Another

“Oh, and Carina…that wasn’t a mistake.”

The doors slid closed, giving me one last glimpse of a flushed and stunned Carina.

12 Carina

Figuring I had a few minutes before Ian arrived with lunch, I stepped out of my office to do a lap around the floor. My back ached, and I’d had Braxton Hicks all morning. The first time I’d had them, I’d panicked and thought I was going into labor at seven months. I ran to the ER all alone at midnight just to find out I was overreacting. So, now when they came, I just counted the time between them and walked it off.

If they were random, it was just false contractions. If I noticed them regularly, then it could be labor. These had been happening all morning, but they were all over the place but hurt more than normal.

But it wasn’t a fake contraction that stole my breath when I stepped out of my office.

No, it was Ian smiling down at that slut Nina from accounting.

Okay, maybe she wasn’t a slut, and I barely knew her. But I hated her and the way she was smiling up at Ian like he was the best thing since sliced bread. She must have been the funniest person ever because he threw his head back and laughed, and she took the moment to step closer. What pissed me off more, he didn’t back away.

How many other women was he flirting with? Was he still dating? Maybe screwing all these other women in between bringing me lunch? Maybe he thought he could have a quickie and check the box of taking care of his baby-mama in one go.

Fire burned up my throat and squeezed my chest.

He rested his hand on the half-wall, almost like he was going to lean in and kiss her. Just like he’d kissed me last week. I’d avoided the subject, but I wouldn’t have if I’d known he was going around fucking all the women in the city. Next to his hand was my bag of lunch.

Well, I wasn’t going to wait for him to get done doing her on the copy machine to eat.

I stomped over and didn’t say anything when I reached between them and snatched the paper sack. I didn’t even look at him before turning and storming back to my office. I didn’t even get the satisfaction of slamming the door because he slapped it with his palm, pushing it open and closing it gently behind him.

Everything felt close to boiling, and I wanted to go over and slam it anyway, just for the satisfaction of hearing the bang.

“What the hell was that?” he asked, pointing at the door.

“Nothing.” I sat down, and dug in for my food, shrugging and clearing all rage from my voice. “I’m just hungry and didn’t feel like waiting for you to finish eye-fucking Nina to eat.”

“I wasn’t—” He halted and paced two steps before turning back. “Jesus. I asked her if you were in a meeting and got caught up for a minute when she asked me about a software program. Sorry it took so long.”

His tone let me know he wasn’t really all that sorry. Or if he was, he was more irritated than anything.

Annoyed at his annoyance and shitty apology, I slapped my burger down on the table. “God, you can’t even admit when you’re flirting on your way to bringing the mother of your child lunch.” I stood and faced him head-on, letting the emotion bursting from me come out. “I don’t know why I’m surprised. You probably have women in a line to be with the great Ian Bergamo.”

An incredulous laugh broke free. “Are you kidding me?” He shook his head before leveling narrowed, steel eyes at me. They were no longer confused. No, they were taunting and angry. “What? Is the ice-queen Carina Russo jealous?” he sneered.

I stumbled back like his accusation was a physical force and scoffed. “No.”

His lip curled, and he took a step closer. “Come on, Carina. Admit it.”

Pulling my shoulders back, I channeled the same power I used in a boardroom. “Don’t turn this around on me. You’re the one screwing around.”

“I’m not,” he said with a hard edge. “We’ve promised each other nothing, so we don’t owe each other anything.” He took a few more steps, the lines between his brows softening and a dark glint entering his eyes. He didn’t stop until he stood right in front of me almost brushing my stomach, forcing my head back to meet his eyes. I swallowed when his lips tipped up in a devious smirk. “Unless you want to.”

“I want nothing from you.” I tried to hold on to my anger and infuse my voice, but when he stood so close, it was like he stole my oxygen, and it all came out breathy.