THE EX WIFE'S RECKONING

over the last

in dissolving five years of marriage. Across the brown mahogany table, Ethan Carter sat still,

he also tried to forget the countless nights she had spent in his arms, tangled in silk

rs. Bennett..." He corrected himself. "Mis

t as she signed her name, she couldn't ignore the way it felt, like

on. No hesitation, because, of course, he was ready to let her go wholeheartedl

d his name, fast and thick. Then,

Officia

she th

ed back her chair, eager to escape. But before s

ai

. She hated that

her expression into som

e low and dangerous. "One last

ith him. He had always had a way of unraveling her defenses, of

ry ounce of log

minutes."

same damn smirk that used to dri

d of conversation y

had started, and so many apologies had ended in tangled sheets. The moment the

her with the kind of gaze that stripped

ms. "You got what you wanted. Papers signed, marriag

hat what you think? That

dn't exactly fight to

at him with eyes staring up. Of

. His scent. Expensive whiskey and something purely him hit her hard. "You le

second to your empire. To your goddamn board meetings, you

for us," he interrupt

than, you treated our marriage like a business merger. Love do

ne. It was a touch so familiar, so devastatingly

lting her chin up, "do you

lked out. But instead, she stood there, trapped between anger

ainst her lips. "Tell

owed hard.

t," Ethan fin

, he kis

g, of all the words they had never said. His hand slid into her hair, tilting her head back as

l thought she had. She pushed him hard, not away, but aga

d against his mouth, half in

ened. "Naomi, don

ed, pulling at his tie. "Th

sin. "You still think you ca

ound, pressing her against the cold glass of the office wi

e that when I'm done with you,

g skyline through the fog of her own ragged breath. The cold glass pressed aga

nd she felt the ghost of his fingers tracing the line of her spine. He

he murmured, trying to sound una

arm against her shoulder. "I

nsitive spot beneath her ear, she couldn't hold back the sharp inhale that betrayed her. Ahh... The st

ist, settling on her hips before pulling her flush against him. Even throu

said again, but this t

ass as she met his gaze in th

ded. He needed to be sure it would

sk. Her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively, bringing him

way he touched her. This wasn't about love or reconciliation. This was a battle. A reckless,

it to pull him down to her lips. Their kiss was all teeth and h

he murmured against her mouth,

t back, reaching between them to unb

d. "Not e

her forward until she was teetering on the edge of th

," she whispered, but the tre

forcing her to look at him. "Then

im again, because if she spoke, she migh

world disappeared right before her i