Page 99 of Guarding Over You
He covered her hand with his, firm but gentle, holding it still.
“Sorry,” she murmured. “When we’re close and alone I just can’t help myself.”
“I like that. But if you keep doing it, I won’t hear a damn word you’re going to say and I’d like to.”
Her head went against his chest. “Billy got there early. I texted last night and asked if he could so we could talk. He didn’t ask me about what, just said yes.”
“Is that normal?”
She shrugged. “We didn’t have the best communication. Maybe he didn’t want to know as much as I didn’t want to do it then. There is some guilt that I took the easy way. By doing it with Gracie close by and Julie on the way, I knew he’d have to control his reaction more.”
“Don’t feel guilt for being instinctive. You’ve been through a lot with him and then more even after you split. Add the last month or so. It’s understandable to be that way.”
“Thank you for understanding. I think he might have thought I was going to give him an update on things, but he never even asked. Not even when Julie did later on. I’m thinking to myself—does he even care if I’m being threatened?”
His fingers itched to curl into a fist, but he stopped the movement. He didn’t need her to veer off course or even worry he was getting upset.
“I care. You know that, don’t you?”
“Absolutely. Then I told myself that is more important to me. And because I know you do and I care about you, that is why I was taking this step. He’s accused me of trying to make trouble for his and Tina’s relationship before. As if I’m jealous.”
He snorted. “What’s he delusional?”
“I thought so. I just blurted it out that I was dating someone. He was shocked. As if he didn’t believe it for one minute because he and I didn’t have that great of sex life. Then it hit him and he got pissed and asked if Gracie had met you.”
“And he thinks I should have to go through the same hoops as Tina?”
She sighed. “That’s it right there. But I pointed out that I’m not the one with the violent past. I’m not the one who our daughter is afraid of.”
“Which he wouldn’t want to hear.”
“No. But before I left, Gracie ran to give him a hug. She was happy to see him.”
There went his fist again. For a different reason this time.
Maybe he didn’t want the little girl to get close to her father again. Not if the man could talk to and treat his ex-wife the way he was.
Blaze knew the time would come where he’d have words with the guy. It was why he offered to meet him.
Arden had been quick to say it wasn’t necessary.
“That’s good.”
“It pains you to say it. I know. Maybe I wasn’t so thrilled to see it, but then I got thinking, this is part of it. I want her to have a normal life and having court appointed supervision with her father isn’t normal. What she has when she’s with you…that is. Maybe she’s seeing that and wants it with him.”
“You’re trying to make me feel better, but don’t do that. It’s not about me. It’s about you. Tell me what else was said.”
“Not much.”
“Don’t lie, Arden. Your body gave you away with the way you just stiffened. Nothing will make me mad. You’re in a situation you’re trying to control but don’t have all the tools to do it. None of us do.”
She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. “He made a comment about me doing what we just did. If I’m doing it in front of Gracie. I explained I hadn’t even touched you in front of her. You’re just a friend of mine now in her eyes. I reminded him that he and I didn’t even kiss or touch in front of Gracie.”
“Always?” he asked. Maybe she wasn’t a touchy type of person when he was and it was hard for him to hold that back with someone he was losing his heart to.
“No. Early in our marriage things were different. Until they weren’t.”
There was no reason to explain more. No reason to hash old news.
