“Yeah, Mom. You don’t have to ask,” Piper said. “We know you like Aston. Dad said you’ve never stopped liking him, even when you were married to him.”
Mentally, I growled, but I kept a smile plastered on my face. Seth had settled into a one-sided game of backhanded warfare. Problem was, he wasn’t lying, so I had no right to argue with his stance.
“Guys, this is uncharted waters for all of us, and already unusual. We don’t have to make it more difficult. Let’s try to get along. I’m doing this so you can get to know Aston and your half siblings, Piper.”
“Mom, we all get along. I’m getting to know Aston, and I know Dad doesn’t like it. It’s fine, okay?”
Wishing my hair wasn’t pulled back, I plucked the ponytail holder out, allowing my hair to shield my face from the passenger seat where Piper was sitting. “You have every right to get to know him. Seth can be hurt, but it’s not his place to judge you. Only me. I mean, he can only judge me.”
“Are you going to be a witch when it comes to video games later?” Tyler said, interrupting me. “Can we go to Aston’s? I bet you his house is bigger, and he probably doesn’t care how long we play.”
“Sorry, bud, we’re hosting, and I don’t plan to be a witch except when it’s time to sit at the table for dinner.”
With Piper sufficiently distracted, playing a game on her iPod, I drove us home in silence. I hadn’t wanted to go to Aston’s. Piper still hadn’t resolved her “are we rich?” issue, and I was certain seeing his house would only stir up those feelings again.
Also, I wanted Aston to have a taste of what our life was like. His kids would probably be shocked and hate it. For a second, I wondered if I was self-sabotaging . . . and then we were home, and I had too much to do to worry.
With the table set and fries in the oven, I was prepping some veggies to go on the grill before the burgers when the doorbell rang. Of course, Piper yelled she would get it, and before I knew it, four pairs of feet were running through the house, and a deep voice greeted me.
“Hey.”
“Hey, you.” I looked up from slicing veggies.
“I wish you would have let me host. Denise could have helped, and you wouldn’t have had to go to all this trouble.” Aston came up behind me, pulling me away from the cutting board into his warmth, his lips traveling the nape of my neck.
“Aston,” I whispered. “Stop with the PDA.”
“No. I’ve waited all day to say hello to you properly.”
He spun me to face him and kissed my lips. Tenderly at first, and then harder.
“Piper took Mara to her room so she could braid her hair, and the boys are probably halfway to catatonic in front of a video game,” he mumbled against my mouth. “Kiss me.”
So I did. On a breath and a sigh, my mouth opened, and his tongue slid in. With my back cutting into the counter, we kissed like long-lost lovers.
Oh, right, that’s exactly what we were.
Aston broke free first. “How was your day?”
For a second, I was sad he ended the kiss, even though I’d initially fought it. “It was good. Busy. Yours?”
“Great. I’m back to working big deals, and about to close a partnership with the largest cruise line sailing. We would handle all their business on a five-year contract.”
“Wow.” Taking in the sparkle in Aston’s eyes, I said, “You know what? You were made to do this. Seeing you excited like this, I don’t regret you picking the company over me.” And I think I actually meant it.
“I could’ve done both.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
“I also got a huge break in the case. We’re going to be in court next week in front of the judge for a preliminary hearing. I’m hoping he’ll dismiss the charges. Make it all go away.”
“I don’t think I even want to know,” I lied, but I really did. My body and mind craved some type of assurance that Aston was going to beat this.
“When I’m all freed up, I’ll tell you everything. Promise. But now, are you sure I can’t sneak you into a bathroom and take care of you? I’ll put my hand over your mouth to cover your moans.”
“Aston.” Not sure if it was a need-filled moan or a scolding one, but his offer did sound appealing.
“Come on. Let’s chop these vegetables.” He gave me the out and made his way toward the cutting board.
“You cook? The surprises keep coming.”
As he skillfully sliced the squash, I grabbed a pepper. For a few minutes, we worked in silence side by side, and I imagined this was what it would be like if we really ended up together.
“One sec,” I told him. “Let me light the grill.”
Making my way out the back door, I flicked the gas on the in-ground grill, watching the grates burst into flame.
“Of course you know your way around a grill. You were always a girl with many talents.”
“Um, we have to eat, Aston. The kids and me.”
“Did Seth ever cook for you?” His question might as well have been plucked from the sky. Aston might be a lot of things, but jealous wasn’t one of them.
“This was his,” I said, pointing at the grill. “Sadly, he didn’t use it much because we only got it shortly before he moved out. But no, he didn’t cook much. He worked.”
I took in Aston, wearing another white shirt, dark jeans, pristine Adidas sneakers, and quickly glanced down at my jeans with the hole in the knee, and my black off-the-shoulder tee. We were a mismatch. I was grilling burgers, and he would probably call for delivery or hire a caterer.
“Don’t do that.”
“What?” I asked.
“Mentally calculate all the reasons we don’t
