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“She behaves like a woman scorned,” he mused. “She didn’t act that way when Grayden was involved with others, from what I saw.”
“In her mind, she always had a hold on him when they were apart. She could yank on his strings any time, offer for them to reconcile, and he’d eagerly toddle back to her. She made that offer when he was dating me, but he turned her down.”
His eyes sharpened. “You cut the strings, in other words.”
“That’s the way she sees it. I felt it was more that he’d just gotten tired of her games.”
“If that were the case, he wouldn’t have gone back to her.”
“She talked of moving away with their kids. I don’t know if she ever intended to live up to what was a passive-aggressive threat, but he didn’t want to take that chance. He must still care for her, though. Especially if they’re trying for another baby.”
Dax twisted his mouth. “I’m not sure I believe they are. I wouldn’t put it past Grayden to lie for her in his attempt to defuse the situation. He shouldn’t have bothered trying. She fucked up one time too many. I won’t let it slide.”
“Maybe it makes me a bitch, but I don’t feel inclined to ask you to.”
“It doesn’t make you a bitch. It makes you someone who brooks no bullshit—nobody should have to.” He took slow steps toward me, and my pulse predictably skittered. “In my opinion, her problem with you isn’t merely that you cut those strings you mentioned before. Nor is it only that he still cares for you—which he does, I saw it clearly.” Dax came to a halt in front of me, standing so close our bodies almost brushed. “It’s that she doesn’t feel on equal footing around you. You outshine her.”
Which would have been quite a compliment, except … “It’s not difficult to outshine someone like Felicity. Anyway, enough about her. How was your day?”
“It went well,” was all he said.
“Wow, don’t overwhelm me with information.”
His lips bowed up. “There’s nothing interesting to tell.”
Nothing hewantedto tell, more like. “How about … you part with one thing you did today? Just one. I think you can handle that. Maybe.”
His eyes briefly dipped to my mouth. “I thought about you,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. “About what I was going to do to you later.”
Even as my hormones cheered, I waved a hand in dismissal. “That wasn’t something I hadn’t guessed. You’re a boy. Boys have sex on the brain. Tell me something else.”
“I ripped Thaddeus a new asshole after he caused a scene near his home when his father refused to give him his car keys.”
I felt my lips press into a thin line. “Drunk again?”
“Plastered. His parents are finally coming down hard on him, but they’ve left it a little too late. It’s going to take a lot of work on their part to rein him in.”
“When you say you ripped him a new one, I’m guessing it involved a threat or two.”
Dax only let out a low hum.
“You really must stop talking so much. It’s hard for me to get a word in edgewise.”
A smile lit his eyes. “I’ll bear that in mind.” He cast a look at his very expensive-looking wristwatch. “I have to make a quick call. Then we can eat. Scan the menu and then tell me what you want so I can order it.”
“Sure thing, pumpkin.”
He did a double-take. “Pumpkin?”
I shrugged. “Felt like giving it a whirl. I don’t like it. You?”
“I’d be happy if you never, ever called me that again.”
“Then we’ll scrap pumpkin.”
“Yes. Yes, we will.”
Chapter Sixteen
