Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 71625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Sort of like she still had access to my property. She still had access to half my money—which wasn’t a lot, but it was all I had.
It also meant that the tempting morsel that was on my chest, frozen with her mouth next to my ear—exactly where my phone had previously been resting—would have to wait.
I couldn’t have sex with her now that I knew I was still married.
That went against every moral code that I possessed.
Until I found out whether this was true or false, I had to wait…didn’t I?
Just how, exactly, did that shit happen?
Winnie pulled back and stared into my eyes. The black-out curtains that were covering the windows were doing a piss poor job of what they were designed to do.
“You’re still married?”
I let the phone drop from my ear and let it fall to the bed where I tried to breathe deeply to get my anger under control.
“Yeah,” I growled. “Or so she says. But lying wasn’t really one of Lizzi’s problems. She was always upfront with her desires. Such as, she told me point blank that she was going to cheat. I’d thought she was joking. She wasn’t.”
“Well, shit.” She sighed. “Does this mean I can’t do you?”
I started to laugh, and it was a surprise. After the news that Lizzibeth had just shared, I didn’t think I’d be laughing again…ever.
“Yeah, until I figure this out…this means I can’t do you.”
“Well…shit.”
***
At the end of the day, I looked up from loading the boat to see Winnie carefully making her way up the length of the boat, holding on with one hand while she looked down with the other.
These last three days had gone by so well that I questioned why I’d ever told her she couldn’t come.
She’d been monumental in making this rescue operation work as well as it had this week.
She’d given a man CPR. She’d helped a woman having a diabetic episode. She’d even held babies while mothers tried to catch a breather.
And I’d fucked her.
I’d. Fucked. Her.
Oh, and I wanted to fuck her again.
A lot.
But until I figured out this shit with Lizzibeth, that wasn’t going to happen.
“You okay?”
Winnie looked up and smiled.
“I’m great. I haven’t been able to walk for long periods of time without my cane in months. I don’t know if it’s the water helping me or what, but it’s nice to be able to stand without also looking for places to sit in case of an emergency,” she answered, making her way to my side.
I looped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to my side as I continued to tighten the boat’s tether to the trailer.
“You want to stop to eat now, or get out of here first?”
She pursed her lips. “I’m thinking we get out of the city first. There’s only so many places open, and there’s always a line. If we’re going to wait anyway, we might as well make headway toward home first.”
I agreed, but I wanted to make sure. “Sounds good.”
After saying goodbye to the other volunteer police officers, firefighters and medics that had come down and been in our small rescue convoy, we left.
We didn’t say a word until we were well outside of the flooded portions of the state.
“You okay?”
Winnie’s words had me glancing at her in surprise.
“What?”
“I said are you okay?”
I frowned.
“I’m fine, other than the obvious.”
“And what’s the obvious?” she pushed.
“The obvious being that Lizzibeth and I had a full annulment,” I continued. “We were married for two weeks before she told me that she wasn’t a monogamous kind of person.”
Winnie blinked. “You’re shitting me.”
“’Fraid not.” I rolled my eyes. “My kid doesn’t know this story, so if you happen to speak to him about it, don’t share this part.” I gave her a wry grin. “She literally told me she was going out on a date while I was on shift, and I didn’t believe her. Not until I went into a restaurant to grab a burger during my lunch and found her giggling and laughing, then kissing a man that wasn’t me.”
“So you divorced her?”
“I thought I did,” I confirmed. “I met with a lawyer, we filed it. I signed the papers. She signed the papers. Then the papers were turned in to the county.”
“So what happened?” She twirled a stray piece of hair that had fallen from her bun.
“What happened?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. I left a message for my lawyer. He’s an old friend of mine from the military. Todd said that he would look into it, but hasn’t gotten back to me yet.”
“It’s only been a half a day.”
“It has,” I agreed.
“I…”
My phone rang, and I hit the answer button on the console. Todd’s voice filled the speakers.
“Hey, man,” Todd said.
“Todd,” I murmured. “I was just talking about you.”
“Thought I felt my ears burning.” He chuckled. “Hey, did you get my message?”