Page 95 of Worth Loving You

I chuckled, setting her mug in front of her. “It’s been covered up long time ago.”

“What was it?”

I sipped the strong, black brew, motioning for her to drink, as well.

Moving from one butt cheek to the other, she sat up and clumsily brought the cup to her mouth, slurping loudly.

My middle finger tapped to my left pec at the skull with a black cape over it, like the grim reaper. “Loraine.”

“Loraine?”

“Yup. My ex’s name.” I took another drink, watching her over the rim.

She seemed surprised. “You had a girlfriend?”

Snorting, my shoulders drew to my ears. “Yeah. I ain’t been no saint all these years.”

“I’m just saying, I thought because of what you were born to do, you wouldn’t have time for that.”

I took a sharp inhale through my nose, thumbed it, and cleared my throat, gazing out the window at the lights of the buildings around us. “Yeah, well, I didn’t, which is why she cheated on me.”

She pouted, her brows arching and her eyes shimmering. “You were cheated on, too?”

My head bobbed, turning away from her. Dammit.

“Did you love her?”

A knife twisted in my gut, making me cough. Sipping, I swallowed with a loud sigh. “Yup, sure did. Thought she was the one.”

“It hurts when you think you found the one and they break your heart,” she whispered, sounding a little more sober.

I cast a sideways glance, narrowing my lids. Did that sound like doubt? Was she second thinking forgiving Milo?

I finished my cup, twisted my waist, and rinsed it out. “Yeah, well, Loraine was the one. I wasn’t wrong. I could have fixed things between us, but I chose not to.”

“Why?”

“Pride,” I sighed, setting the mug in the sink. Choosing my words carefully, I studied her features to see her reaction. “Didn’t want people knowing I was weak and forgave someone who cheated on me, so I told her to fuck off.”

She cringed, bowing her head. Her fingers tapping the side of the cup, she sniffled a few times before responding. “I’m sorry you were hurt. How long did it take you to move on? When did the pain stop?”

The heels of my palms hitched on the corner of the counter behind me, and I groaned. “I’ll let you know when it happens.”

Her brows furrowed. “How long ago did this happen?”

“Twenty-four years.”

She looked to the left, then the right, her head sinking while she finished her cup. “Do you sometimes wish you’d forgiven her?”

“Yes and no. Had I, I would be married to the love of my life with a few kids by now. Because I didn’t, I’ve had the pleasure of bagging a couple hundred beautiful ladies.”

She clucked her teeth and folded her arms. “Is that all that is important to you men?”

A shoulder rolled. “To me, it’s pretty goddamn important. I dunno, maybe you and Milo are doing something wrong, because to me, sex is very important. If you don’t think it is, something’s missing, kitten.”

Clucking her teeth once more, her head bobbed side to side. “I’ll have you know sex is fantastic between us. In fact, I had him begging me for mercy a few nights ago.”

The blood in my veins thickened, my temperature rising. Leaning on my forearms on the island, I bent toward her, our faces inches apart. My tone deep and gravelly, I muttered, “Trust me, I know. I heard it all.”