Page 81 of Nothing to This

“Baxter!This isn’t about—”

“Tell me,” he snapped, grabbing her arm, tightening his grip to jerk her closer.“We were fine until he showed up.He broke us up.He did this to us… Are you sleeping with him?”

She gasped.“That is not your business,” she said, filled with her own anger.“If you don’t let go of my arm right now, I’ll scream.Believe me, you don’t want JD’s security to come over here.”

“I want an answer; I deserve an answer.I’m not afraid of his monkeys.”

Oh, the naivety.“Don’t be afraid of his monkeys, be afraid of him.Threatening me on any given day wouldn’t be a smart move, but doing it on our children’s birthday?At their party no less?You’re lucky I’m giving you this chance to leave.”She leaned in to snarl.“Walk away, Baxter.We’re through.Walk.Away.”

He glared for another minute.No problem, she had plenty of practice staring out men’s failed attempts at intimidation.

Tossing her arm away with a force that sent her stumbling backward, Baxter swore and stalked off.

As long as he was walking away, she’d let him go.Keep going.Yep, right around there.Walk away and never come back.He disappeared through the trees at the other side of the field.It took another minute for her heart rate to slow to normal.

If that was their whole dose of drama to be had today, she’d take it and be happy it stayed away from her babies.Returning to her previous spot, she scanned the fairground, assuring herself that all was okay.

The hot dog cart didn’t appeal; the cotton candy stand next to it was a different story.How many years had it been since she’d enjoyed cotton candy?A treat would help get her back to the spirit of the day.

The vendor gave her a stick and a cloud of fluffy pink cotton candy.A smile spread on her face, this was exactly what she needed.

“Thank you,” she said.“What do I owe you?”

“Your husband covered all costs,” the vendor said.“He’s some guy.”

“Oh, he is,” she said, taking a bite.“Thanks.”

Wandering, she ate some more and soaked up the nostalgia.JD had paid for the rides and the games to be there, that much she’d known.It didn’t occur to her he’d cover food costs too.

And there he was, heading her way.JD was welcome.Very welcome.JD.Going to meet him, she swept a puff of cotton candy from her stick and offered it to his lips the moment they reached each other.

Opening his mouth, he accepted.

She caught some for herself when he rubbed her arms.“Can we talk?”

Nodding, she ate more of the sweet indulgence.“I love this stuff,” she said and didn’t object when he laced their fingers together to guide her across the park, past the first row of trees, into a quieter space.“Have some more.”

Backing her against a tree in the central row, he let her slip some more of the sugary treat between his lips.This time, her finger touched his tongue and trailed free.

He’d been frowning and on some kind of mission it seemed, but when she sucked her damp finger clean, his head tilted.A feral kind of heat tinged his gaze.That was what she needed.Not another manic man with a grievance, this man with one thing on his mind.

“Does cotton candy turn you on?”

“This turns me on,” she said, meaning the party, still looking at him.“I’d never have been able to throw an event like this if it weren’t for you, JD.Thank you.Did you see their little faces?”

“I did,” he said, rubbing her arms.“And it’s your birthday next.You’ll have to get to work on your wish list.”

“How do you know when my birthday is?”she asked, eating more cotton candy.“My employee file?”

“No, you told me your birthday on the night we met.”

Had she?

“Wow,” she said, the cotton candy falling to her side.“I can’t believe you remember that.”

“I remember a lot about that night,” he said.“More than I let myself admit for a long time.”

“Doesn’t matter anyway,” she said, picking up her snack for another bite.