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“Glad to hear it.” He pushed out the chair next to him with his toe. “Mind if I take a look?”
I clutched my sketch pad closer. I didn’t trust input from strangers—they tended to be unpredictable with their feedback. But just as much, I didn’t need him seeing my fantasies laid bare on the page.
“I’m not looking to critique or judge. I noticed you were in the zone and I’m wondering what kind of results it produced. I’m a fan of different styles,” he said.
I hated telling anyone no, but I couldn’t tell him yes.
“Adrienne,” a different male voice called from behind me. Sean.
“Oh God, not now,” I muttered. What was my asshole of an ex doing here?
Male Model pushed back from the table and stepped up next to me. “Follow my lead.”
He wrapped an arm around my waist before I could process. Presumptuous. But it felt good. His light grip on my hip was strong and confident.
Sean reached us. “I was hoping I’d catch you here.” As he turned from me to Male Model he frowned. “Who are you?”
“Dustin. I’m Addie’s boyfriend.”
Addie?No one called me that. It was my full name or nothing. But I liked the way the nickname rolled off his tongue.
“You are?” Dustin asked.
“Adrienne’s husband.”
Not this again. “Ex-husband.”
“Not until the final paperwork is signed.” Sean spoke the simple, infuriating words with all the take that I’d come to expect from him.
Paperwork he was supposed to sign six months ago. And one month ago. And last week. We’d been separated more than a year, but I had such a hard time standing up for myself and pushing him to finalize things.
Tonight, with Dustin’s arm around me, the pushback was easier. “Great. Sign it and we can move on.”
“Not until we talk,” Sean said. Talking meant him being a manipulative narcissist.
“No.”
Sean opened his mouth.
“Look, man, I get it.” Dustin talked over him. “Addie’s fucking amazing.” He squeezed my hip. “But she’s moved on. Do you really want to keep spinning your wheels trying to get to a woman who thinks you’re an insecure dick?”
I bit back a snicker.
Sean scowled. “I need to talk to you alone.” He yanked my arm so hard I dropped everything.
Dustin grabbed his wrist. “You need to leave.” That low, smooth voice developed an edge.
The tension between the men spiked, and my gut dropped. I couldn’t move or look away.
Sean jerked away and moved out of arm’s reach. “I’ll call you later, Adrienne.” He turned and walked away before I could come up with a witty retort.
My shoulders sank in relief.
“You okay?” Dustin asked.
I nodded and dropped to my knees by my things, needing a place for my focus while I grasped for composure. Nope, that wasn’t happening, because my sketch pad had fallen open to my most recent drawing, and Dustin was naked and kissing his friend, in lightly rendered pencil, on the sidewalk.
I flipped the book shut as he crouched next to me. Please don’t let him have seen that.
