9. #3
“I’m more of a ‘Watch out, that’s hot,’ and then when they get burned, I tell them, ‘You should have listened when I warned you the first time.’ Generally, they catch on pretty quick, because, luckily, I birthed children who can survive natural selection.”
“That’s fantastic,” I said through my laughter. “My sons’ mother sent me that video without even needing an explanation. Both of my boys are still that way.”
“And they live in Vegas? That’s a recipe for disaster.”
“So far, it’s gone well, and considering how much they love their lives there, that’s a miracle.”
“Speaking of miracles, we’ve got to talk, Nip.”
“No, we don’t. I know exactly what you’re going to say, so I’ve already got my counterarguments planned out. Nothing you say is going to deter me.”
“Okay then, Mr. Psychic. What am I going to say?”
“I’ll summarize.”
“Please do. When people ramble, it makes me homicidal. A therapist once told me committing murder wouldn’t be much of a stretch for me.”
“Is Emerald your therapist?”
“She’s one of my best friends. Which means she’s not just my therapist and biggest cheerleader; she’s also my ride-or-die who would help me bury a body. Please continue.”
“What does it say about me that I think you’re even sexier when you’re irritated?”
“That you’ve got no sense of self-preservation,” Jewel said simply. She slapped her hands on her thighs and stood up. “Good talk! I’ve got to . . .”
“Sit your fantastic ass back down and give me three minutes to plead my case, Kitten.” When her head swiveled toward me while her body stayed completely still, I added, “Please.”
Jewel sat, but I could tell she wasn’t happy about it.
I hoped it was because she didn’t want to think about what we’d shared this week ending for good.
I certainly didn’t want it to end. I had actual plans to keep our relationship moving forward, hopefully growing into something I never thought I’d share with another woman, especially since I already had two divorces under my belt.
“If I take my clothes off and flash my weapons of mass distraction, can we skip the intense, soul-baring share-all and just say goodbye with another orgasm or two?”
“As much as I adore looking at Shock and Awe–which are phenomenal names for those magnificent works of art–I’m not letting you distract me with sex. Again.”
“But it’s so much fun,” Jewel whined as she looked up at the ceiling.
Her gaze came back to me. “Let’s leave things on a good note, Nip.
We had a lot of fun, both after the wedding and here in the hotel.
For the rest of my life, I’m going to remember you, the guy who let me live out more than a few of my favorite romance tropes, but . . .”
I was too curious to let that go, so I interrupted, “You mentioned that after we had sex in the elevator. What’s that about?”
“That encounter hit a few marks. Big, musclebound jock picks up a woman who’s nowhere near a featherweight, fucks her against the wall while holding her up effortlessly, and then says something intelligent afterward. That’s pure fiction, Nip.”
I appreciated that she admired my body and that she’d almost called me intelligent, but I had to ask, “What did I say afterward?”
“This doesn’t change anything.”
“I meant it didn’t change my mind about you being the most maddening woman on the planet, Kitten. Not that our relationship wasn’t . . .”
“We don’t have a relationship, Ziggy. We can’t.
You live in New York City, and I live in Rojo.
Those are thousands of miles apart in more ways than one.
I’ve got a life at home that makes me content and happy, surrounded by people I love who have thus far resisted the urge to kill me.
You have the exact same thing here. Neither of us does anything half-assed, which is all a long-distance relationship would ever be.
Our lives are already full. We don’t have time to travel back and forth, and neither of us would be satisfied scratching an itch once every few months. ”
“So you’re just going to call this off?”
To her credit, Jewel looked genuinely sad. “I don’t see any other way, Nip. I’d rather remember this week fondly than watch things blow up until those memories are replaced with bitterness and regret.”
“But I want to . . .”
Jewel put up her hand, took a deep breath, and shook her head. Tears filled her eyes as she said, “Please, stop, Ziggy. Nothing you say is going to change anything, but if you make me cry, it’s going to affect your blood pressure.”
I had to ask, “How would it affect my blood pressure?”
“It would go from normal for a man your age to zeroes across the board.”
I hooted with laughter as Jewel got up and walked toward the door to Brooklyn’s room. “I’m sorry, Nip, but I just can’t. Please leave so we can end things on a good note, okay? I’ve never asked you for anything before, but I’m asking for this.”
I didn’t say anything, but a smile spread across my face the second the door clicked shut behind her. As I got up to put on my clothes, the smile stayed. Jewel thought she had it all figured out, but I knew something she didn’t.
The miles between us were about to go from a million to one, because within the next few months, I was going to become the newest resident of Rojo, Texas.