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24
Dominic
We say goodbye to my parents at the airport. I watch them climb into a taxi, and when they drive away, so does any reason for me to hold her hand, kiss her cheek, or wrap my arms around her.
She’s quiet on the way to my condo. The countdown until Ryder returns feels like a bomb ticking off the seconds in my head.
“Busy day tomorrow?” I ask, keeping my head buried in my phone as the cab makes its way to my condo.
She doesn’t look up from hers. “Yeah, we’re doing a rehearsal for the recital this coming Saturday.”
“Right, I remember you mentioning that now.” I was going to take her to dinner on our last night before Ryder returned, but I guess that’s out now. How do we end this? With a handshake?
“I’ll probably be late most nights this week.” She gives me a half smile, and I’m not sure if that’s an ‘it sucks, I’d rather be screwing you’ smile or if it means something else.
“I’m behind on a few things. I’ve taken off more time this past month than the last ten years,” I say.
She nods, her thumb running over the screen.
We’re quiet the rest of the way to my condo. When the taxi stops at the curb, I exit first, offering her my hand. She accepts, but it still feels like we’re a disgruntled couple who’s been married for twenty-five years and silently loathe one another. How can the energy between us change so much from one city to the next?
I open the condo and she heads to her bedroom wordlessly, so I head to mine. After I shower and change into sweatpants and a T-shirt, I decide to pay her a visit. I’ll never be able to concentrate at work if I don’t know what’s going on in that beautiful head of hers.
I knock on her bedroom door, and she says come in. When I open the door, I see that she’s also showered and in her pajamas, which consists of another pair of silky shorts and a lacy cami that turns her nipples into a beacon for my gaze. She’s putting lotion on her arms and only spares me a brief glance.
“Talk to me,” I say, sitting on the edge of her bed. “What are you thinking?”
She shrugs, concentrating on working the lotion into her skin.
“Valentina?”
“The wedding was our timeline, right? It’s over, so we can contact the lawyer about the annulment and get things rolling again.” She moves to her legs, propping one up on the bed.
“Is that what you want?” I could kick myself for asking.
“Ryder’s returning. That was the deal.”
I put my hand on hers, and she looks at me. “I asked if it’s what you want?”
She stops and sits next to me, blowing out a breath. “Why is everything so complicated with us?” There’s a hitch in her voice.
“I have no idea, but I’m not ready for this to end. We have a week. Let’s make the most of it.”
It’s a bad idea, and her skeptical look says she knows it.
“And after Ryder returns, then what?”
“It’ll be easier. You’ll be back home with him and we’ll just coexist when we see each other. You know when we’re in close proximity we can’t control ourselves, but…”
She pumps the lotion again and rubs it on her other leg. “It’s still not going to be easy to walk away.”
“I know. But I’m not ready to say goodbye tonight.” This is the most honest I’ve been with Val since I was sixteen and stupid. I still blame my dick for saying that sappy shit about her being my one and only.
“I’m not ready either.”
I shift to face her better. “So we’ll enjoy ourselves this last week. Fuck like teenagers. And come Sunday morning, it’s D-day?”
She bites her lip and nods.
