Page 108 of The Bad Husband

My fingers move in that direction too.

I free her hair and watch it frame her face.

“Who did you meet with this evening?” I ask, moving my hand down from her hair and resting it on her shoulder.

She looks at me with guilty eyes.

“Who was it?”

“I won’t tell you.”

“Nothing will happen to that person if you talk to me. It helps me learn more about you,” I say, stroking her supple neck.

“I thought you were in a hurry and wanted to watch me swim.”

“You’re cute, but learning more about him won’t affect my plans for tonight.”

“He’s a good guy who has no interest in being with me.”

“A good guy? As opposed to…?’

I stroke her skin with my thumb.

“You?” she murmurs.

“Funny. You like insecure guys?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Good guys are shy. Shy guys are insecure. Some women like them like that. They don’t raise hell or create problems.”

“Bad guys are insecure too. That’s why they do the stupid shit they do.”

I flash a grin.

“Not me, though.”

I look down at the waistband of her shorts and her legs.

“So you don’t like me. I mean, I’m not your type,” I say.

“I never said you were.”

“Fair. Well, you’re not my type either.”

She feigns surprise.

“I’m shocked.”

“Don’t be. There’s so much stacked up against us that we might not last for long,” I joke. “So let’s not waste the little time we have.”

I point to the door.

“Let’s go,” I say.

Moments later, we walk down the stairs. I’m still pondering her words as for the first time ever, I’m also thinking about us outside the timeframe of now.

The differences between us couldn’t be more stark.