Page 10 of Unbearable

“Oh. Yeah, okay. We should too. It looks like Ethan might have fallen asleep on that llama. Hold on, and we’ll walk you to your car.” She watched as he walked over and hauled the little boy into his arms. “I think all the stimulation made him crash.” He laughed and the sound rolled through her body like a tidal wave.

“Looks like your job here is complete.” They reached the parking lot, and she unlocked her car.

“You’re good, then?”

“Yeah, thanks.” She slid into the driver’s side.

“Okay. Be safe.” There was a moment when she swore he lingered in her door before closing it. But then the moment was over, and all she could do was head home.

When her gaze ventured to the rearview mirror at the entrance, she found him still standing with Ethan in his arms watching her drive away. She sighed and exited to the left.

“Where have you been?” Brooke hissed when he stepped into the apartment.

“It’s Saturday, we went to the petting zoo,” Fox answered quietly. Stepping around her, he walked into the second bedroom and laid Ethan on his bed. He pulled a blanket over him before returning to the living room.

“You’ve been with her, haven’t you? I can smell her on you.”

“You can’t smell anything but the petting zoo because I haven’t been with anyone.” It was the same argument he had every weekend. Brooke accused him of having an affair at leastonce a week if not more. If it wasn’t one of his clients or a coworker’s wife, it was her sister.

“Was she there?”

“Who.”

“You know who. Bailey?”

“I picked Ethan up from her house this morning, remember? If you’d stop letting your ex take Ethan, we wouldn’t have to do this every other weekend.”

“Do not tell me what I can and can’t do with my son,” she said, shoving him in the chest.

“I’m not,” he answered, stepping back. “I just wish you’d consider what goes on in that house.”

“Jimmy would never hurt Ethan.”

“Maybe not, but it’s not Jimmy I’m worried about. It’s the rest of his crew that hangs out at his house.”

“At least he’s not screwing my sister.”

“I’m not screwing your sister. Jesus!” He ran his hand through his hair. It was always the same. She went on the attack, and he spent his energy trying to defend himself.

“Calm down,” he mumbled. All the fight suddenly went out of her. If he couldn’t use the gift he was born with to de-escalate the situation, then what good was it?

“Anyway,” she said with a giggle as if nothing had happened. “I’m going out with some friends tonight. You’ll need to watch Ethan since he was supposed to be at his dad’s tonight.”

“That’s fine.” At this point, he would much rather spend his evening with a four-year-old than the boy’s mother.

“I’d better get ready. We’re going to do dinner then hit some new bar we’ve heard about.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Don’t wait up.” With another laugh, she walked into the bedroom. The door closed behind her, and Fox sank onto the couch. Trying to calm her down always took a lot out of him.

“How do I look?”

He was flipping channels on the television when she reemerged half an hour later. She spun around in the doorway. He would like to say that her skirt was way too short and her shirt way too translucent.

“You look as beautiful as always,” he said instead.

“Good answer.” She pushed off the doorframe and walked to him. Straddling his legs, she slid forward until she was flush against him. “Maybe you should stay up.”

Fox was saved from coming up with a response by the buzzer to the building going off. “I swear if that’s your sister…”

“It’s not Dover, she’s at work.”