Page 51 of Reckless
Sloane:Is that a yes or a no?
Winter:Just don’t tell anyone. It’s his story to tell.
Sloane:What story? I don’t even know what you’re talking about.
Sloane:LMAO. See what I did there?
Winter:Did Jasper fuck all the brain cells out of your head with his massive dick?
Sloane:You love me.
Winter:I do.
* * *
Theo Silva is standing on my front porch at 10 a.m. on the dot. I can see him on the screen of my phone, awkwardly shifting his weight on his feet, with a paper coffee cup in each hand.
I’ve been ready for this. For him. Yesterday, I got the sense he wouldn’t be taking off into the sunset after finding out about Vivi. And I spent the entire night awake thinking about it.
He must hate me deep down. How could he not? But I want him to have a relationship with his daughter. I don’t want her to live with the fraught tension that I grew up around. I’m a grown-ass woman. Adoctor. I know that I’m not warm and fuzzy, but I’m mature.
Ish.
I have my moments, and this needs to be one of them. For Vivi. I won’t worry about Theo liking me, and I’ll ignore how painfully attractive he is and chalk him up to an excellent specimen.
Vivienne will thank me for those genes one day.
Tugging at the bottom hem, I glance down at my vintage Rainbow Brite T-shirt. I paired it with baggy boyfriend jeans because none of my jeans from before fit that well anymore.
Something I try not to think about too much.
At least my tits look great.
Not that it matters. Because Theo is my...co-parent. We’re like business partners. Yes. I like how that feels. Tidy and non-threatening. Like we’re a team but can go our separate ways at the end of the day.
With a sure nod, I pocket my phone and open the door.
“Dr. Hamilton, were you waiting for me?” He winks, and all that composure evaporates like it was barely ever there. I’m plunged back to that night at the gas station. His undone boots and cocky grin.
Me staring like a total idiot.
The rush I felt when he hiked my dress up over my thighs like he was unwrapping a present. His fingers hooking inside my panties without even hesitating.
I clear my throat. “Looked more like you were waiting for me from what I could see on the camera.”
He glances up, eyes shifting until they land on the little square with a lens in the corner. “Good. I’m glad you have a security system. I was going to offer to put one in.”
I nibble at my lip and blink away. Why is he so.. .nice?
It’s unnerving. People are never this nice unless they want something from you. It’s not normal.
“Why don’t you just knock or ring the doorbell?”
He shrugs. “I don’t want to wake her up again.”
“I can give you my number.”
“I have it already.”
