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“Any word on when you’ll be able to come home?”
He shook his head. “Nothing new. They want to be absolutely sure my wound is healing up as it should, so it’s still going to be a while.” He paused then smirked. “The doctor also told me I should avoid sex for a few weeks so I don’t cause any further damage.”
“A few weeks?” My initial reaction was that I didn’t care. I was just glad he was on the mend. But seconds later, I could almost hear my lady parts scream at the thought of no sex for a while. We weren’t normal, I was sure, but we had sex most days, and occasionally more than once. When he’d moved out, it was rough, but sort of okay since he wasn’t there to tempt me. Having him in the house – and all the time since he wouldn’t be working – would be torture.
“Yup.”
Closing my eyes, I let out a groan, but then I opened them and laughed. “I bet you’re begging me before I’m begging you.”
With a raised eyebrow, he slowly leaned towards me, his lips hovering a fraction away from mine. “You reckon?”
I smirked, trying to control my already racing heart. “Uh-huh.”
He tilted his head slightly, glancing down at my lips, fire igniting in his eyes and sparking my body to life. “We’ll see.”
Even injured and doped up on painkillers, he has an effect on me…
“We will,” I told him, moving back, denying us both the kiss we obviously wanted, and he laughed.
I couldn’t give in that easily.
With a shake of my head, I returned my attention to the real issue of the day. “James and Jayden are here.”
Radleigh nodded, his smile fading a little. “Yeah, I figured. I’m not ready for this, Leah.”
“I know.” I took his hand and entwined our fingers. “But we do need to work this out. Fast. Jayden looks so sad.”
“I don’t know what’s best for him. I want it to be me. Us. But what if it isn’t? What if James is the better choice here?”
I sighed. “If that’s the case, then maybe we just let it be. There are a million reasons why he should be with us, but there are an equal amount why he should stay in New York. If that happens, you’re not leaving him with a stranger. James will take good care of him. He’s a good guy.”
“He’s a girlfriend-stealing asshole.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Really, Radleigh? And you were a virgin when we met, right?”
His eyes narrowed and he loosened his grip on my hand. “I never stole anyone’s woman.”
“You slept with women who were in relationships. Me included. You don’t get to use what he did back then against him. He’s obviously changed, just like you have. Just like I have. And you said yourself, he’s been a good dad to Jayden.”
“So… what? You’re on his side now? You think Jayden would be better off with him?” Radleigh dropped my hand completely and the atmosphere in the room shifted.
Here we go again. I wanted to be supportive, but I wasn’t going to tell him what he wanted to hear. I’d just been over this very thing with James, and however much it meant to Radleigh to have Jayden live with us, I wasn’t going to say things I didn’t think were true just to make that happen.
“I never said that,” I told him.
“Or do you just not want him? Is that what this is about? You don’t want him so you’re trying to make James seem like the better choice?”
I shook my head and stood up. “I’m not doing this with you. You know how I feel. I’ve told you I want Jayden with us. But you need to see that what you want might not be the best thing for him. When we talked about this before, you were the one who said he might be better off in New York. This isn’t about you winning some petty victory. This is your son’s life. Think about that.”
I dropped a kiss on his forehead and left the room before he could say anything more.
James looked up as I stepped out of the room, and I said, “I’m sorry. I’ve just put him in a foul mood.” He grimaced, but I added, “However, I think if you let Jayden go in first, he’ll relax.”
“Good call.”
James looked down at Jayden. “Come on, Jay. It’s time to go in.” Jayden hopped up from his seat and took James’s hand. “Are you waiting out here?”
I nodded. “I think it’s best.”
