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Edwina frowned, then quickly eased the tension in her face, realizing she was being too obvious. There was no reason Sullivan couldn’t or wouldn’t brag about his past conquests. She had a boyfriend. They were friends. Casual, newly reacquainted friends.
It was just shocking because he’d never done that before. It didn’t even really feel like his style. With just his guy friends? Sure. But in front of her and Astrid?
Though he had been working hard to not flirt with her. Maybe he’d finally succeeded in thinking of her as just one of the guys.
That thought was not triumphant.
Edwina actually felt a little sick to her stomach.
“We’re lucky they’re so charming, aren’t we?” Astrid said, giving her a smile. “What every woman wants is her man talking about all the women he’s shagged in the past.”
“I just said I didn’t get any action,” Jesse protested. “How did I get lumped in with Dirty Dick over here?” He gestured to Sullivan.
“Sullivan can say whatever he wants,” Edwina said. “He’s not my man. He’s his own man.” She meant it to sound light and humorous but it sounded sharper than she meant it to.
The whole conversation was not one she wanted to be having.
Her cheeks felt hot. She took a few steps toward the back door. “How cold is the water? It looks perfect for swimming.”
“It’s cold,” Jesse said. “The current is also strong, so stay close to the shoreline. But on a hot day like today it feels amazing.”
“Do you mind if I go down there?” she asked. “The power went off at my dad’s place and I’ve spent the morning sweating.”
She also wanted to regroup.
There was no reason for her to be upset that Sullivan had a deep and lengthy sexual history. It didn’t concern her at all. Hell, she’d seen him sprawled out on Mrs. Wilson’s lawn with a woman on top of him. Winnie had dished extensively on his reputation. Mrs. Wilson had told her Sullivan’s house was a revolving door of women. This wasn’t a shock.
Yet it had gotten right under her skin.
Her flushed, overheated, very pale skin.
“Help yourself. It will definitely cool you off.”
She needed cooling off. No wading slowly into the water. She needed to jump right into the crisp Minnesota lake.
She dropped the bag on the floor and started digging through it until she found the sunscreen. Standing back up she yanked the slider open and went outside with the sunscreen without waiting for Sullivan.
“Finn, you need sunscreen,” she said, walking over to where he was attempting to pick the puppy up and put her on the chaise lounge.
He immediately flung his arms out like a scarecrow. He clearly knew this drill. It improved her mood immediately. He was a great kid.
God, she wanted to have a baby sooner than later.
The thought crowded out her worries about all the work she had piling up on her virtual desk back at the apartment.
Spending time with Finn and seeing Sloane with Penelope the other day only confirmed that she couldn’t ignore the ache in her heart forever.
Her father’s comment about her age popped back into her head. A lump formed in her throat and as she sprayed the sunscreen over Finn’s arms and shoulders and back, she suddenly felt tears well up in her eyes. When she moved around to his front and got his round little boy belly, the sensation grew stronger.
The dog licked her bare leg and rubbed her fur against her and Edwina’s vision went blurry.
Really?
She was crying over the sheer adorableness of a rounded preschooler’s belly and puppy kisses.
She was absolutely losing it.
“What’s wrong?” Finn asked as she sniffled and widened her eyes.
