Ex-Husband's Regret

Harper.

"What are you looking at this late into the night?" the deep voice startles me from behind.

"God, you scared me," I muttered, trying to calm down my beating heart. "Don't ever sneak up on me like that."

Gabriel walks around the Kitchen counter and comes to stand on the opposite side. The moment he does that and my eyes take him in, my throat goes dry all of a sudden. I feel parched, like I haven't had water in ages and swallowing becomes a big damn problem.

Gabriel had nothing on except for a pair of grey sweatpants that hung low on his hips. The damn man was a masterpiece with the body of a Greek god. With his broad shoulders, abs for days, and that damn V that would drive any woman crazy,

He had a trail of dark hair that started at his navel and disappeared into his pants. It's as if it pointed to the direction of paradise.

I want to pull my eyes away but it's impossible. They drink him as if he were their only source of water. I stare at every nook and cranny of his body, noting the tribal tattoo on his chest. That is a new addition. It wasn't there when we had sex years ago and seeing it makes me curious about its meaning.

There was no denying that Gabe was a fine specimen, especially now. Don't get me wrong, even back then he had a great body and was fit, but now it's something else. Gone is the boyish body and in its place is the body of a man.

"See something you like?" his arrogant tone pulls me from the trance his naked chest had me in.

I scoff to hide my embarrassment at being caught. "Please, I've seen better."

"I doubt that, Harper," he said with an infuriating smirk.

"Of course you'd say that... Your ego won't allow you to accept otherwise."

come anywhere near Gabriel's. Gabriel's is the kind of body women dream of. All muscles and no fat in sight. Strong, sexy, and mouthwatering. It's the kind you imagine running your tongue on, and

had sex in two years, so of course I would react like this to seeing him almost half naked. In fact, I would react like this towards any man, there's nothing special

that. A

will continue telling myself that. Being

staring at my breasts. I watch with amusement as he swallows. I

something you like?" I throw his question back

"No," he answered gruffly.

not the only one living in denial. Anyway, it doesn't matter because nothing will ever happen between me and Gabriel. That ship burned and sank

after, and the atmosphere is awkward as

my voice, I ask. "What are you

Unlike in our previous marriage, he has been trying to come back home early because of Lilly and then leave in the morning after she wakes

sleep," he

never had this in our previous marriage. We never sat down and talked. He never comforted me when I cried. Hell, the man didn't

a list of schools that Lilly can join,"

the contract and we were now married, for the

school. Lakewood Preparatory,"

the school. Hell I used to go there. It's the only

do realize that I can't afford that kind of fees?"

home, but it wasn't as costly as Lakewood. Lakewood is way, way beyond my