Page 64 of Reckless
Harvey’s lips press together to hide a smile as he rises and walks outside to get a “talking-to” from his son.
“I heard that, Red,” Cade calls out as he marches out the back door without another glance.
Willa fans herself and pulls Emma out of her highchair and into her arms. “Well, this has beenan interesting family dinner, to say the least.”
“No shit,” Rhett replies, staring hard at Theo, like he can’t believe what has come out tonight. “When did you find out about this?”
“About a week ago,” Theo replies.
Rhett turns his attention to me. “You didn’t tell him? Or anyone? You’ve known all this time, and you didn’t say anything?”
There’s disbelief in his voice, but also accusation. Of course, he’d think the worst of me. I might be sitting at the table with this family, but I’m not one of them. No matter what I do, they’ll always regard me with a hint of suspicion.
Theo snaps his fingers over the table, drawing his mentor’s attention back to himself. He went from looking amused to downright murderous. “Watch your fucking tone when you’re talking to the mother of my child.”
Rhett’s jaw pops and his arms cross. He looksshockedby Theo’s sharp tone.
Sloane cuts the tension. “You don’t owe us an explanation. If you guys are happy, I’m happy. Vivi has so much love, and she’s the luckiest girl in the world with two great parents in her life now.”
I settle back in my seat as Sloane gives me a brief nod from across the table.
Like a physical reaction to the spike in tension at the table, quiet whimpers start up from beside me, Vivi’s eyes suddenly coated with tears.
Before I can react, Theo reaches for her. “Hey, hey, hey, baby girl. It’s okay,” he coos as he sidles her up against his broad chest.
And it’s a shot to my core.
He has no business looking this good andbeingthis good. Jumping from defending me to consoling her.
I don’t deserve it, and there’s a part of me that still feels like I’ve saddled him with something he can’t possibly want.
There’s also this little part of me that’s more drawn to him with every moment I spend in his company. I felt it that night, a level of comfort I’ve never known. And now that feeling builds every second I’m around him.
Every time I see him with Vivi.
Every time he shows up at my door with a coffee.
Every time he winks and rakes his eyes over my body like he’s replaying that night in his mind.
But sitting here, watching him surrounded by friends and family, consoling our daughter like the sweet man he is—I feel like an outsider.
Like I don’t belong. I’m going to be tied to him for the rest of my life, so there’s a good chance I’ll be forced to watch him date other women. Marry another woman. Have children with another woman. And Vivi will be part of that family too.
And I’ll still be the outsider. Because making his dick hard isn’t enough to make a relationship last.
“So how is all this...going?” Summer inquires carefully.
The ball of anxiety in my chest as I come face-to-face with the reality of my future and this foreign, consuming jealousy keeps me from talking.
“Great. We’re still figuring things out.” Theo glances my way, wide palm rubbing his daughter’s back as she nuzzles into the crook of his neck. Like she justknowshe’s hers somehow.
Hers in a way that he’ll never be mine.
“Living next to each other is helpful, actually,” he adds in a good-natured way, followed by a wink.
A wink that screams danger to my heart, just like it did the very first time he aimed it my way.
“Yes,” I say, fiddling with the napkin in my lap. “It’s perfect. It’s kind of like we’re business partners. You know?” Summer nods slowly, her eyes clouded with confusion. “Like we have the same goal, but can still keep things separate. Professional almost.” I say it to lay things out, a nice chain-link fence around myself to keep my battered, untrusting heart safe from harm. Safe from a man like Theo, who would be too damn easy to fall for.
