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“I’ve missed you,” he whispered against her lips. “Missed your smell, missed...you. I wish things could have been different.”
She did too, but before she could agree, his mouth was on hers again, devouring. Like stepping into the ocean. Unpredictable but beautiful. She wasn’t afraid to let the current draw her out and under. She was fully accepting of drowning in this luscious, heady moment. A place where monsters didn’t exist, pain was banned and hope soared. The passion was unbridled and the only thing in this moment that wasn’t broken.
But unrestraint had once been their downfall.
As if Tiberius had read her thoughts, he brought the crashing waves to a small lapping at the shore, not abrupt but a gradual glorious fade. Framing her face, he rested his brow on hers, his breath shallow. “I’m not sorry for that.”
Was she? No, but it had complicated a civil relationship. Did he want more? Did she? What would that mean?
Finally, he moved away and leaned back on the swing. “When are we going to tell Josiah?”
Their son never strayed far from Tiberius’s thoughts.
“I almost told him. But you showed up. We can take him somewhere. Just the three of us. Although Drew doesn’t think it’s wise. He backed up my original idea.”
Lightning skewered through the sky. Bex flinched.
Ty leaned his elbows on his knees. “Drew isn’t his dad. When we tell him, we need a game plan about spending time with me in Memphis. He’s almost eighteen and I know it’ll be his choice, but I’m hoping he’ll want to know me. We need to rip off the Band-Aid and tell him where we came from, and why he can never have anything to do with them. He’s a smart kid. He’ll get it. Let me psychoanalyze you. You’ve been projecting your greatest fears onto him.”
He was right. She feared losing Josiah to the Family. Feared she’d made a mistake and he’d hate her for withholding him from Tiberius. What if she lost them all—Ahnah, Josiah and Tiberius?
Ty hadn’t come to Bex’s room for a make-out session, and now he was puzzled in new ways. Did he have feelings for her? Yes. Was he mad at her for her epic past blunder? Absolutely. How could a man want to kiss and kill a woman at the same time? Maybe he was a psycho in disguise.
“You’re right, Tiberius. I am afraid. But his right to know is greater than my fears.”
“We’ll figure out what to tell him and when. I’ll back you up as being a good mom. You are. Even if he’s been nothing but a punk, when we’re playing video games I glimpse the young man he truly is and that’s a testament to you.”
“You can be quite charming when you want to be, Tiberius.” She playfully elbowed him in the arm.
“I suppose.” He eyed her mouth. “You got better at kissing. You have a lot practice?” The idea of Bexley kissing men—plural—unsettled him.
She raised an eyebrow. “If I answer that, you’ll have to return the favor.”
Smart cookie.
“I’ll be transparent, Bex. I’ve had a lot of practice kissing. It started as a way to bump you out of my system. It didn’t work. I purposely chose women who weren’t looking to settle down. No feelings involved. Just a person to pass time with and keep from being alone.” Nothing had ever been right after he thought he’d lost her for good. Was a second chance even possible? Did he want that? Did she?
Bexley rubbed her thumb with her index finger. “I’ve dated less than ten men. Only dated. I thought I could move on and forge a new life but I couldn’t. Every time I look into our son’s eyes, I see you, and I guess... I couldn’t commit that piece of my heart to anyone else. Didn’t seem fair.”
“Nothing about this has been fair. Let’s sleep on it. In separate rooms. I’m pretty tired, and tomorrow I’m running down that list that Rand gave us. Asa and Fiona are driving out of the hurricane zone and flying to Memphis in the morning to work Cami’s case on that end. Talk to friends and family. Visit her gym and go through her past art shows, interviews. Anything that might lead us to this guy.”
“I have appointments. With the hurricane, some of my clients are presenting anxiety, and want to talk through it. I also need to pack up a few more things. I’ll go during the day, change up my routine and be careful.”
“Okay. I’d feel better if you’d share your location with me. Until it’s safe.”
She pulled out her phone and shared her location. “I should go to bed.”
“Me too. Or I might kiss you again.” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d showed this much restraint. He followed her into the bedroom. His emotions were out of whack. At the door she rose on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.
“Good night, Tiberius.” She touched her lips. “I’m not sorry either.”
Before it was all said and done, they might both be sorry.
Chapter Twenty
Kipos Island
Friday, September 7
