He studied me as I ripped open his diaper to change him. “You know, I’m thankful every day that you look like me, kid.” He smiled again and pulled at my nose as I leaned in. “You’re a handsome devil. You sure have worked your magic on my girlfriend.”
I sat with him in his rocking chair with the light dimmed and pulled out my phone. “Want to see Violet?”
“Tet,” he said, attempting to say her name.
“Yep.”
“Tet.”
I pulled up the picture. It wasn’t exactly age appropriate, but I was sure my son could appreciate beauty when he saw it. “Violet.”
“Tet.”
“Good enough.” He looked up at me then back at the phone, picked it out of my hand and threw it to the floor.
“I may want her, kid, but I’ll always be your daddy. Now, do me a favor and pass out.” I covered his eyes with my hands and he fought viciously to remove them. I chuckled and brought him to my bed with me and we both fell asleep looking at the world’s most beautiful screensaver.
“People should be ordered to get one of these once a month,” I grunted to my current therapist, Alana. I continued, “Crime would be lower, the world would unite as one. I’m telling you, this could solve any crises.” Alana chuckled as she leaned in, working my lower back. “Oh God, oh, that’s...fuck that’s great. Whoops, sorry about my mouth.”
“It’s okay, Violet. I’ve heard the word.” I looked up to her and she winked at me.
“Ahhhh…” I belted out for both our benefit. She had a velvet voice and nice brown eyes. She was tall but slender, and had hands that could melt a statue.
“I don’t see a ring,” Alana said, working my arms. “Are you here with someone?”
“No, I’m alone, though I am regretting that right about now. It’s been a crazy few months. I just needed a break.”
“I can feel the crazy few months in your shoulders,” she said, soothingly working the hard knots out with ease.
“You have no idea,” I said, pressing my face tighter into the cushion as she rubbed in more scented oil.
“You have twenty minutes,” she said, her voice lifting in curiosity.
I thought about confessing my sins. I was alone in the Caymans. Chances are she would never see me again. I had never been able to open up to another woman about Rhys, but still couldn’t bring myself to tell the whole truth.
“The cliff notes version is I am days away from a divorce, I was recently robbed and beaten then left for dead, I became involved with a man that has completely ruined me for all other men, but is right now a little bit of a mystery. He’s kind of perfect, but has...a dark side, I guess.”
Understatement of the year, Violet.
“Wow,” she said, digging her elbows into the hard tissue just above my ass.
I chuckled. “All that just in the last two months. That might be one reason I’m here.” I shook my head with wide eyes as I glanced at her over my shoulder. “Anyway, I wanted to make sure I am in love with the dude not the dick, even though I’m sure it’s both.”
“Well, honey, it sounds like a win-win to me. Love a little mystery in a man.”
My phone vibrated and I grinned back at her. “This is him. Let’s make him jealous.”
I let out a moan as I slid my phone to answer. “Rhys, oh GOD, the hands, mmmmmm.”
“What the hell are you doing?” he chuckled as I moaned in his ear.
“Mmm, oh, yes! Don’t stop.”
More chuckling from him.
I deadpanned, “What? No jealousy for me? I’ll have you know I’m being rubbed down by a set of hot hands right now.”
“Those better be the hands of a woman, or maybe I should warn you what happens when I get truly jealous.” His tone was deadly. I got hot immediately.