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Her reaction was just as scattered. In fact, she looked downright dizzy, as if being with him one last time had crossed her mind, too. But then she composed herself and said, “I didn’t arrange this meeting for us to...”
“I know, but it’s been a while since we...” He’d been away on an assignment for what had seemed like forever, eager to see her, to hook up with her again. “Six months to be exact.”
“Yes, but that was before the adoption was finalized and Liam came to live with me.”
Zeke had been wondering if this was about her son. The eight-year-old who’d become her priority. He didn’t know young Liam, but he’d seen plenty of pictures. He had a security file on the boy.
In all honesty, the idea of her becoming a mom twisted him up inside. Once upon a time, they’d talked about having kids of their own. Of course, that was when they’d been madly in love. But those feelings no longer applied.
Zeke cleared the scratchiness from his throat. Now that her kid had become part of the discussion, he was at a loss for words. Margot was silent, as well. But that was typical of them. Aside from getting naked, they didn’t know how to communicate anymore. Their sexual escapades didn’t even include spending any nights together. They just did the deed, then went their separate ways, like hot-blooded strangers hungry for a fix.
Suddenly, he needed a cold drink, something to take the edge off. “If your offer is still good, I think I’d like a beer.”
“No problem.” She gazed at his mouth, wetting her own lips in the process. “I’m thirsty, too. I’m going to get myself some water.” She headed toward the kitchen. “I’ll be right back.”
Zeke watched her dash out of the room. In spite of the obvious tension, she was trying to act casual. But that did little to ease his mind—or his relentless desire for her.
Margot entered the kitchen and caught her breath. Why did ending her affair with Zeke have to be so painful? Why did she have to want him so badly?
She filled a glass with water from the fridge and drank half of it, telling herself to relax. She could do this. She could let Zeke go for good. It wasn’t healthy for her to keep sleeping with him. For now, she needed to focus on her son. Liam was at school today. He was a great student, a smart boy who’d learned to adapt to whatever situation he was in. But his life, thus far, hadn’t been easy. He’d spent most of his youth bouncing in and out of foster homes, hoping for a forever family. And now he had Margot.
She’d never intended to become a single parent, but when she’d met Liam at a children’s charity, she’d connected with him instantly and knew he was meant to be hers.
She used to think that Zeke was meant to be hers, too, but their divorce had proved otherwise. And their affair? That was insanity. Who slept with their ex instead of moving on? Someday, when she was ready, she would start dating again. But next time she would have a normal relationship, not the turmoil she’d endured with Zeke.
She put her glass in the sink and almost left the kitchen without his beer.Good Lord.She grabbed it and returned to the living room. She handed him the bottle, and they both sat. He took the sofa, and she scooted onto an overstuffed chair. He opened the beer and took a long, hard swallow.
He met her gaze, and her heart banged against her ribs. He was a breathtaking man, imposing in his size, with rugged features and eyes that were nearly as black as his hair.
“Where’s your water?” he asked.
“I drank it in the kitchen.”
“And you’re not thirsty anymore?”
“No.” At least not for water. Slaking her thirst for him wasn’t so easy, but she was determined to exorcise those demons.
She was thirty-three now, and he was thirty-eight. At this point, she’d known him for over half of her life. In addition to her friendship with his sister, she’d also had a close association with his dad. Caine Mitchell used to be Margot’s agent. Her own father had walked away when she was seven, abandoning her without a care. She understood that Zeke’s childhood was difficult on account of how famous his mother was. But she used to love hanging out at his parents’ house and seeing them together. The Hollywood agent and the Hollywood star. They’d been a good match, even if their union had first stemmed from tragedy.
Zeke wasn’t Caine’s biological son. His birth father was a stuntman who’d been killed in a work-related accident soon after Zeke was born, leaving his mother devastated. In the midst of her grief, she’d married Caine, and he’d adopted her infant son. Bailey had come along five years later, making her Zeke’s half sister. Caine was gone now, too. He’d died twelve years ago, leaving an emotional legacy behind. He was the glue that had held everyone together, and they all missed him terribly. Even Margot still brought flowers to his grave.
She looked into Zeke’s eyes, those deep, dark hypnotic eyes. To keep things from getting too quiet, she said, “I was just thinking about Caine and how he adopted you.”
“And now you have an adopted son.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “But you always wanted kids.”
Margot’s chest went tight. He’d wanted them, too. Before their marriage had gone awry, they’d talked about having babies. “Becoming a mom has been amazing. But it’s still so new and different, and I’m still learning, figuring things out as I go.”
“That’s normal, I suspect. But I wouldn’t really know anything about it.” After an uncomfortable pause, he asked, “Are you going to hire a nanny or an au pair? If you are, I need to screen your applicants. Me or one of my agents.”
“I’m not going to hire anyone. My mom enjoys watching Liam. She’s available whenever I need her. Or she has been so far.”
“That’s good,” he replied, pinning her with his gaze. He swigged his beer without breaking eye contact.
Margot tried not to fidget under his scrutiny. The way he was looking at her made her want to take him straight to bed. But she couldn’t, she reminded herself. Not unless she was willing to get all jumbled up again.
Before she did something stupid, she said, “When I texted you last night and said that I was having second thoughts about our affair, I was still struggling with my decision. There was a part of me that wanted to hang on.” A part that still did, she thought. Even now, her traitorous body ached for his. “But I need to create a healthy environment for myself and Liam, and I don’t see how that’s possible if I’m still sleeping with you.”
He set his drink on the coffee table. “Then, this is it? It’s over?”
