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“Whaddya mean?”
He started peeling. “Tobias isn’t like Drew and me. He’s got more baggage.”
I got out a large pot, a paring knife, and the cutting board, put them on the counter and shifted Drew’s house keys to the breakfast bar. “You mean ’cause he’s a dad?”
“That and other things.”
As he finished each apple, I chopped it into pieces and tossed them into the pot. “Does my attraction to him bother you?” I hoped not. I liked Tobias a little more with each visit. He was friggin’ sexy in this unassuming way — dark skin and eyes, full lips that hid the most beautiful smile, and the kind of lanky muscular body that swimmers had. Plus, his unwavering devotion to his daughter turned me to mush. Aithan didn’t reply. “Aith?” I paused before starting on the next apple. “Do you want me to drop it?”
He shook his head. “No. That’s not it. I just want you to understand. He’s not as free with his affection as Drew and I are.”
“So he’s more … conservative?”
“Not exactly.” Aithan shrugged. “He’s been through a lot. And you’re pursuing him, which is what Maeve did.”
That made me wonder if they’d talked about me.
Before I could ask, Drew appeared on the second-floor landing and said, “He’s gun-shy about women,” as he strolled into the kitchen. “Pretty frickin’ understandable.” He put his laptop on the breakfast bar then wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck.
Oh.I guess I had been laying it on a little thick with Tobias in the weeks since we’d met. “I hear ya.” I gripped Aithan’s wrist. “Thanks, lover. I’ll slow my roll.”
Releasing me, Drew perched on a barstool and snaked a length of apple peel off the pile Aithan was making. “Seems like a shame to throw these out,” he said and stuck it in his mouth. “There must be a recipe for them.”
I considered the peels. “Dunno. I never thought about it. They go into the compost, so it’s not a waste, per se.” I picked up a peel and ate it. “I suppose I could make apple chips.”
“Yes, please.” Leaning forward, Drew rested his arms flat on the breakfast bar and his chin on his arms. He stuck another length of peel between his lips. “So what did the attorney say?” The peel waggled like a dragon’s tongue and slowly reeled in as he ate it.
He did these goofy little things that charmed the shit outta me and made me smile. Drew was the eldest of us at thirty-seven, but he definitely acted like the biggest kid.
“He’s drawing up a cease-and-desist letter,” I replied. “You know, just in case there really is a video.”
Among Tristan’s stupid acts after our breakup was a threat to sell a sex video of me giving him head. Later he swore he didn’t actually have said video and he’d just been talking smack to upset me, but I couldn’t be one hundred percent sure.
I fished another peeler from the utensil drawer and passed it to Drew. “Make yourself useful.”
Aithan handed me another peeled apple. “You don’t trust Tristan’s promise that he never made a video?”
“I want to believe he doesn’t have one. I want to believe he’s not a monster and I’m not a complete moron. But I spent almost two years being the frog in his saucepan.” I’d ignored the slights and insults and neglect even as our relationship had deteriorated, slowly boiling as he turned up the heat beneath me.
I chopped the apple Aithan handed me and another one Drew peeled.
To add to the complications, Tristan was one of Aithan’s employees. Our breakup had been ugly and included allusions to the blowjob video, accusations of me cheating, and him spitting in my face. He’d later apologized, but that was after I’d filed for a protection order. Still, I’d known Tristan Blaylock all my life; I knew how completely messed up his childhood was and why he’d reacted with anger and spite when I’d ended our relationship.
I’d never completely forgive him, but I could understand him.
Aithan said, “Sometimes we stay with someone who’s wrong because we think we don’t deserve someone who’s right.”
Drew considered him. “That’s insightful, Mr. Fitness.”
Aithan tilted his head in acknowledgment. “I have my moments.”
I kissed his cheek. “That you do.”
“What about the protection order?” Drew asked around another length of apple peel.
Knowing he wouldn’t approve, I braced for impact and replied, “I dropped it.” His head jerked up and the look on his face asked why the fuck I’d do that, so I cut off his next question. “Ross and I discussed it at length, pros and cons. He was fifty-fifty about it. Tristan’s kept his distance and hasn’t tried to communicate with me. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt and the understanding of someone who’s known him for most of his life.”
“He’s been solid at work,” Aithan added. “Not a peep about you, me, us.” He gestured at all of us with the peeler.
