I snorted, quite unattractively. “Don’t play concerned now.”
“For a smart woman, you really are so naïve.”
“Well, how about for just once you enlighten me!” He leaned in and bit my lip, sucking mercilessly before covering my mouth and taking it completely. I pushed at his chest, and he didn’t budge as I kissed him back. His kiss deepened and gentled slightly as he thoroughly tasted me. I moaned into his mouth as his arms trapped me to his body, a body I’d seen a thousand times and would never tire of.
“Nina, ask me inside,” he said, lifting me slightly so I felt the bulge in his pants.
“I’ll be more than happy to enlighten you.”
“No,” I said, pushing him away and taking several steps back, putting much-needed space between us.
“I am with someone else, fucking someone else. We are over, Devin. Stay away from me.”
His face twisted in rage as he took menacing steps toward me, making me flinch. Seeing my fear, he stopped where he was and stood, his hands on his hips, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe my confession. I was no longer his possession. With a deep breath, he looked up at me.
“Sell the property. Please just get rid of it. Save us both the hassle,” he pleaded as all the fight left him.
“Why do you stay with her?” I asked for the millionth time since the night I discovered them together.
“Goodnight, Nina,” he said, turning from me and getting into his car.
He sat staring at the wheel before looking back up at me one more time and turning the ignition. I realized then that Devin was just as infuriating to me in his refusal to answer my questions as I had been to Aiden.
Aiden. I needed to call him back.
Devin sped away as I drug myself up to the door, dreading the conversation. Devin would always have a certain effect on me if I let him. And I had just let him. I couldn’t in good conscience call Aiden with my head swimming with Devin, his kiss still fresh on my lips. I opted to text.
Nina: Wicked fight, I won. Call you tomorrow.
Aiden: Not good enough.
My phone rang, and I considered ignoring it. But Aiden deserved better. He had been nothing but good to me.
“Hi,” I whispered, throwing my purse on my kitchen counter.
“Do you love him?”
“Don’t ask me that,” I said with a sigh. “You won’t like my answer.”
The silence on the line lingered.
“He was nothing but a damn bad idea. He’s the bad guy, and in some fucked up way, I’m drawn to it. He’s a shark, and I let him turn me into one as well. I saw the signs and ignored them. I know that’s not what you want to hear. I don’t think I’ve ever made a good decision when it comes to a man. I kissed him, Aiden. But I won’t do it again.”
More silence.
“Look, Aiden, if you don’t want to see me again, I’ll understand. I didn’t realize how much baggage I was bringing into this.”
“Come see me tomorrow,” he said and hung up.
“If you w
ant to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.”
? Dorothy Parker
§§
I spent the next morning thinking about my next move. I should just sell the land. I didn’t want to give Devin any more reason to approach me. I was confident Violet could find me a similar plot. After all, Savannah was beautiful and full of places just as captivating. I fancied the idea of owning a small part of it, of developing, contributing something.