“Sure. You can ask me anything Fred. We have no secrets. I caught you Sunday morning with your dick out.”
He punched her shoulder and grimaced at her, “gross.”
She giggled at his actions. “What do you want to know?”
“When you first started dating Merlin, eight years ago, did you feel like this?”
“With Merlin I felt like a princess,” she whispered. “I felt like he put me on a pedestal, and I was dainty and treasured. He made me feel like this right up until the day he asked me to sign divorce papers.”
“And with Isaias?”
“I feel if there was a pedestal, he’s kicked it over, has yanked me of it and is dragging me running through the mire to do all kinds of crazy, wicked things. I laugh, Fred. Oh my gosh, I laugh. He makes me laugh so hard sometimes I forget to breath and my ribs ache, and I have to beg him to stop. He makes me stand on my own two feet and praises me for being self-sufficient but he’s also protective and I feel safer with him than I ever did with Merlin.”
“Liesl, I think, your heart needed a restart and Isaias is giving it to you. He’s not Merlin and he’s not going to hurt you the way Merlin did. I’m not saying he’s not going to hurt you because I can’t see the future. I’m not saying you and he are going to be forever. I am saying, if you are open and honest with him, he’ll return the favor. Talk to him. Let him know how you’re feeling and why you’re feeling it and he’ll listen.”
“Okay.” She hugged him tight. “I’m glad I have you. I love you so much.”
“I love you.” He stood up, “now, let’s go see if the girls opened the wine yet. I could really use a glass.”
“Me too.”
As she followed her brother out, she cast a longing glance to her phone charging on the nightstand. When everyone was gone for the night, she would call Isaias and let him know how she was feeling. Hopefully, he wouldn’t run screaming into the night.
It felt strange to be in a new apartment of her own. She lay in her bed staring at the ceiling, wondering what Isaias was doing.
As if he knew she was thinking of him, her phone rang, and she stared at it panic-stricken. On the fifth ring she answered it. “Hello?”
“Hi Liesl. Were you sleeping? I didn’t wake you, did I?” His warm voice was soft and comforting.
“No. I was just laying here.”
The truth rang between them at her admission.
“Are you avoiding me?” he asked quietly.
“No.” She denied and then whispered, “yes.”
“Why, sweetheart. Did I do something wrong?”
“No. I did.”
He was quiet for several seconds. “Did you get back with Merlin?”
“No!” she almost shrieked the answer. “Are you crazy? No, I didn’t get back with Merlin. What is wrong with you?”
“Well, you said you did something wrong and this entire trip to LA was because Trent tried to sabotage my build. I thought perhaps they got to you.”
“No.” she frowned at the phone. “No. I didn’t get back with him. I’d rather be single for the rest of my life and have ten cats than be with him again.”
He chuckled, “then why are you avoiding me?”
“I googled you.” She felt the guilt searing her again.
“What?”
“I checked online to see if you were out in a club or on a date and if the paparazzi captured it. I’m sorry Isaias. As soon as I did it, I knew it was wrong. I closed out my apps, shut my phone off and I feel so guilty. You deserve far more trust than I gave you. I’ve been avoiding you because I didn’t know how to tell you what I did. I’m embarrassed Isaias. I’m so sorry.”
“You researched to see if I was cheating on you,” his voice was cool but quiet.
“Yes.” She blinked back the tears.
“Sweetheart, why?”
She sniffed, “Merlin cheated on me, and he had a lower sex drive. You’re far more active than he is. I wasn’t around and so it makes sense you would need a release.”
“Babe,” he chuckled cutting her off. “How did you arrive to your conclusion?”
“I don’t even know,” she was crying in earnest now. “I got thinking we never talked about whether we were exclusive and then if Merlin didn’t want sex as much as you but still went looking for it, you who really like sex were going to go looking for it. I know you’re far more attractive than him and I got thinking of all the women throwing themselves at you and I spiraled.”
“You’re still spiraling.” He was laughing heartily now. “Liesl, listen to me. You and me, we’re exclusive. There isn’t anyone else.”
“There isn’t?”
“No, gorgeous. I’m not interested in anyone else.”
“I’m sorry, Isaias. I should have trusted you and I had no right to violate your privacy as I did. Can you forgive me?”
“Yes, but it’s going to take a hell of a blowjob, maybe even a sixty-nine.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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