I told you I’m leaving,” I said as I yanked it open.
“But I just got here.” Slade flashed that smile that I was already far too crazy about.
“Slade.” I moved into the center of the doorway. “How’d you find me?”
“Well, this was the only pay by the week motel in the area, and I know how you like to stay in the really crappy ones.” He looked around. “Yep, this one really fits the bill. I wanted to?—”
Slade stopped and looked at something behind me. I didn’t need to turn around to know that curiosity and the need to be a cocksure, possessive asshole had pulled Ryan out of bed.
“Who the hell are you?” Ryan’s snide tone came over my shoulder. I wanted to melt into a puddle and disappear into a crack in the cement.
Slade shot him a cold look. His jaw twitched with anger, but his dark green eyes showed something much deeper. It was hurt. “I’m a friend,” he answered, and the flicker of emotion in his face made my chest tighten as if someone was pressing against it. “Who are you?”
“I’m Britton’s husband.”
Slade’s hard gaze landed on my face. I nodded to let him know it was true.
“Fuck.” Slade turned and walked away. I ran after him, pulling the door shut in Ryan’s face.
“Slade, I can explain. We’ve been separated for four months.” I stood behind him as he faced his car.
His tense shoulders strained the fabric on his t-shirt. He reached up and slammed his hands against the top of the car before spinning around. “When were you going to fucking mention it, Brit? Seems like you’ve had a lot of opportunities. Long before you let me start to feel this way about you.”
“I was going to tell you, but?—”
“But what?”
“But I thought you’d get upset. Like this. Like you are now. We were having such a good time—” I sucked in a shuddering breath. “I loved every second I spent with you,Slade. I just didn’t want to ruin that.”
“It would have been a hell of a lot easier hearing it from you than from him. I came running after you because you left so suddenly today, and now I feel like the biggest fucking chump in the world.”
I grabbed his arm. “Please let me explain.”
The door to the motel opened.
“Britton, let’s get going,” Ryan said from the hallway. I didn’t turn or answer him.
I looked at Slade through my tears.
His face changed, and his harsh gaze softened some. “Are you in any kind of danger?” he asked. “Will he hurt you?”
His concern made my heart ache that much more. Slade was everything I needed, but I was losing him. I’d never made smart life decisions. Ryan was proof of that, but he had never laid a mean hand on me. “He’s a terrible husband,” I said quietly. “But I’m in no danger. Please?—”
